His Wine Cost More Than My Unborn Child Chapter 06

His Wine Cost More Than My Unborn Child Chapter 06

During the weeks I worked at The Velvet Room, I ran into Corbin twice more.

He never recognized me.

He still threw money around like it meant nothing, and people still treated him like the center of

the world.

Little by little, I saw the other side of him.

Or maybe I was finally seeing who he really was.

On the twenty-fifth, I scraped together enough money and sent it to Aunt Darla.

I still had a little over a thousand dollars left.

I figured I’d spend the next couple of days looking for a cheap apartment and move out.

Corbin had noticed how quiet I’d become.

He kept asking if something was wrong.

I never knew what to say.

Maybe I was a coward. Maybe I couldn’t bear to watch everything explode once the truth came out.

Leaving without a word seemed easier. But life had other plans.

The night before I was supposed to leave, Uncle Boyd called.

“Your grandma took a fall down the stairs. Bones are broken.”

My mind went blank. It took me a moment before I could speak.

“I’ll come back right away.”

“What for?” he snapped. “You got money to waste on travel? Skip the trip and wire me the money.”

My hands started shaking..

“How much?”

“Start with twenty thousand. If it’s not enough, I’ll let you know.”

“Hurry up. The hospital’s waiting for payment.”

The line went dead.

I just stood there. Frozen. I didn’t know how long.

Then the front door opened.

Corbin came home. His eye’s moved from the to the half-packed suitcase beside me.

He frowned. “Nessa, what are you doing?”

I came back to myself. My throat felt raw.

“Corbin. My grandma fell down the stairs. My uncle says they need twenty thousand.”

I forced the words out. “Can you… lend me some money?”

He fell silent. Then he looked away.

“Nessa, it’s not that I don’t want to help.”

“But you know, after that payday loan…”

For one split second, I wanted to scream at him.

You drop a fortune on a bottle of wine.

You opened bottle after bottle in one night.

And I was only asking to borrow twenty thousand. Borrow. Not take.

I’ve cried with you, laughed with you. Gave you every first I had.

Even went through an abortion for you.

And you still said no. Just like that. Not even a second of hesitation.

Couldn’t you at least pretend?

The room went quiet.

I nodded. “Okay. I get it.”

He walked over. “What are you going to do?”

“I’ll figure it out. I can apply for more payday loans.”

I’d always been careful with money.

All those lending apps-I never touched them unless I absolutely had to. So none of them ever gave me a high limit.

It didn’t matter. I’d piece it together somehow.

I sat at the table, opening one lending app after another, completing face scans and adding up every dollar I could borrow.

Corbin quietly went into the kitchen and made me pasta.

He’d never been good at cooking.

When we first moved in together, he didn’t even know how to wash vegetables.

Whenever he peeled an apple, there was barely any fruit left.

I’d never minded. I figured boys just weren’t good at that stuff.

It was fine. I could do it. If two people loved each other, keeping score shouldn’t matter.

“Will it be enough?” Corbin asked carefully.

“If you’re still short, I’ll try asking my friends.”

I looked at him.

Right there in front of me, he started making calls.

Every call was on speaker. Every answer was no.

Most of them cut him off the second he said the word “borrow.”

Some hung up. Others said they were strapped too.

“Forget it, Corbin.” I looked away. “I’m tired.”

Too tired to keep watching him perform.

He stared at me, looking like he wanted to say something, but the words never came.

The noodles sat there until they turned into one cold, swollen lump.

I didn’t throw it out. Just poured in some hot water, stirred it loose, and ate every last bite.

When you’re poor, pride is a luxury you can’t afford.

I couldn’t bear to waste food.