“Everything Comes Back to the Husband”
“Sorry, but… weve all got kids. None of us want trouble. Especially not that kind,” her friend said, her voice dripping with false sympathy.
“Liz, what on earth are you on about?”
Emily felt like someone had dumped a bucket of rubbish over herfilthy, cold, humiliating.
“We all feel awful for you,” Liz continued carefully. “Really, we do. But no one wants to take a risk. Youve got… well, you know… that situation now.”
It was clear Liz didnt want to hurt her, but she wasnt budging either. Just stating the facts, protecting her own family. In a way, Emily could almost understand.
But that wasnt the point.
“Im not contagious!” Emily snapped. “Whered you even get that idea?”
“Well…” Liz hesitated. “Weve all heard. About your husband, about what he gave you.”
“What, exactly, do you think you know? Yes, I had issues. But Im fine now!”
“Sorry, but from what Ive heard… its for life. We just dont want to take chances,” Liz said, defensive. “Youd do the same in my place. No one would blame you. Sorry, Em…”
The line went dead. Emily dropped her phone onto the table like it had burned her.
It had been six months since her friends had started ghosting her. The occasional “How are you?” text, but nothing more. No invitesnot even to birthdays. She couldve told herself they were keeping things low-key, but no. Shed seen the photos online.
Emily couldnt figure it out. Had she offended someone? Fallen out of favor over some rumor? The worst part? No one even bothered to talk to her properly, to let her explain.
So shed asked Liz. Liz told her. And it didnt help. Now everyone treated her like she had the plague.
She dropped her head into her hands, sighing. Deep down, she knew where this started. The memory hit her like a lorry.
…The flat was quiet. Soup going cold on the stove. Unread messages in her chat with her husbandall from her. James was working late. Again.
At first, shed been furious. Then came the gnawing anxiety. Eventually, just a dull ache of disappointment. She got used to him stumbling in near midnight.
“Mad workload. Everyones scrambling for loans, trying to start businessesIm swamped,” hed say.
But it wasnt just the hours. He started obsessing over hygiene, never left his phone unattended, took every weekend call without complaint. Even started getting haircuts more oftenfor James, that was a miracle.
Emily noticed, sure, but brushed it off. Just a rough patchhappens to everyone, right? Then the pain in her stomach started. She Googled, hoped it was nothing. But it didnt go away.
The doctors words shattered her life. Not fatal, not forever, but…
“Sorry, but theres only one way this happens,” the doctor said, looking at her like she was daft. “Youll want to have a chat with your husband.”
Emily sat on the bench outside his office, staring at the floor, holding back tears. The walk home was a blur.
The talk with James was short. First, he lied. Of course he lied.
“Probably got it from you!” he shot back.
Then came the admissionyes, there was someone else. No, he wasnt sorry.
“Im exhausted, and youre always nagging for attention. Of course I needed an escape. You saw things were badyou didnt fix it,” he shrugged.
No anger left, but no remorse either. In the end, he just asked if they could work it out.
“Nothing to work out, James. Not after your little gift. Were done,” she said.
The divorce was smooth. Nothing to split, James cooperated. Almost seemed relieved.
She thought the worst was over. But no. Emily had always had health issues, and now this.
“Medically, youre stable,” the doctor said at her follow-up. “But fertility might be a problem.”
“Youre saying I cant have kids?”
“Lets just say… the odds arent great.”
Translation: no chance. Emily clung to hope, but her cousina nursespelled it out:
“If you get pregnant, itll be a miracle.”
Her dream crashed around her. Shed grown up with three brotherschaos, noise, endless bickering over the telly, stolen sweets, stupid jokes. She got just as much grief as the others, but they always had her back.
She wanted that for her own kids. Now she sat alone in her silent flat, replaying the doctors words.
The worst night of her life. No way she could handle it alone. So she called Sophie. The same Sophie shed known since nursery, school, unieverything.
“Soph… just be my shoulder tonight, yeah?”
Normal for them. Sophie had cried on her plentyfamily rows, a boyfriend who hit her, losing her old Labrador. Emily knew it all. Shed been there, silent and steady, with chocolate and hugs.
“I dont think I can have kids,” Emily said when Sophie arrived.
“You sure? Did they say its definitely impossible?”
“Not in so many words. But it was that tonelike they didnt want to wreck my hope.”
“Em, medicines amazing these days. People have kids against all odds. And if not… theres always adoption.”
That night, Emily sobbed about James, about the future shed lost. Sophie held her, stroking her hair.
“Im just… terrified of ending up alone,” Emily choked out.
“Youre not alone. Youve got your parents, your brothers. Me. Youll never be alone,” Sophie promised.
By morning, Emily was calm. As Sophie left, she made her swear to keep it quiet.
“Course! Im not an idiot. Your secrets safe,” Sophie insisted.
Turns out, that “secret-keeping” fish blabbed to everyone. Emily hadnt even told her family. James wouldnt have either.
After Lizs call, Emily rang Sophie. Had to.
“Oh, Em! Hey! Long time,” Sophie said, just a beat too late.
“Yeah. Wonder why,” Emily snapped.
Silence.
“Whats this about?”
“Cut the act. I know now. Everyone acts like Ive got the plague! And you were the only one who knew.”
A sigh.
“Em… Look, I didnt tell anyone the details. Just mentioned to Anna you had serious health stuff… She mustve filled in the blanks and spread it.”
“You just mentioned it? After I begged you not to?” Emily scoffed.
“I didnt think itd blow up! I just wanted her to check on you. You seemed… rough. I was worried.”
Emily closed her eyes. Classicmeant well, turned out awful.
“When people worry, they dont gossip. I trusted you.”
“Sorry,” Sophie mumbled. “I didnt mean… I couldnt stop it after. It wasnt on purpose.”
“Wasnt on purpose? Soph, youre just a gossip. Thats worse.”
Emily hung up, clutching a pillow. Her phone stayed silentno flood of messages, no plans.
Shed thought these people were her rock. Turned out, they were quicksand. “Pillows dont talk back,” she muttered, squeezing it. Soft, reliable, and it kept its mouth shut.
