He Saved His Best Friend, Not His Dying Wife

Mia's POV

Two weeks before my due date, my husband Ethan is racing out the door into a stormy night.

All because his childhood friend Scarlett's apartment lost power, and she says her claustrophobia is kicking in.

I'm clutching my belly, telling him my water broke, begging him to look at the blood on the floor.

"You pulling this again? Last week wasn't enough? Scarlett's actually in danger."

He shakes off my hand. The door slams shut.

I'm standing in a pool of blood, watching his taillights disappear into the rain.

My baby won't have a father anymore.

Thunder cracks outside, rattling the windows.

I'm gripping the sofa, trying to stand, when I feel something warm trickling down my inner thigh. I look down. Blood is spreading across the carpet.

My water broke.

It's two weeks early, but something is clearly wrong. A tearing cramp rips through my lower belly. I can barely stay on my feet.

"Ethan..." I reach for him as he's pulling on his jacket. "I think I'm going into labor."

Ethan is hunting for his car keys, not even looking up. "Cut it out, Mia. Last week you said you were in agony, and the doctor said it was just false contractions. I don't have time to sit in the ER with you for three hours."

"I'm serious—" Before I can finish, his phone rings.

The caller ID shows Scarlett.

He answers instantly.

"Ethan!" A woman's voice comes through, shrill and sobbing. "The power's out, the window blew open... it's so dark, I can't handle this..."

Ethan's face changes immediately. He glances at my face, doesn't look down.

"Just call 911, or get your mom to come over." He pulls the door open. Cold wind and rain blast inside. "Scarlett's building is ancient, the wiring's shot. In weather like this, something could actually happen."

I grab his sleeve. "Look at the floor!"

He jerks his arm away impatiently.

"Mia, I'm done with this. Every single time Scarlett needs me, you pull some stunt." His voice is thick with irritation. "Last time it was stomach pain, now what? Stop making everything a crisis."

He looks at me. "Scarlett's had claustrophobia since she was a kid. She's alone in the dark right now. What do you want me to do? Can you just grow up and stop being so selfish?"

The door slams shut.

The engine noise fades into the storm.

I'm standing there, the baby thrashing inside me. Cold wind is rushing in. Blood is dripping down my calves.

Grow up.

Selfish.

I stare at the blood on the floor and suddenly I'm laughing.

This man wouldn't even look down.

My hands are shaking as I pull out my phone and press his number.

"Ryan... help me."