Ugly Red Car

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^One hour before the accident^

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Tuli

I hadn’t been to school for a few days. My grades were slipping, and Megan and Daniel were both upset about it. But I didn’t really care.

I couldn’t face Jayce, not while I was still mad at him. But I had to admit, I missed him terribly. I didn’t want to be angry anymore.

I wasn’t even sure I could stay angry. I hadn’t told him about the baby yet. My hand instinctively went to my stomach. ~Our baby.~

I’d been having odd dreams lately, about a little girl with brown hair and blue eyes.

She looked so much like her dad. So beautiful, so stubborn, so strong.

A lazy smile spread across my lips. I needed to tell Jayce. I wanted to tell Jayce.

I pictured his reaction: surprise, joy, overwhelming love. I imagined him holding me close, telling me how much he loved me and how much he was going to love our baby.

Tears welled up in my eyes and started to trickle down my cheeks. I sniffled. I wasn’t angry anymore. I just wanted the lies to end.

I let a few tears fall before wiping my eyes.

My phone rang, and I picked it up from my nightstand. It was him. I smiled through my tears and answered. “Hello?”

“Hey, baby,” he murmured, sounding worried. “You okay?”

“Yeah,” I replied softly, taking a deep breath. “Jayce?”

“Yeah?”

“I miss you.”

There was a brief pause on the other end. “I miss you, too, baby.” He sounded relieved. “Do you want to come over?”

“Can I?” I asked, feeling my spirits lift.

He chuckled. “Of course you can. Listen, I’m a bit tired, so I might doze off on the couch. But there’s a key under the mat. You can let yourself in, and don’t hesitate to wake me up. I have something to tell you when you get here.”

My heart fluttered. “Okay. I have something to tell you, too.”

“Alright, sweetie. I love you.”

“I love you, too,” I said, and the call ended.

I quickly showered and dried my hair, then went to my closet and picked out a bra, panties, and a knee-length sweater dress.

I brushed my hair, letting my red locks fall naturally, then left my room to find Megan.

She made me eat before I left and waved me off with a smile.

I got into my truck and started it, feeling my nerves jangling. It didn’t take long to reach Jayce’s house.

I sat in the truck for a moment, taking a deep breath. Across the street, I noticed an ugly red car.

I hadn’t seen it in this neighborhood before. Maybe the neighbors across the street had a guest.

I walked up to Jayce’s front door and reached for the key under the mat. But it wasn’t there. I stood up, wondering where else he might have put it.

Then I heard—was that a moan?

It was a man’s moan, and it sounded familiar.

I tried the door and found it unlocked. That made me even more nervous.

I stepped inside, and the moans got louder.

I walked a few steps further in and gasped.

Jayce was sprawled on the couch, his head resting on the back. He moaned as a familiar blonde knelt in front of him, giving him a blowjob.

Brooklyn. His ex-wife.

When I found my voice, I yelled, “What the fuck?”

My head ached. My heart felt like it had been shattered into a million pieces. My hand went to my belly.

~He doesn’t want us~, I thought bitterly. ~How could I have been so incredibly naive?~

I saw Jayce coming towards me, reaching out, and I recoiled.

“Don’t touch me!” I screamed. I ran out the door.

When I got to my truck, I fumbled with my keys, my vision blurry. I had to get away before he could stop me.

“Tuli! I can explain!” he shouted as I finally got the key in the ignition and turned it.

I held up my hand. “Stop! I don’t want to hear it!”

He froze. He looked at me with pleading eyes, but I wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction. I revved the engine and drove off.

A few blocks away, I pulled out my phone and dialed Megan.

“Hey, hon.”

“Megan!” I sobbed.

“What? Tuli?”

“I—I saw him,” I cried, “with his ex!”

“Wait! What! What do you mean?!”

The next thing I knew, my body was thrown violently forward as the airbag deployed.

I thrust my arm out as I hit the airbag, hoping to protect the baby.

I heard a loud snap and a wave of intense pain shot through my arm. It was so bad I thought I was going to throw up. But it didn’t last long as my head slammed into the airbag.

The wind was knocked out of me. I gasped for air. I struggled to push myself back with my other hand. I felt warm and realized I was covered in blood.

My arm was broken, and the bone had pierced the skin.

I was getting dizzy and the world was spinning. But before I blacked out, I saw that same ugly red car drive past me, its front now wrecked.

Then, everything went black.