Page 3 of The Liar's Wife

“Here you go.” He placed the straw next to my mouth and I took a sip, then he reached across me, careful of Gray’s head, and put the glass on my table.

“Thank you, baby,” I said, my eyes already trained on my son once again.

“Well, what do you think? You want to keep him?” Ben joked, wrapping an arm around me to peer down at him.

I wrinkled my nose. “He’s absolutely perfect, Ben,” I said, cuddling Gray closer to me as his eyes rolled back with delight, white milk bubbles forming at the corner of his mouth. My eyes felt heavy suddenly, as if I could’ve fallen asleep at any moment, and I wondered how I’d felt so awake just moments before.

As Gray fell away from my chest, I felt Ben reach for him. He kissed my cheek as he took the baby from my arms. I smiled at him, my body burning warm and light with sleep as he pulled the blanket from the back of the couch with one arm and used it to cover me.

“I’m so tired,” I whispered, though he must’ve known it.

“I know, baby. Go to sleep. Daddy’ll take over for a while.” He cuddled Gray into his chest, bouncing him softly.

“He’ll need to be burped,” I reminded him as I stifled a yawn.

Ben began patting his back, whispering softly in his ear as Gray fussed.

“It’s okay, little guy. Daddy’s here.” He winked at me as I closed my eyes a final time. Everything in me wanted to be awake, be present to see all the changes, every moment that I knew I’d miss while I slept, but I couldn’t. I couldn’t fight sleep for a second longer.

Darkness found me, and I drifted off to sleep to the sound of Ben humming a song I couldn’t recall the name of.

Chapter Three

Irocked Gray carefully, humming in his ear long past the time he’d fallen asleep. I couldn’t get over how much I loved feeling his little chest rise and fall against mine.

I could’ve lain there all day. No place to go. Nothing to do. I could’ve lain still and held my child until he outgrew my arms. I glanced at the clock as a familiar dull ache grew in my lower stomach. It was past the time for me to take my medicine, but Ben had been in the bathroom for quite a while.

I sat still, trying to think of something else. He’d be out soon. I could wait. When a second wave of achiness came on a few minutes later, I winced, shifting my weight carefully. I lifted Gray away from me and laid him down, careful to keep his face away from the back of the couch. I patted his tummy as he tightened his arms and legs, aware of my absence, but quickly calmed down.

I grasped my own stomach as I moved to stand, putting pressure on my scar to keep the pain at bay. I moved slowly across the apartment, every move met with a bolt of pain.When I reached the counter, I picked up the bottle and twisted it open, taking my pill without water.

I couldn’t hear the shower still running from the bathroom.What is he up to?“Ben?” I whisper-yelled, praying I wouldn’t need to walk that far. The nurses had told me not to miss a dose; it was harder to get back out of pain once you were in it, and better to stay on top of it. Until that moment, we’d been incredibly diligent with my regimen.

When he didn’t answer, I sucked in a shallow breath and pushed off from the counter, easing my way down the hall, my hands on both sides to keep me from falling.

I made it to the bedroom door and pushed it open carefully. His back was to the door, already fully dressed, though his hair was wet.

“Aww, well, thank you,” he said, both hands cradling the phone.

I stepped in further, my brows drawn down. He spun in a circle slowly, pacing the floor, and when his eyes met mine, his expression grew serious.

“Hey, listen, I’ve got to go,” he said, lowering his phone without warning.

“Who were you talking to?” I asked, my voice powerless. The look on his face—the shame, the denial, it was all too familiar.

“Sorry. Just Jason, from the hardware store. He called to wish us congratulations.”

“Why were you hiding out in here?” I asked, cocking my head to the side.

He shoved the phone into his pocket with a scoff. “I wasn’thiding out.I didn’t want to wake Gray. Was I being too loud?”

I shook my head. “No, I was just worried about you. I couldn’t hear the shower anymore.”

He grabbed a comb from the top of his dresser and ran it through his hair. “You shouldn’t be worried about me, sweetheart. You should be on the couch, resting.” He placed the comb back down and slid an arm under mine. “Let me help you. It should be about time for your medicine, isn’t it?”

I winced as he pulled us forward, then he realized he was moving too fast and slowed down. “Sorry.”

“I already took it,” I told him, not bothering to mention it was late.