Elizabeth slammed her phone on the counter and rested her forehead in the palm of her hand. Her sister, Emily, asked, “Did it go to voicemail again?”

Elizabeth released a loud grunt and replied, “What do you think? Did you hear me talking to Rick?” Elizabeth rises from her chair and a puddle of water immediately forms beneath her.

Emily jumps out of her seat and shouts so loud to the point that the neighbor’s dog began to bark uncontrollably. “Oh my gosh your water just broke!”

Elizabeth rolls her eyes and places her left hand on her hip, “Obviously, now can you take me to the hospital?”

The two rush to Emily’s car and proceed to the hospital. While in the car Elizabeth frantically dials Rick’s co-worker Brian’s number. Brian answers and Elizabeth shouts through the phone, “I apologize for calling this late, but have you seen Rick?”

“Yes, he left the office around nine. Is everything okay, Elizabeth?”

“Brian, it is midnight and he hasn’t come home—and he isn’t answering his phone. If you hear from him let him know that I am in labor and on my way to the hospital.”

“Okay, I’ll try to reach him.”

Elizabeth hangs up the phone and turns to Emily, “I really hope that nothing has happened to him.”

Emily reaches for her sister’s hand, squeezes it gently. “Don’t worry, Liz, everything is going to be okay. We’re pulling up to the emergency entrance right now.”

A few hours pass by, and Emily walks into her sister’s hospital room and blows out a breath of frustration, “He’s still not answering.”

Seconds of silence go by before a bloodcurdling scream is released into the air. “Emilyyyyyy, can you please get the nurse? Hurry!”

Emily dashes to the door and stopped in her tracks, “Well speak of the devil. It took you long enough.”

She continues out the door as Rick walks over to a distressed Elizabeth. “Hey, honey, I got your messages.”

Instead of responding to her husband, Elizabeth glances at the clock mounted on the wall that read 2:26 AM. She slowly turns her head back to her husband and exclaims, “Are you kidding me right now?”

“What are you talking about?” Rick’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion, deep lines were now etched into his forehead.

“I’m talking about the fact that it’s 2 AM and you’re just now showing up. Where have you been?”

“I’ve been at the office all night. You knew that we were busy this week.”

Elizabeth starts clapping her hands together, “Really, Rick, are you seriously going to stand here and lie to my face?”  

“Liz, I’m not lying! You really need to work on your insecurities. You always think I’m cheating on you and I’m not. I really was at the office working late.”

Liz throws her hands up in frustration and let them violently slam onto her hospital bed. “Are you really trying to flip the script on me, Rick, because I have proof that you left the office at nine o’clock.”

“What proof, Liz?”

Elizabeth takes a long pause before responding and slowly says, “Just. Call. Brian.” A smirk formed along her tiny pink lips as she watched the color drain from her husband’s face.

Rick runs his hand through his disheveled hair and whispers obscenities. “What was that Rick? Cat got your tongue?” Elizabeth points at the door, her fingers violently shaking, “I think it’s best if you leave right now. My blood pressure is rising and I really don’t need you stressing me out.”

Rick stares at his wife intensely, “You know what, Liz, fine. I’ll leave, but don’t expect me to come back.”  

Liz laughs hysterically, “You know what? Leave, Rick, and since you won’t be coming back, let it be known that this is the last time that you’ll ever come close to my child.”

Rick walks out the door, and closes it gently behind him. Not only did Rick walk out of the hospital room, but he walked out of his family’s life as well.