The Wife He Abandoned

CHAPTER ONE

Jessica

At five in the morning, Jessica Kane decided her daughter had inherited Alex’s talent for terrible timing. She barely made it to the bathroom before dropping to her knees.

The nausea had supposedly been improving.

Everyone kept telling her that. Her obstetrician, the women in the pregnancy forums she had stopped reading because other people’s complications had become too frightening.

Even Alex, who had celebrated three consecutive mornings without vomiting as if Jessica had personally negotiated a peace treaty with her stomach.

Apparently Sophia, that was the name they’d chosen for the baby girl she was carrying, objected to their optimism.

Jessica rested her forehead against the cool porcelain edge of the tub and breathed through her nose.

The bathroom light flicked on.

She groaned. “Turn that off.”

Alex immediately switched it off again, leaving only the pale spill of bedroom light.

“Sorry.”

He crouched beside her in pajama bottoms and an undershirt, his hair rumpled in a way no one at Kane Hill ever saw.

Jessica raised one finger.

“Do not tell me this is normal.”

“I wasn’t going to.”

“You were thinking it.”

“I was thinking I should get you some water.”

“Okay,” she said softly, trying to will her stomach to calm down.

His hand moved slowly over her back while she waited for her stomach to decide whether it had finished torturing her.

Eleven years of marriage had stripped most embarrassment from their relationship.

Alex had seen her through food poisoning in Paris, fertility injections that left bruises across her stomach, a miscarriage neither of them had known how to survive, and then this pregnancy, when Jessica had spent more mornings on the bathroom floor than in her own bed.

He had never made her feel unattractive. Even now, wearing an oversized sleep shirt with her hair piled crookedly on top of her head, mouth sour and eyes watering, she felt the kiss he pressed between her shoulder blades.

“Better?” he asked.

“Maybe a little.”

“Medication?”

“In a minute.”

“Crackers?”

She made a face.

“Toast?”

Another face.

“Dry cereal?”

Jessica looked back at him. “Are you reading from the sad-food encyclopedia?”

His mouth curved.

She managed a weak smile.

This was the man she had been missing even while sleeping beside him every night.

“I can make pancakes.”

“I would murder you.”

“Noted.”

Sophia shifted low in Jessica’s belly. She placed one hand over the movement.

Alex watched his entire expression changed.

He had been fascinated by the baby since the first time he felt her kick, as if pregnancy remained intellectually impossible despite his direct involvement in creating it.He slid his palm beneath Jessica’s.

“Morning, troublemaker.”

Sophia kicked again.

Alex looked absurdly pleased.

“She likes me.”

“She kicked you.”

“Communication is communication.”

“She kicks my bladder too.” Jessica laughed.

He leaned forward and kissed the side of her belly through the thin cotton of her shirt.

“Your mother is very hostile before sunrise.”

“Your daughter has been trying to kill me since four thirty.”

Alex looked up. The humor disappeared from his eyes. Jessica wished immediately that she had chosen different words.

“Bad choice of phrase,” she said softly.

His palm remained over her stomach.

“Very.”

“I’m sorry.”

He nodded once. “It’s alright.”

The old loss lived between them quietly.

Most days they moved around it without touching it.

They had learned how to build a life around the memory of blood on white sheets and a future disappearing before either of them had become brave enough to believe it was really theirs.

This pregnancy had been different from the beginning.

More closely monitored. More desperately wanted. More terrifying.

Alex stood and held out his hand.

“Come on.”

“I’m okay.” She said quietly starting to push herself up.

“I’m sure you are.”

“Then why are you looking at me like that?”

“Because last week you stood up too fast and nearly introduced your forehead to the sink.”

“That happened once.”

“Twice.”

“The second time was the sofa.”

“That improves your argument enormously.” He laughed.

Jessica took his hand.

By the time she brushed her teeth and climbed back into bed, Alex had brought water, crackers she didn't want, and the anti-nausea medication she eventually accepted.

He sat beside her, checking the time on his phone.

Jessica saw the transition before he said anything.

Work Alex had arrived. He didn't become cold.

He became focused. Efficient. The softness in him narrowed into purpose.

She had once loved watching the transformation.

