Chapter 3
Everyone in the room saw this message.
There was this weird silence.
Kyler didn’t say much. He just switched off my phone and told the intern nurse to keep tabs on me.
The nurse nodded. She said something but I missed it. However, everyone was grinning. Then Kyler blushed and left.
I was by myself in the room most of the time, with just the intern nurse popping in occasionally. I was stuck with those medical machines, even on my birthday.
On my birthday, I was having a relapse, and I was taken into the operating room for a rescue operation.
Antonio just sent a smiley face emoji and wished me a happy birthday. Then he was gone.
There was no update on his Instagram.
I was in the ICU all day on my birthday, with Kyler coming by all the time, looking more tired each visit.
When I sobered up a little, I saw him outside the window, holding a cake, mouthing, “Hang in there. We’ll have this birthday cake when you’re
better. Happy birthday, Grace!”
He paused after each word, making sure I could read his lips.
I gave a slight smile and nodded as hard as I could.
#
Finally, around midnight, once I was stable, I was wheeled out. At that moment, Kyler lit the candles on the cake and asked if I had any wishes.
I didn’t hesitate. “Divorce.”
Kyler paused for a moment, blew out the candles for me, and said, “Your wish will come true.”
I didn’t get to eat the cake, but the fact that Kyler remembered meant everything to me.
The day after, feeling a bit better, I wanted to call in sick from work. As I grabbed my phone, I saw a birthday message from Anna.
It was a video.
By the beach, there were fireworks going off with drones lighting up the sky to spell out “Happy Birthday“.
Then she texted: “Oops, wrong message, Grace. This was from Antonio’s birthday party for me. Nice, huh?”
She even sent me some photos.
Those were private pregnancy photos Anna took of me when I was expecting. Antonio said they were for a keepsake, that my body wasn’t something to be ashamed of, it was beautiful.
So I agreed to take them.
But Anna submitted my private photos in a contest and only chose the ones with my face.
“Grace, your pictures won an award, but a lot of people said your stretch marks were gross. They just don’t get it.”
After sending this, she pretended to hit the wrong button and sent a voice.
message.
It was Antonio’s voice.
“Actually, those comments weren’t wrong. Sometimes when I see her stretch marks. I feel disgusted too.”
Not only did Anna win with these photos, but she also got a fat prize. Antonio’s silent Instagram for days was also active again.
Their friends congratulated Anna and then they posted my photos without any blur.
After I liked it. Antonio finally contacted me.
He said he would be back soon and come see me and the baby. Then he directly told me, “You should be discharged too. It’s time to take care of Anna’s cat for a few days.”
I just gave a simple response.
A few days later, once I felt better, I got in touch with a divorce lawyer, sorted out the divorce papers, and sold everything I owned, including all the stuff Antonio had given me.
I started a personal video account, posting daily updates of videos. Antonio and I had made before, acting as the subject in the private pregnancy photos taken by Anna.
The buzz around me grew fast.
The photography association even invited me as a special guest to Anna’s award ceremony.
But Antonio never showed up. Even when I was discharged, he said he was too busy with work, but Anna told me the real story. He was just hanging out with Anna at the hotel, prepping for the ceremony.
On award day, it was a grand ceremony, with my photos playing on the big screen non–stop.
Antonio sat in the family section, looking at Anna with affection. He even wore the tie I bought for him.
Anna held up the trophy high and smiled, “The person I’m most thankful for is my dearest friend, Antonio. Without his constant care and support, I wouldn’t have achieved this.”
Antonio walked up with a bouquet of flowers, and they shared a tight hug. Just as Antonio was leaning in to kiss Anna, the police burst in.
“Mr. Kaufman, Ms. Snyder, please come with us.”
