Sunplaza

Elina walked back and forth across the living room, her steps quick and restless. She kept glancing at the clock, the minutes dragging like hours. “Where is he?” she muttered under her breath, her frustration growing with each passing second.

She stopped by the window for the umpteenth time, her eyes scanning the empty driveway, hoping to see the familiar headlights of Mark’s car.

But there was nothing. She sighed deeply, her hand instinctively moving to rest on her round belly, feeling the faint kicks of the baby inside.

Elina’s mind wandered back to when they planned this trip. She was adamant about going despite being so close to her due date.

“It’ll be our last chance for a while,” she’d told Mark, brushing aside his cautious protests.

“Well? Is he back yet?” Laura’s voice rang out sharply from the other room, breaking the tense silence.

Elina clenched her jaw, trying to stay calm. “No,” she called back. “Not yet.” She stared at her phone for a moment, then groaned in frustration and pressed Mark’s number. He answered almost right away.

“Hey,” she said, her voice clipped. “Where are you?”

“I was stuck at work,” Mark replied. “Then I got caught in traffic. It’s bad out here. It’ll take me at least another hour and a half to get home.”

Elina felt her pulse quicken. “So what does that mean? We’re leaving in the middle of the night now?”

“I’ve been thinking,” Mark began carefully. “Maybe you and Mom could head out without me. I’ll join you there later.”

Elina’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Are you serious right now? Four hours in a car with your mother? Alone?” she hissed into the phone, lowering her voice.

Mark sighed. “I know it’s not ideal. But your parents and my sister will be waiting when you get there. It won’t be that bad.”

Elina exhaled slowly. “I won’t survive this.”

“You’ll be fine,” Mark said, trying to reassure her. “There’s a snowstorm coming. You should leave now.”

“Fine,” she said, her tone icy.

“Thank you. I love you,” he said softly.

“Love you too,” Elina replied and hung up, still fuming.

Elina inhaled deeply, steadying herself before stepping into the living room. Laura sat on the couch, her eyes glued to her phone.

“Mark’s running late,” Elina said firmly. “He said we should leave without him.”

Laura looked up, her face tense. “What happened? Is my son hurt?”

Elina shook her head, trying to stay patient. “No. He’s fine. Just stuck in traffic.”

Laura put her phone down with a loud sigh. “Well, I don’t know how I’ll manage four hours in a car with a cheater,” she said. “But if it’s what Mark wants, I’ll endure it.”

Elina clenched her fists, forcing a smile. “Let’s just go.”

Elina and Laura set off on their journey. The snow had started falling lightly, covering the edges of the road in white.

Inside the car, the silence was heavy, as if both women were too afraid to speak and break the fragile peace.

Laura sat upright in the passenger seat, her eyes fixed on the view outside.

Elina glanced at her briefly, sensing the unspoken tension that had lingered since they first met. Laura’s disapproval had only grown after Elina’s pregnancy.

“Where are you going?” Laura asked sharply as Elina turned the car.

“The GPS says to go this way,” Elina answered, her voice tight.

Laura shook her head. “We’ve been going to this cabin for nearly 30 years. I know this isn’t right.”

Elina gripped the steering wheel harder. “Then tell me, where should I go?” she snapped, her patience slipping.

Laura snatched the phone, her movements brisk, and re-routed the GPS. “There,” she said firmly, holding the phone out.

Elina sighed, her frustration simmering, but she turned the car around without a word.

Her doctor’s voice echoed in her mind: Stay calm, avoid stress. She placed a protective hand on her belly.

This baby had been a result of years of patience, fertility treatments, and hope. She couldn’t risk anything now.

The new route stretched before them, empty and eerie. Snow fell faster, thickening the white blanket over the narrow road.

Elina glanced at the dashboard clock. “We haven’t seen another car for half an hour,” she muttered, unease creeping in.

“Are you sure this is the right way?” Elina asked, her voice tense.

Laura smirked. “If I can tell my husband apart from another man, I think I can manage directions,” she said, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

Elina’s patience snapped. She pulled the car over abruptly and turned to face Laura. “Do you actually think I’m carrying a child that isn’t Mark’s?!” she shouted, her voice shaking with anger.

Laura met her glare calmly. “I’m 99% sure. That’s why I’ll be asking for a DNA test once the baby is born,” she replied.

“Why would you even think that?!” Elina demanded, her frustration boiling over.

Laura crossed her arms. “I didn’t like you from the start. Then, when Mark had surgery, you disappeared. You left him all alone,” she said accusingly.

Elina’s mouth fell open. “He had an appendectomy! I had an important work trip!” she fired back.

“And then, not long after, you announced you were pregnant. Convenient, don’t you think?” Laura said, raising an eyebrow.

Elina shook her head, restarted the car, and muttered, “You don’t know anything.”