Lately, she sometimes resented it, because when it happened she was alone even if Alex was sitting right beside her.

“What time is your first meeting?” she asked.

“Seven thirty.”

“That’s barbaric.”

“Graham scheduled it.”

“Then Graham is a barbarian.”

“He would agree with you.”.

Jessica closed her eyes. Her head had been aching since yesterday afternoon, a dull pressure behind her eyes that sleep hadn't relieved. She should tell him, but she hated seeing him have to choose between her and work. Work always won and she was too tired to lose another round to work

She opened her eyes instead.“You’re still coming this afternoon, right?”

Alex’s brow furrowed.

For half a second she thought he hadn't heard her. Then she saw it. He’d forgotten.

“My appointment,” she reminded him.

His expression tightened. “Today.”

“Three thirty.”

“Right.”

She looked away.

Alex reached for her hand. “Jessi.”

“It’s fine.”

“No. I knew it was today.”

“You clearly didn't.”

“I have the Belmont presentation at three.”

“It’s okay.” Jessica was too tired to fight for his attention.

“I’ll figure it out.” He picked up his phone checking a work text.

“You don’t have to. It’s a routine appointment.”

He hesitated.

Jessica hated that she noticed his relief before he covered it.

“I can move things around.” He said absently.

“You’ve moved things around all month.”

“That doesn’t mean I can’t do it again.” He still hand’t looked up from his phone and was muttering something about contracts under his breath.

“It also doesn’t mean you should.”

Alex finally looked up from his phone..

“Do you want me there?”

Such a simple question. It should have had a simple answer. Yes.

She wanted him sitting beside her. She wanted his hand over hers while Dr. Jackson measured Sophia and listened to her heartbeat. She wanted to see his face when the room filled with that rapid, impossible sound. Mostly, she wanted not to feel guilty for wanting any of it.

Jessica smiled. “I’ll be fine.”

Alex watched her another moment, then leaned down and kissed her forehead.“I’ll meet you there.”

Jessica relaxed just a little.He kissed her again before leaving the bed. Jessica listened to him move through the apartment. The shower started. A closet door opened. Then came the low murmur of his voice as he answered a call before six in the morning.

Her headache pulsed again. She pressed two fingers to her temple. Probably dehydration. Probably poor sleep. Probably pregnancy being pregnancy. She was probably overreacting. She’d gotten very good at telling herself that.

By three, Jessica had convinced herself she felt better.

The headache had eased after lunch. The nausea had settled.

Her ankles were swollen enough to make her shoes uncomfortable, but she was twenty-seven weeks pregnant, of course she wasn’t going to be prancing around in stilettos. It was normal, she reminded herself.

Dr. Jackson’s waiting room was quiet. Jessica sat with one hand beneath her belly and the other around her phone.

Alex had texted twenty minutes earlier.

Presentation running long. I’m sorry.

Jessica had answered with a heart. She stared at it now. One tiny red heart carrying an absurd amount of work. Understanding. Patience. Reassurance. Permission.

A nurse opened the door.

“Jessica?”

She stood carefully.

The nurse smiled at her stomach. “Getting there.”

“So people keep threatening.”

The woman laughed and led her back.

Dr. Nicole Jackson entered fifteen minutes later with her usual neat bun, warm eyes, and direct manner.“How are you feeling?”

“Very pregnant.”

Dr. Jackson smiled. “And that means?”

“Tired. Still nauseated some mornings.”

“Headaches?”

Jessica hesitated.

Dr. Jackson raised a brow.

“A few.”

“How many is a few?”

“Most days this week.”

“Vision changes?”

“Sometimes little spots.”

Dr. Jackson’s attention sharpened.

“Any pain under your ribs? Upper right side?”

“No.”

“Sudden swelling?”

“My ankles are definitely swollen.”

“I see.” The doctor said looking closely at Jessica’s ankles.

Jessica smiled.

Dr. Jackson didn't. The humor faded.Suddenly there was tension in the room.

“What?”

“Your pressure was elevated when you came in.”

“How elevated?”

“Enough that I want them to check it before you leave.”

Jessica glanced toward the machine.

“I was rushing.”

“That could contribute.”

