When I told my husband I was pregnant, his reaction was completely flat. Honestly, I really thought hed be over the moonI mean, wed been dreaming about having a family for ages, gone through so many tests and treatments just trying to have a child. But when it actually happened, it seemed like hed already given up on the idea, like hed come to terms with the fact that fatherhood just wasnt in the cards for us. Funny thing is, right before we found out, hed even mentioned wanting to adopt. But there he was, sitting across from me, looking as if hed just bitten into a lemon. I tried giving him space, figuring maybe he just needed some time to process everything and that it was a rough patch for him. Still, I couldnt help but hold onto my own happiness.
Honestly, I was walking on air, absolutely buzzing. It was finally happeningwhat Id wished and prayed for, for so long, was real. But, as luck would have it, my pregnancy wasnt smooth at all. I wound up in hospital quite a lot and eventually had to give up working because it just got to be too much. Sadly, my husbands reaction didnt improve. Instead of being supportive, he became more and more put outirritable, even short-tempered, and just outright dismissive of how important the pregnancy was. Hed say, Being pregnant isnt a job. Youre not lugging anything around all day. I need a wife, not someone who does nothing. Im fed up with running the house myself, working like a cart horse morning till night. I kept trying to explain, We were told to take it easy, not to strain ourselves or lift heavy thingsthe doctors said overdoing it could put the baby at risk, but no matter how many times I tried to talk it through with him, it just wouldnt get through.
It got to a point where I was admitted to hospital, but he never rang me, didnt show the least bit of concern, didnt visit once. Things took a turn and I ended up having to have an emergency C-section. Our baby came early, but thank goodness, was born healthy. I was overjoyed and rang my husband straight away to share the news. The best thing he could muster was: Congratulations! Strangely, those were the loveliest words hed ever said to me. When I was finally discharged and made it back home, I found out hed left. That feelingpure fear mixed with heartbreakwashed over me, but I pulled myself together for my babys sake. Right then and there, I promised myself Id do everything in my power to make sure both of us would be happy and that my child would want for nothing.
