Chapter Twenty-Two - Kate
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Kate
The waiting room smelled faintly of lemon-scented hand sanitizer, the kind that clung to your skin long after you used it. The pale blue chairs were stiff and uncomfortable, the walls lined with informational posters about prenatal vitamins and safe sleep habits for newborns.
Kate shifted in her seat, absently smoothing her hand over the small curve of her stomach. The baby wasn’t moving yet, but she felt the subtle shifts inside, those early reminders of the life growing within her.
James was already there, sitting beside her like he had for every appointment since they found out about the baby. He was never late. Never distracted. He showed up—physically, at least.
And yet, despite his steady presence, the ache in her chest lingered.
She didn’t know how to feel about him being here.
This wasn’t the first appointment. They’d already heard the heartbeat, already seen the flicker of life on the ultrasound screen together.
She remembered how he’d looked that day—staring at the monitor like he was seeing a miracle, his hand on hers, trembling.
But the tenderness of that memory felt tainted .
Because the man sitting next to her, so calm and patient, was still the same man who had betrayed her.
And it was so hard to reconcile both versions of him.
James shifted beside her, his knee brushing hers lightly.
“You feeling okay?” he asked softly, his voice so gentle it made her throat tighten.
Kate nodded but didn’t meet his gaze.
“I’m fine. Just tired.”
Which was true, but only half of it.
The truth was, she felt emotionally exhausted . Drained from the effort of keeping up this delicate balance between them—this careful civility.
He had been...better lately. She couldn’t deny that.
He was present. Attentive. He was doing everything he could to support her.
But the wound he’d left—
It was still there.
And no amount of gentle words or shared appointments could erase it.
“Kate?”
His voice pulled her back, quiet but concerned.
She turned toward him, finally meeting his gaze.
He looked tired, too. Dark circles under his eyes. Hair slightly mussed, like he’d run his hands through it too many times already that morning.
But there was something else there.
Something softer.
Like he knew he was still treading carefully, afraid to break whatever fragile thread existed between them.
Before she could respond, the nurse called her name.
James stood first, instinctively helping her to her feet. His hand hovered near her lower back, never quite touching—but there .
And despite everything—despite the ache in her chest—she didn’t pull away.
The exam was routine. Blood pressure, measurements. The gentle press of the fetal doppler against her stomach, the rhythmic whoosh-whoosh sound filling the room as the nurse confirmed the steady heartbeat of their child.
It wasn’t the first time they’d heard it. But James still reacted like it was.
His eyes softened, his lips parting slightly, and Kate caught the way his chest lifted with a shaky breath he tried to hide.
But he wasn’t looking at the monitor.
He was looking at her .
And for a split second—
It felt like the past.
The version of James she had trusted with her whole heart.
The man who had held her hand during Noah’s birth, who had whispered encouragement in her ear when Lily had come too quickly, staying calm while she panicked.
The man who had been hers .
Except now, it was different.
Because that James had hurt her.
And as much as she wanted to believe the man sitting next to her was still the same, a quiet voice in the back of her mind whispered, What if he isn’t?
The appointment ended with standard instructions. Kate pulled her shirt back down over her stomach, feeling exposed in a way that had nothing to do with the checkup.
When James helped her with her coat again, his hand brushed hers, lingering for just a heartbeat longer than necessary.
She didn’t pull away.
But she didn’t lean into him either.
The silence followed them out to the parking lot, heavy and unspoken as he opened the car door for her.
When he finally spoke, it was so quiet she almost missed it.
“I’m really glad you let me be here today,” James said quietly, his voice softer than she expected.
Kate exhaled sharply, the words hitting her wrong— so wrong .
He spoke like he deserved praise for showing up. Like it was some kind of favor she was granting him, after everything.
After her trust had been shattered.
After he’d been unfaithful to her , not the other way around.
The rage boiled up so fast it almost knocked the breath from her lungs.
You think this is enough?
You think sitting in a doctor's office, hearing the heartbeat of this baby, suddenly makes you a better man?
The words were right there, burning at the back of her throat, but she bit them back, pressing her lips together as she climbed into the car.
She wouldn’t break down in a parking lot. Wouldn’t let the tension in her chest spill out where strangers could see, where the receptionist inside could glance out the window and witness her unraveling.
James lingered by the open car door, watching her carefully, like he felt the shift but didn’t understand it.
Good.
Let him wonder.
She forced a nod, tight and stiff, gripping the seatbelt with fingers that ached from how hard she clenched it.