“And I barely slept.”

“That could too.” Dr. Jackson pulled her stool closer. “But headaches, visual changes, swelling and elevated blood pressure together mean I pay attention.”

Jessica’s stomach tightened and her fingers gripped the edge of the examination table.

“Is Sophia okay?”

“Her heartbeat sounds good. Her movement is good. I’m not telling you something is wrong with your baby.”

Jessica released the edge of the examination table. “What are you telling me?”

“That I want additional labs today. I want you resting more. I want you checking your blood pressure at home exactly the way we discussed. If the headache becomes severe, the visual symptoms increase, you develop upper abdominal pain, shortness of breath, sudden swelling, or you simply feel something isn’t right, you tell me. ”

Jessica nodded. “Okay.”

“Not at your next appointment. When it happens.”

“I will.”

Dr. Jackson’s expression softened.“Is Alex helping?”

The question embarrassed her. Which made no sense.

“Yes.”

“Good.”

“He has a large project finishing.”

“I remember.”

“He’s been busy.”

Dr. Jackson waited.

Jessica heard herself explaining and stopped.“He’s helping,” she repeated.

Dr. Jackson nodded. “All right.”

After the appointment, Jessica sat in the parking garage for several minutes before calling Alex. He answered on the third ring.

“Hey.”

Noise filled the background. Voices. Footsteps. Someone asked him something, and he covered the phone long enough to answer.

“How’d it go?”

“Fine.”

He came back fully. “Sophia?”

“Perfect, apparently.”

“I told you. Takes after me.”

“She kicks me in the kidneys.”

“Still sounds like me.”

Jessica smiled despite herself.

“They’re watching my blood pressure more closely.”

Silence.

“What does that mean?”

“It was high.”

“How high?”

“I don’t remember the exact number.”

“What did Jackson say?”

“More monitoring. More rest. Call if anything changes.”

“Did she keep you?”

“No.”

“Did she send you to the hospital?”

“No.”

His voice relaxed.

“If Jackson thought it was serious, she would’ve kept you.”

Jessica traced one finger over the seam in her handbag.

“She wants me monitoring it.”

“Then we monitor it.”

Something in his tone caught her attention. He was so calm it almost felt dismissive. She immediately hated herself for thinking it. Alex was speaking tto someone in the background. Alex was busy. Alex was practical. He had spent eleven years being the man who found answers when life became messy.

“You don’t need me to come home, do you?” he asked, hesitantly still talking to someone in the background, probably Graham.

Jessica imagined him leaving the Belmont conference room. Graham picking up whatever Alex dropped. Another evening rearranged around her body. She shouldn’t have bothered him.

“No, it’s fine.”

“Jessi.”

“I’m okay.”

“You sure?” He asked but he already sounded distant and distracted.

“Yeah.” She said softly, hesitantly.

“All right. I’ll try not to be late.”

“I love you, Alex.”

“Love you too.” He said ending the call.

For several moments, Jessica remained in the driver’s seat.

Then she looked down at her left hand. Her wedding ring had become snug around her finger.

She twisted it once. Eleven years ago, Alex had put that ring on her finger in the old Astor Library beneath ceilings he had spent months restoring.

He had looked directly into her eyes and promised her things neither of them had understood yet.

Weddings made promises easy. Marriage was teaching them what promises cost.

Alex didn't make it home for dinner. At eight thirty, Jessica warmed soup she didn't want. At nine, he texted.

Still here. I’m sorry.

Her headache had returned. She sat curled at the end of the sofa with the blood-pressure cuff on the coffee table. The first reading had been higher than she liked. The second had been lower. The third had produced an error message.

Jessica picked up her phone.

I’m feeling strange tonight.

She read the message. Alex would call. He might come home. He might tell Graham he had to leave. He would worry. Jessica could already hear his questions. How bad? What does strange mean? Did Jackson say to go in? Was there pain? Was Sophia moving?

She rested one hand on her stomach. Sophia shifted. Fine. They were fine. She deleted the message.

Okay. Love you.

Alex responded almost immediately.

Love you more. Home soon.

Jessica turned on an old movie and tried not to worry. She was asleep when Alex came how at one in the morning.