“No, let him finish.” My voice is steady, though inside, I’m unraveling.
Danny blinks, unaware of the chaos he’s caused. “I heard her tell the man on the phone,” he says. “She said she didn’t love Daddy anymore and something’s wrong with me. She said she wants to run away from both of us.”
Louise lets out a sob, crumbling where she stands. Albert, still in shock, stares at her as if seeing her for the first time. The room is spinning, the once joyful decorations now mocking us with their false cheer.
Birthday cake and decorations | Source: Pexels
Albert’s face is a mask of disbelief, but the hurt is starting to creep in. “Louise,” he whispers, his voice trembling, “is this true?”
Louise shakes her head, tears streaming down her face. “No, no, it’s not like that, Albert. He doesn’t understand. He… he must’ve misheard.”
She stumbles over her words, reaching out towards him, but Albert takes a step back, his eyes narrowing.
A couple having an emotional conversation | Source: Midjourney
“Misheard?” His voice rises, echoing off the walls. “He just said you told someone on the phone you didn’t love me anymore. That you wanted to run away from us! How do you mishear something like that, Louise?”
“I was upset,” she stammers. “I said things I didn’t mean, Albert. You’ve been so distant, and I felt lost.”
Danny, standing beside me, watches his parents with that same detached calm as if he’s not the one who dropped the bomb that’s now tearing them apart.
A calm boy | Source: Midjourney
I can’t take it anymore. I pull Danny into my arms, holding him close.
“It’s okay, baby. It’s okay,” I whisper, though I know nothing about this is okay.
Albert turns to Louise, his voice low and cold. “Who was the man, Louise? Who were you talking to?”
She opens her mouth to speak, but no words come out. Her silence says everything.
A speechless woman | Source: Midjourney
He nods slowly, the realization sinking in. “So it’s true. You’re leaving. You don’t love me anymore.”
Louise collapses into a chair, her body shaking with sobs. “I don’t know what I’m doing,” she cries. “I’m lost, Albert. I don’t know who I am anymore.”
The room is thick with tension, every breath heavy. I keep Danny close, shielding him from the worst, but I know he’s absorbing every word. He’s always been more perceptive than anyone realized.