And when he shut the door, Kate stared straight ahead, heart pounding with unspoken words.
The storm was still there.
Simmering just beneath her skin.
She wasn’t done being angry. Not even close.
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The dinner table was tense, the kind of tension that hung in the air long before the first words were even spoken.
Noah sat slouched in his chair, fork aimlessly pushing his mashed potatoes around his plate, earbuds dangling from his neck like he was barely here.
Kate noticed.
She always noticed.
He’d been quieter lately—sullen, short-tempered. And she knew why.
College decisions were starting to loom on the horizon. His junior year was more than halfway over, and all his friends were talking about campus visits and applications and test scores. It should have been an exciting time.
But instead, the entire subject felt like walking a tightrope.
Tonight, she wanted to try.
She cleared her throat softly, setting down her fork.
“So, have you thought more about where you might want to visit? I saw some brochures on the counter—was that from your counselor?”
Noah barely looked up.
“Yeah.”
Silence.
Kate forced a smile, keeping her voice calm, steady.
“Do you want to go check out any of the schools nearby? Maybe this weekend? I’d love to—”
Noah cut her off, his voice sharp. “Mom, you wouldn’t even know where to start.”
The words hit like a slap. Lily, silent until now, shifted in her chair, blinking wide-eyed between them.
Kate blinked, heat rising to her cheeks. “Excuse me?”
Noah scoffed, finally looking up, eyes narrowed in that teenage glare that felt like nails under her skin.
“I mean, it’s not like you went to college. Never went to college, never had a job, just lived off of Dad. How are you supposed to help me with this?”
The air seemed to leave the room all at once.
For a moment, Kate couldn’t breathe.
The words twisted, hitting her deep—because they were so unfair .
It’s true. She hadn’t gone to college. She’d been accepted . She’d had dreams. Plans. But life had changed.
Because she’d chosen to keep her baby. To marry James. To build this life. And she had never—not for a single second—felt like that life had been a sacrifice.
Her voice was tight as she placed her hands on the table, trying to keep her composure.
“I didn’t go to college because I had you , Noah. And I’ve never regretted that. Not once.”
Noah rolled his eyes, shoving his chair back with a loud scrape. “Whatever. I’m done with dinner.”
He grabbed his phone, already halfway out the door toward the stairs.
“Noah!”
Kate stood, her pulse pounding, her heart aching so fiercely she didn’t know how to contain it.
But before she could say more, James’s voice cut through the air.
“ Noah William Hayes, sit back down. ”
The command landed hard.
Noah froze halfway up the stairs, turning with that same defiant glare, but James was already rising from his chair, his voice calm but unyielding .
“You don’t speak to your mother that way. Ever. Do you hear me?”
Noah shrugged, face tight.
“Whatever. I’m just saying the truth.”
James took a step closer.
“The truth is that your mother has done more for this family than you can even begin to understand. She’s the reason we have a home. She’s the reason you had someone packing your lunch every day, someone who stayed up late making sure you got your science project done. She’s been there, always, without complaint, while I was working late. So you don’t get to speak to her like that just because you’re stressed about school.”
Noah’s face turned red, his jaw set stubbornly.
“So what? You’re gonna ground me now?”
James nodded, voice steady. “Yeah. I am. Two weeks. No going out, no screens unless it’s for school. Now go to your room. I’ll check on you later.”
Noah muttered something under his breath but didn’t argue this time, retreating up the stairs with heavy, stomping steps.
The slam of his door echoed through the house.
And suddenly, everything was too quiet.
Kate stood frozen, arms folded tightly across her chest.
James turned to her, his face softening immediately.
“Kate, I’m sorry—”
Her anger had simmered into something hotter now—raw hurt. She shook her head, stepping back. “It’s fine. You handled it.”
“No.” His voice gentled. “It’s not fine. He shouldn’t have said that. You’ve done everything for this family. For me . And I won’t let him talk to you like that.”
And there it was.
The crack. The thing that made the tears burn hotter behind her eyes. Because yes , she had done everything. She had given everything.
And James had still gone out and broken it all.
Lily, who had been quietly watching, suddenly slipped off her chair and rushed toward Kate, her small arms wrapping around her waist.
“Mommy, please don’t cry,” she whispered. “I don’t like when everyone fights.”
Kate dropped to her knees instantly, pulling Lily close, pressing a kiss to her temple.
“I’m okay, sweetie. I promise.” Kate wrapped her anger and pain up tight again, forcing herself to steady her voice for her daughter’s sake.