After My Husband Left Me Alone with a Brain Injury I Stopped Waiting for Him to Come Back Chapter 04

After My Husband Left Me Alone with a Brain Injury I Stopped Waiting for Him to Come Back Chapter 04

Early the next morning, I threw up.

Sour liquid spilled onto the floor and splashed across my arm.

I didn’t have the strength to get up.

All I could do was lie beside the refrigerator and struggle for breath.

Everything inside the fridge had gone sour.

I couldn’t understand why.

Kevin had said the food would stay good in there.

But it hadn’t listened to Kevin.

I picked up one of the meal containers.

I couldn’t smell anything from it anymore, but I was still too frightened to eat it.

My stomach kept growling.

I was so hungry that I finally had no choice but to scoop up a little food with my fingers and put it in my mouth.

Whenever I was thirsty, I went to the bathroom and drank from the toilet cistern.

The water in there never seemed to run out.

But every swallow made my stomach hurt more.

I grabbed my phone and rang Kevin.

This time, it rang for a long while before he finally answered.

“Allison, what are you playing at now?”

“My stomach hurts.”

“We’re coming back tomorrow.”

“Come back now.”

“Erin’s baby has a fever. We can’t just leave him.”

“Then call a doctor.”

“Can you stop making such a fuss over everything?”

“I’m not making a fuss.”

“You’re always saying you feel ill. When has there ever actually been anything wrong?”

I looked at the vomit on the floor.

“It was real every time.”

Erin cut in.

“Kevin, don’t believe her. She used to complain that her injuries hurt just to keep you in her hospital room. Have you forgotten?”

I hadn’t forgotten.

That day, I’d needed three stitches in my forehead.

Kevin had stayed beside Erin, comforting the baby.

I told him it hurt.

He said, “Allison, it’s only a small injury. Stop calling me over all the time.”

When he came back later, he brought a box of strawberries.

He gave them to Erin.

I didn’t get a single one.

I’d always thought that if I stopped causing him trouble, Kevin would finally notice me.

But I wasn’t causing trouble now.

I hadn’t gone outside.

I hadn’t cried or made a fuss.

I hadn’t touched anything dangerous.

My stomach simply hurt so badly I could barely stand it.

“Kevin,” I said softly.

“I want to see you.”

Erin’s voice came through the phone.

“She’s trying to make you feel sorry for her again.”

Kevin didn’t disagree.

“Allison, if you keep using this to make me come back, I really will stop looking after you.”

“I’m not trying to make you come back.”

“Then stop ringing me.”

“But I…”

“Shut up.”

It was the first time he’d ever spoken to me like that.

I held the phone tightly as tears fell onto the back of my hand.

“I won’t ring again.”

Kevin seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.

“That’s better.”

“Kevin.”

“What is it now?”

“When you come home, can you bring me some cake?”

I heard Erin laugh quietly in the background.

Kevin was silent for a moment.

“All right.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

“Strawberry.”

“Got it.”

I looked at the front door and whispered, “Then I’ll stay home and wait for you, just like you told me to.”

After the call ended, I crawled back to the bathroom.

I wanted something to eat.

But all the food had gone bad.

All I could do was scoop more water from the toilet cistern and drink.

Afterwards, I hugged the framed photograph of us and leaned against the refrigerator.

Kevin was smiling happily in it, and Erin stood beside him too.

I pressed my cheek against the frame and slowly closed my eyes.

My consciousness grew hazier and hazier until, in the end, I never woke again.

I didn’t know how much time had passed before I heard a key turning in the lock.

Kevin’s voice came from the front door.

“Allison, we’re home.”