They reached a narrow road, buried under thick layers of snow, making it almost impossible to tell where the path ended and the fields began.

Elina’s heart sank as she realized they couldn’t go any further. The radio crackled, warning of an intensifying snowstorm and advising everyone to stay off the roads.

Elina shifted the car into reverse, her hands trembling, but the tires spun uselessly.

Frustrated, she dropped her head onto the steering wheel, feeling the weight of the situation pressing down on her.

“What’s happening? Why aren’t we moving?” Laura asked, her voice sharp with impatience.

Elina slammed her hands on the steering wheel. “Because we’re stuck! All thanks to your brilliant directions!” she shouted.

Before Laura could respond, a sudden, sharp pain shot through Elina’s abdomen, and she let out a cry.

“What’s wrong? Is your bastard child trying to come out now?” Laura snapped.

Elina’s head whipped toward her. “Don’t you dare talk about my baby like that!” she screamed. “You don’t know anything about me. All you do is accuse me of cheating!”

“What else am I supposed to think? You’re always around men,” Laura sneered.

“Because I’m an engineer! That’s my job!” Elina yelled, clutching her stomach as another pain tore through her. Then she froze, looking down. “My water just broke,” she whispered.

Laura’s face paled. “We need to get to a hospital. What do we do?” she asked, her voice rising in panic.

“I can’t get us out of here!” Elina cried. She grabbed her phone and sent Mark their location, but the signal dropped immediately after.

“Get in the back seat,” Laura said suddenly.

“Why?” Elina asked, eyeing her warily.

“I’m going to deliver your baby,” Laura said, her tone steady.

Elina shook her head. “No way!”

“I was a nurse-midwife for 30 years. Do you have a better idea?” Laura replied firmly.

Elina sighed, groaning as another contraction hit.

“You’re having precipitous labor,” Laura observed calmly.

“Tell me something I don’t know!” Elina snapped through gritted teeth.

Elina groaned as she shifted into the back seat, the pain gripping her body with every movement. She leaned back, clutching her stomach, and looked at Laura with wide, fearful eyes.

Laura quickly assessed her. “You’ll probably deliver in about thirty minutes,” she said matter-of-factly.

Elina shook her head, tears streaming down her face. “I don’t want this! I don’t want you! I want Mark here!” she cried, her voice trembling with both pain and anger.

Laura’s expression hardened. “You don’t deserve Mark. He deserves someone better than you,” she said coldly.

Elina’s eyes burned with rage. “Are you serious right now?!” she shouted, wincing as another contraction hit. “Do you even want to know where I really was when Mark had his appendectomy?”

“With some man, I’m sure,” Laura replied, her voice icy.

“No!” Elina screamed, her voice cracking. “I was doing IVF! My eggs weren’t viable! This baby is 100% biologically Mark’s and 0% mine!” She gasped as another wave of pain surged through her.

Laura froze, the words sinking in. “I… I didn’t know,” she stammered, her voice softening for the first time.

“Of course, you didn’t know!” Elina shot back, her eyes blazing. “You don’t care about anything except finding ways to insult me! Mark didn’t tell you because he knew you’d destroy me with your accusations!”

“You should’ve just told me,” Laura said, her voice defensive.

“‘Just told you?’” Elina snapped, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “How do you think that would’ve gone? All this time, I’ve listened to you call me a cheater, say I’m not worthy of Mark, that he could’ve done better. Do you think I don’t know that? He could have chosen someone else — someone who could give him a child. But he didn’t. He chose me. And I am so lucky that he did!”

Laura’s face softened, and she lowered her head. “Elina, I’m sorry. I’ve been terrible to you. But we need to talk later — you need to push now,” she said, her tone firm but kind.

Elina nodded, tears streaming down her face. She bore down, gripping the seat as Laura coached her through the delivery. After what felt like a lifetime, a baby’s cry filled the car.

Laura quickly wrapped the tiny baby in her scarf and handed him to Elina. “Congratulations. It’s a boy,” she said softly.

Elina held her son close, tears of joy pouring down her face. “He’s perfect,” she whispered, her voice full of love.

Laura looked at the baby, her lips trembling. “He looks just like Mark did when he was born,” she said, her eyes welling with tears.

Suddenly, a noise outside caught their attention. Laura peered outside and saw a tow truck approaching, its headlights cutting through the storm. Mark sat in the passenger seat, his face filled with worry.

The truck stopped, and Mark jumped out, running to the car. “Are you okay? What happened?” he asked, his voice shaking.

Laura smiled, her voice breaking. “You’re a father now,” she said, pointing to a car.

Mark swung the door open, his breath catching at the sight before him. Elina sat cradling their tiny son, her face glowing with exhaustion and joy.

Without a word, Mark leaned in, wrapping them both in his arms. He kissed Elina’s forehead gently. “You’re amazing,” he whispered, voice filled with emotion.