Chapter 6: The Results
The next few days dragged on with a heaviness that seemed to weigh down every corner of the house. Emily could feel the distance between her and James stretching farther with each passing hour. He was quieter than usual, retreating into himself more and more. Every time she looked at him, the knot in her stomach tightened. The receipt, the paternity test—it was all she could think about.
James had insisted on getting the results. He promised it would bring clarity, but Emily couldn’t shake the dread gnawing at her. What if the test was right? What if their daughter wasn’t his? And even if the test was wrong, could they ever rebuild the trust that had been shattered?
Every moment felt like a ticking clock, the silence between them growing louder. Emily tried to focus on the baby, on her tiny hands and soft, peaceful face, but the weight of the situation lingered, clouding everything.
That evening, as she sat on the couch with the baby, James came into the room, his face pale. He didn’t look at her, didn’t say anything at first. His eyes were fixed on the phone in his hand. Emily’s heart began to race. She had been bracing herself for this moment, but now that it was here, she wasn’t sure she was ready for it.
He sat down beside her, the space between them feeling impossibly wide. “I got the results,” he said, his voice quiet.
Emily looked at him, trying to read his expression. “And?” she asked, her heart thudding in her chest.
James didn’t immediately respond. He stared at the phone, his fingers tracing the edges of the screen. Then, finally, he met her gaze. “I’m not the father,” he said, his voice hollow.
The words hit her like a punch to the stomach. She felt the air rush out of her lungs, the room spinning around her. “What?” she whispered, her voice barely audible.
“I’m not the father,” James repeated, his face drained of color. “I don’t know what happened, Emily. I thought—” His words faltered, his eyes clouding with confusion and regret.
Emily’s mind raced. She wanted to scream, to cry, to demand answers, but the shock of it all left her paralyzed. The baby in her arms stirred slightly, but she couldn’t tear her gaze away from James.
“What does that mean for us?” she asked, her voice trembling.
James didn’t answer right away. Instead, he stood up and walked to the window, staring out into the darkness. The silence between them stretched again, unbearable and suffocating.
Emily clutched the baby closer, her heart aching. She didn’t know what to do with the truth now that it had been laid bare. All she had wanted was to keep her family together. But now, she was unsure if that was even possible.
To be continued…
What will Emily do next? Can their relationship survive this revelation? Find out in Chapter 7.