The Childless Sky Chapter 04

The Childless Sky Chapter 04

Hannah, ever the perceptive wife, blushed at his playful antics and nudged his shoulder lightly. “Oh, cut it out. Act your age,” she teased with a mix of annoyance and affection.

Her laughter died as she caught sight of me by the doorway, luggage in tow, her face draining of color. She rose, words of explanation on her lips, but I brushed past her, retreating into my grandfather’s sanctuary.

Grandpa had come, thrilled about Hannah’s pregnancy, bringing with him a trove of childhood toys he had crafted. The nostalgia warmed me, and I planned to place them in our bedroom, but Hannah icily shot down the idea.

“This junk will just give me allergies,” she declared, and ordered the help to toss them out. Grandpa’s heartache was palpable, yet he bore it silently, later salvaging the toys to hide in his room.

Then, tears traced my cheeks as I remembered Grandpa’s frail form in the hospital bed. I should never have let him witness this. No, I should never have stayed with her, I lamented inwardly.

When I emerged again, the house was silent, the couple gone. Muffled sounds and stifled giggles leaked from their locked bedroom. I scoffed at myself, sliding the divorce papers back into their folder.

Jack’s presence had stolen even the chance for a final word with Hannah.

With a heavy sigh, I hefted two suitcases and stepped out of the past. My phone buzzed as I settled into the driver’s seat, a message from Jack.

[Marvin, are you gone? I’m not feeling great, and I’ll bring Hannah with me to visit you at the hospital next time.]

I did not say a word. Instead, I snapped a picture of the divorce papers and sent them off to Hannah in one fell swoop.

Pocketing my phone, I hit the gas and headed for the hospital.

In her room, Hannah, cocooned in a bubble of tenderness, jerked awake to the jarring ring of her phone. Instinctively, she grabbed it from the pillow’s edge.

Jack, ever the picture of a caring guy, discreetly stepped back, gently smoothing her tangled hair with a tender touch.

As Hannah, her eyes narrowed in drowsiness, saw the barrage of messages from me, she snapped to

attention.

She scrolled through them, disbelief etched on her face, until she reached the end and saw my signature. She sat up uncontrollably, her face, previously flushed with affection, then ghostly white.

She whispered to herself in disbelief.

“No way… no way… You’ve always let me have my way. How could you send me this?”

Jack, caught off guard by her reaction, leaned in for a quick peek at the photos.

He did not catch everything, but the words “divorce” and “Marvin” were enough to get the gist.

Jack brooded silently. Coming back from overseas, he found his childhood sweetheart, once imagined in a bridal gown, then belonging to another.

He could not stand it. Over the years, he had engineered misunderstanding after misunderstanding, souring Hannah’s feelings toward Marvin.

He had thought he would have to wait for the baby to be born to push his plan forward, to get Hannah to finally ditch the guy in the way.

However, he never expected the usually agreeable Marvin to make such a bold move.

No matter, he thought. In the end, he would be the one coming out on top.

Hannah’s slight shiver did not go unnoticed, and Jack, as he always did, wrapped her in his embrace.