Short stories

The contract

She was just crying, her face hidden in her hands. She was unable to do anything else. Her sobs were hysterical at times, but they pierce his heart. There was nothing he could do to comfort her. She had curled up on herself to cry.

He didn't dare touch her, hug her. He turned to the window, trying not to cover his ears. He didn't want to hear her sob anymore. He didn't feel the same as her. The drama didn't affect him like it did for her. He was sad, but not on the same level as she could be. In fact, he was more relieved than sad. He couldn't tell her. It was not the right time. But the more she cried, the more it annoyed him. How could he silence her? He had an idea. The doctor was still in the room, waiting to say or suggest something. When he looked at him, he noticed that he had moved towards the door. He had to act fast. He hurried over him and asked in a low voice if there was anything he could do to help her. The doctor frowned, not understanding what he meant.

"You know she's not in pain, right?"

"To calm her down, you know?" he replied. "She's in pain, but maybe not physically. She's having trouble taking the hit to so it you give her something to help her or calm her down... It can't hurt, right?"

The doctor nodded. Of course, he understood what he meant. It wasn't the first time that a husband asked him to "relieve" his wife after what she had just experienced. The young woman had just lost her baby, aged about twenty-eight weeks. On her kitchen floor. Quite traumatic. With a sympathetic look, he put a hand on the young man's shoulder and left the room. Shortly after, a nurse entered the room with a needle which she used on the young woman while whispering comforting words. Then she gave the man a small nod and left. The sobs slowly diminished to a small moan. Then nothing. His wife was lying on the bed, her face wet with tears. The man heaved a long sigh of relief.

He would have liked the doctor to inject her with this tranquilizer sooner. His headache wouldn't have been so terrible if his wife had been silent. Was it possible to cry in silence? He so wanted her to do it... Since she seemed to be sleeping, he no longer had to hide his joy. He returned to the window, a huge smile on his lips. He no longer had to worry about this baby he never wanted. He had been unable to tell his wife. Who wanted a family? The cost of living was way too high! He loved to live comfortably, have money and travel when he wanted. Who wanted to burden themselves with children? But he loved his wife. The pregnancy was an accident, and the miscarriage was too. How ironic. An accident ending in another accident. No way he could tell her that! Would he do it one day? Maybe not. He looked out the window before turning to his wife lying in bed. He grimaced, noticing that a bubble in one of her nostrils was inflating with her breathing. Right now, he didn't think she was sexy. She was not the young woman he had married a year earlier. He was already looking forwards of seeing her again. How soon was he going to see her again? He was still wondering how long he was going to have to stretch his patience. He had less and less.

He took one last look at his wife before leaving the room. He took his phone to search on the subject. He was discouraged to learn that some women never recovered. Therefore, he risked never finding the sexy woman from before. He loved wandering around social events with her clinging to his arm. She was his favorite going out accessory. Not anymore. He didn't know that she wanted children when he married her. He thought it was an important detail that she could have told him. Since the problem was solved, when would they be able to resume a normal life? She would probably spend a few days in the hospital to rest a little before returning home. Preparing the house would be easy. Oh... The kitchen... He could see all the blood on the white tiles. Their servants weren't equipped to clean this up. He should find another alternative. And there's no way I'm setting a foot there again until it's done! He had shivers of horror. He walked down the hallway to the stairs. He went down to the ground floor and left the building to get some fresh air. He was tired of being stuck in this place and it was too early to go back. He picked up his phone to search for a cleaning company when the device began to vibrate in his hand. It was his wife's younger sister. She told him that she had just heard the news and that she was very sorry for this tragic event. He thanked her. Pretending over the phone was much easier than in person. He didn't have to hide his smile, thinking that part of his problem was solved. Nor his grimace of disgust as he thought of the horror still on the kitchen floor. He didn't have to feign surprise when she told him that a cleaning company would take care of everything. Knowing his wife's parents, this company was certainly not the cheapest. He was grateful.