“What was shameful was that you went off with your lover instead of accompanying me on a single date.”
I didn't sign.
That night I slept with a chair wedged against the door.
I didn't even know why.
Perhaps because when a woman has been sufficiently humiliated, the slightest noise becomes a threat.
The next day, I went alone to the ultrasound appointment.
She was wearing a loose-fitting dress.
I brushed my hair.
I put on lipstick, even though my lips were trembling.
Not for Diego.
In my opinion.
For this baby who had done nothing wrong.
The clinic smelled of alcohol, talcum powder, and fear.
Dr. Salinas greeted me kindly.
“Did you come with someone?”
I shook my head.
“My husband says this baby isn’t his.”
The doctor didn't judge me.
He didn't make a face.
He simply asked me to lie down.
The frost was cold.
The screen lit up.
I held my breath.
First, a shadow.
Then a small dot moved.
Then, a heartbeat.
Strong.
Fast.
Alive.
I put my hand to my mouth and cried.
“Hello, my love,” I whispered.
Dr. Salinas smiled slightly.
Then he moved the probe again.
