Patience Heart

Surprised!

Viola stared at the ceiling, her hands resting on her growing belly. Almost six months now, and it felt like everything had changed. The nausea, the fatigue, the cravings—they were all part of her daily life. But what weighed on her the most was how much Adam had changed since that night, the night she thought she was losing their baby.

In the beginning, he had been her rock, her protector. He had rushed her to the hospital, holding her hand, comforting her when she was at her most vulnerable. The relief they both felt when the doctor assured them the baby was fine was palpable. But something shifted after that. The Adam she had married seemed to disappear, replaced by a man who was distant, cold, and detached.

Viola sighed, her heart heavy with disappointment. The excitement of their early days as newlyweds had faded, replaced by an uncomfortable silence that filled their small apartment. She had moved back to her own place, closer to the hospital, at Adam's insistence. He said it was for her safety, for the baby's safety, but Viola couldn't shake the feeling that he just didn't want to be around her anymore.

He had changed so much. The sweet texts and daily calls had become sparse. The way he used to check on her, making sure she had eaten, asking about her day, had all but disappeared. He didn't touch her anymore, didn't hold her the way he used to. Their conversations felt empty, like they were just going through the motions of being husband and wife.

It had only been three months since they exchanged vows, but it felt like a lifetime. Viola found herself constantly wondering if this was the life she had begged for. She had asked Adam to marry her, practically begged him, and he had done it. But now, she couldn't help but feel that he had done it out of pity, not love.

Maybe she had made a mistake. Maybe forcing Adam into this marriage was unfair to both of them. Viola knew she had asked too much of him, but at the time, she hadn't seen any other way. The thought of losing her baby, Damian's baby, was too much to bear. She needed stability, needed to know that she wasn't going through this alone. But now, she felt more alone than ever.

Adam's change hurt more than she could put into words. He used to be the man who would do anything for her, who loved her unconditionally. But now, it was like he was a stranger. She could see it in his eyes, the way he looked at her, or rather, the way he avoided looking at her. There was a coldness there that hadn't been there before, a distance that felt impossible to bridge.

Viola rubbed her belly gently, feeling the baby's soft kicks. "At least I have you," she whispered. The baby had become her anchor, the one thing that kept her grounded. But even that wasn't enough to fill the void that Adam's absence had created in her heart.

She replayed the events of the last few weeks over and over in her mind, trying to figure out where it had all gone wrong. Was it the cramps? The scare they had both gone through? Was it the pressure of knowing the baby wasn't his? She didn't have the answers, and that uncertainty gnawed at her every day.

Then there was the conversation with her mother. That was when everything came crashing down.

Viola couldn't believe it when she overheard her mother and Adam talking in hushed tones in the kitchen. Their words echoed in her mind like a nightmare she couldn't wake up from. The plan they were discussing felt surreal, almost like a betrayal she never expected.

It was her mother's suggestion. The same mother who had always been her biggest supporter, the one who stood by her through every challenge, now seemed to be part of a conspiracy against her. They wanted her to leave Jakarta, to go to Frankfurt and stay with her cousin until the baby was born. And the worst part? They didn't want her to bring the baby back. Her own mother, who she had thought would fight for her, had agreed to this.

The weight of Adam's agreement to her mother's plan crushed Viola's heart. She had believed Adam would stand by her side, fight for her, and protect her from the world. Instead, he had agreed to send her away, to separate her from the very life growing inside her. The man who had once made her feel cherished now felt like a stranger.

Viola's world seemed to crumble as she replayed their conversation over and over in her mind. How could they do this to her? How could Adam, the man she once trusted, turn his back on her so easily? The fear of losing her baby was one thing, but the betrayal from both her mother and Adam was something she couldn't wrap her mind around.

Viola's heart broke a little more with each passing day. She had almost started to love Adam, to trust him, and now, she didn't even recognize the man she had married. He had changed so much since their wedding, and she couldn't help but blame herself. If she hadn't pushed him so hard, if she hadn't begged him to marry her, perhaps things could have been different. Maybe they could have found another way, a better way to handle their situation.

But it was too late for that now. The reality was staring her in the face, and she felt utterly helpless. The man she had hoped would be her rock and the father of her child had become someone she barely knew. The warmth and affection that once seemed so genuine had turned cold and distant. Adam's new demeanor, his indifference, and the stark change in their relationship had left Viola feeling more alone than ever.

Last night, Adam had finally spoken to her. He sat her down and told her everything—the real reason he wanted her to go to Frankfurt, the reason he couldn't love her the way he used to. He told her that he had married her because he loved her, not because of the baby, but that love wasn't enough to erase the pain of knowing the child she carried wasn't his. He had tried, he said, but every day was a struggle. He couldn't be the father this baby needed, and he couldn't be the husband Viola deserved, not while the baby was still there, a constant reminder of what wasn't.

Viola had sat there in stunned silence, her heart shattering into a million pieces. She had always known it would be hard, but she hadn't expected this. She hadn't expected Adam to give up on them so easily, to ask her to give up the baby she had fought so hard to protect.

"Why didn't you tell me this before we got married?" she had asked him, her voice barely above a whisper.

Adam's response had been a mixture of regret and resignation. "Because I thought I could handle it. I thought I could be the man you needed me to be. But I can't, Viola. I'm sorry."

Sorry. That word felt so hollow now. Viola didn't want his apologies. She wanted the man she had fallen in love with, the man who had promised to stand by her side no matter what. But that man was gone, replaced by someone she didn't recognize, someone who seemed more interested in running away from their problems than facing them head-on.

As she lay there, staring at the ceiling, Viola knew she had a decision to make. She could go along with Adam's plan, leave for Frankfurt, and give up the baby. Or she could stay, fight for the life she had envisioned, even if it meant doing it alone.

Her heart ached with the weight of the choices in front of her. No matter what she decided, nothing would ever be the same. But one thing was certain—she couldn't keep living like this, in a marriage built on broken promises and shattered dreams.

Tears welled up in her eyes as she thought about the future. She had imagined a life filled with love, with Adam by her side, raising their child together. But that dream was slipping away, and Viola didn't know how to hold onto it anymore.

The baby kicked again, and Viola closed her eyes, letting the tears fall. "I love you," she whispered to the life growing inside her. "I won't let them take you away from me."

As the night wore on, Viola knew that whatever happened next, she had to stay strong—for herself, and for her baby. Adam might have changed, but she hadn't. And she wasn't ready to give up on herself, or her child, just yet.