CHAPTER FOUR ~ "Better Alone"
1017 Words
Buzz! Buzz!
Bethany woke up to a flood of texts and calls from her sister Kayla, who had been desperately trying to reach her all night. Beth’s face was swollen from crying so much through the night. She couldn't even recall how she had fallen asleep; the last thing she remembered was her conversation with Michelle.
With puffy eyes, she scrolled through the messages and calls, hoping to find something from Greg, but only her sister's notifications greeted her.
Frustrated, she tossed her phone aside, got out of bed carefully, and began packing her bag to leave the hospital.
"Was that Greg I saw come through yesterday?" Dr. Murray asked as she entered the room.
"Huh," Bethany's eyes widened, "you saw Greg here?" she responded.
"Yeah, I saw him driving out..."
Bethany's heart started racing. What was he doing here? Could he have brought Michelle? The thought of how far he was going for her made her stomach churn, and she felt the pain in her heart once again.
Not wanting to reveal that things between them were strained to Dr. Murray, Bethany forced a smile and replied, "Oh shoot, I almost forgot. Yes, he did stop by. He brought me a couple of things I needed."
Dr. Murray quickly scanned the empty room, checking for any leftover food or wrappers, but there were none.
"Oh, okay," she assumed Bethany had already disposed of them since she found her packing up.
"So, you seem better today," she continued, "Your vital readings are okay, so you should be good to go. I'll be checking up on you, and don't forget your antenatal appointments. And Beth, please take care of yourself," she urged.
"Dr. Murray," Beth called out as she headed out, "could we please keep this between us for now?"
"You mean the pregnancy?"
"Yes, I would like to tell the Griffins when the baby is out of danger."
"Sure... I will respect your decision," she said, gently rubbing her shoulder.
"Thank you so much, Dr. Murray," Beth said as she reached out for a hug.
While Dr. Murray thought it was just a gesture of gratitude, Beth longed for the comfort of a hug after everything she had been through in the last couple of days. She held onto Dr. Murray tightly, who sensed there was more to the hug than a simple thank you.
"I'm sorry, Doc," she said, wiping her tears as she pulled away. "I didn't mean to hold you for so long."
"No, don't worry. I'm here for you if you need anything, Beth. Anything," Dr. Murray reassured her, searching for Beth's eyes.
Her mind was clouded with thoughts as she drove back home. Bethany had made up her mind; she was going to leave Greg. It was no longer just about her, but also about the baby she was carrying. She needed to be in a safe space
"I didn’t hear you come back home last night, Mrs. Griffin," Alicia, their helper, asked with worry in her eyes.
"I went over to Kayla’s," Beth lied.
Alicia knew she was lying because Kayla had called home when Beth wasn’t picking up. "Are you alright, Bethany?" Alicia asked. "I know you are lying."
Alicia had worked for the Stanford’s, Beth's family, before Bethany asked her to join her at the Griffin Mansion after she married Greg. She had watched Beth and her sister grow up and understood them quite well.
Trying to hold back her tears, Beth looked away, her mouth pouting as she tried not to cry. But her emotions overwhelmed her, and she burst out crying, leaning on Alicia’s shoulder.
"Oh, Beth…" Alicia pitied as she embraced her.
Beth cried out loud, finally finding a safe space to let out her emotions.
"I need to get away, Alicia, but I can't go to my parents'. I can't let what is going on with Greg be the reason their long-time friendship with the Griffins dies.
"Can I come stay at your house, please, until I figure out where I need to go? Please, Alicia," Beth said, leaning forward in her chair as if she was about to kneel and beg.
"No, no, you don’t have to beg me, Beth. You are family, and you are free to come over anytime you feel like it."
"Thank you, Alicia," she said, tightly hugging her before heading to the room she once shared with Greg.
Everything in that room reminded her of him. The strong, wild safari scent from his favorite perfumes, his stacked cufflinks alongside his dozen Rolexes.
She looked at their wedding photo hanging on the wall. Her emotions rushed in, she reached for a tissue to blow her nose which was stuffy from crying.
The red dress he had gifted her on her last birthday seemed to stare at her accusingly as she walked into her closet. Memories flooded back: the time they had gone on a cowboy-themed date, she attempt to ride a horse every attempt resulted in a clumsy fall, and that birthed the pet name Greg called her "Horse Girl." Despite the pain, a soft laugh escaped her lips at the fond memory.
She gripped the wooden table where she had often leaned back in the mornings while he got ready for work. Closing her eyes, she bit her lip, remembering how gently his hands used to caress her body.
She could almost feel Greg's lips locked on hers, the sensation was so vivid she could smell his freshly showered body, his wet hair falling perfectly behind him. It was as if he were in the room with her, until she opened her eyes and faced the reality she was trying to escape: Greg's mocking signature on the divorce papers.
Lifting her pen, which was a souvenir she had kept from her wedding, the same ink she had used to sign her wedding certificate, she was now about to use it to sign her divorce papers.
Taking a deep breath, Bethany gathered her strength, and with that breath, she signed the divorce, officially removing her name from Greg Griffin's life.
- Writer
