Sara and Ava, my six-year-old twins, stood in their pajamas vigorously pulling at a baby doll. I recall them screaming at each other, and the birds still chirped. I barged into their room, removed the baby doll and pointed them to the door. Sara and Ava, grudgingly, stopped fighting and then ran out of the room. As they ran down the hallway, giggling and pushing each other, I slid out of the room.

“No Running!” I screamed, trying to catch up with them.

Sara and Ava stopped running and walked into the bathroom, closing the door behind them. Inside the bathroom they were shoving each other, fighting to be the first to brush their teeth. I opened the bathroom door and separated them.

“Share the sink. Please guys, let’s try to have a good morning today. And no shower we’re running a bit late,” I cried.

Sara and Ava exaggeratedly nodded their heads as they brushed their teeth. I reached over them to grab my toothbrush and toothpaste, then began to brush my own teeth. I gargled, wiped my mouth and walked out of the bathroom. Then headed downstairs and ran outside to the front porch, looking for Henry. I looked to my left, where a single bench sat empty, so I closed the door and began to run to continue getting ready when my phone started to ring.  Dr. Jackie’s Office was calling me. As soon as I answered the phone a woman began to speak, so hurried by the way.

“Hello. Good morning, can I speak to Jessica Quinton.”

“This is she.”

“Can you confirm your date of birth, please.”

“Its 11, 23, 1983,” I said in a hurried tone, mocking her.

“Hello Ms. Quinton. I’m just calling to inform you that it’s going to take a little longer for us to send your medication. The insurance company still hasn’t approved it.”

“Are you kidding me? I need this medication. Why haven’t they approved it yet? What the hell is going on, it’s been like a week and a half already!”

“Yes, we understand your frustration. The doctor believes it’s because you have shifted medications too quickly and they don’t see a reason why you would need a change. It’s a more expensive, new medication.”

“I already told you guys before that Aripiprazole makes me feel like a zombie. I have kids I can’t function like that.”

“Yes, we know Ms. Quinton. we’re doing our best to speed up the process. In the mean-time the doctor has recommended that you follow the dietary instructions that we have given you and stay relaxed. Don’t stress too much because it will escalate your symptoms. We will call you back as soon as possible with updates. Hopefully, by tomorrow morning it will be here. Just stay put.”

“Fuck,” I said, ending the call.

I ran back up the stairs to find the twins in their rooms.

 “Babe, I’m heading out to the ______ do you need anything?” At least that’s what I remember him saying, I don’t exactly remember where he was going.

“AVA! SARA! WHAT THE- what are you doing?” The words fumbled out of me. I caught them red handed (well, red and green) drawing all over the walls. I was boiling from within and felt like I was going to erupt. Henry popped into their room where our daughters decided to show us their artistic side. He laughed, and I scolded him for it.

“Why are you laughing? This isn’t funny.” I said, annoyed.

He was always so chill about everything and anything. It was really aggravating at times.

Before everything happened, I remember the romantic dinners, holding hands, the play fights, the way he gently slipped his arm around my waist when we took pictures.

“I love you, Ms. Quinton,” Henry delicately runs his lips down Jessica’s neck. “Always and forever.”

Jessica puts down the orange she had in her hand and turns around to place her arms around his neck. When she opens her mouth to smile, she reveals an orange peel wrapped around her teeth.

“Even when if my teeth looked like this?” She says mockingly.

“Uh! I don’t know. I’ll have to think about it.” Henry says and they both laugh. Henry then picks her up and swings her around, placing her on the floor to tickle her. I thought I knew him.

“Sorry,” he whispered with his golden medal smile and a kiss on the cheek.

He turned his head to look, accusingly, at the girls.

“Ava. Sara come here, please.”

The girls placed the crayons on the floor and walked towards their father with their heads hanging low. They’ve done something wrong and now it was time to pay the toll; not too high of a price, of course.

“Are you allowed to draw on the walls?” He asked in a stern voice.

“Noooo, daddy,” the twins replied, drawn-out and in unison.

“Apologize, please.” He said in the calmest way.

“Sorry Mami, Sorry Daddy.”

They almost sounded apologetic – almost.

“Why are you in such a rush, hun?” He said, confused.

“Um, school?” I said, also confused. How forgetful can he be?

“Sweetie, today’s Saturday.”

I looked at him to search for any sign of a joke. He looked at me seriously and took out his phone to show me the calendar.

“Today is Saturday, babe, relax,” He said with another golden medal smile and a slap to my butt. He gave us each one last kiss and a “Be back soon.”

I waited and waited and waited some more. I could have sworn he said he was going to the supermarket, but then again, I didn’t really hear him too well, so I thought I must have been

wrong. During his absence I made breakfast, then I sat my eager little girls down to do their math homework; which all looked a jumble to me. They scribbled on their notebooks while I sat next

to them with my hands holding my face, staring blankly at my phone. I made lunch, accidently cut myself as I chopped them veggies, then I watched them run around in their Halloween

costumes, pretending to vanquish each other. I made dinner, and then bathed them, accidently running the water too hot so I burned Sara a bit, but she was alright. Then tucked their little bodies in bed and kissed them goodnight. All while texting him and wondering where he might be. Just a text, a cure to reassurance, is what I needed. I tried to think positive thoughts to send the universe and God a message: bring my husband back! After waiting literarily all day, spending hours hearing:

“where’s daddy?”

 and

“when is he coming home?”

 I finally decided to go looking for him and called my neighbor Diana. As I waited for her to pick up, I could feel my anxiety reaching its peak.

“Hey Diana, can you watch the girls tonight?” I blurted out as soon as I heard a click. Without hesitation and with an upbeat personality, she said “of course girl, anytime.”

Diana is the only person, besides Henry, that I felt like I could rely on. I’ve only known her for six years, but I feel like we were molded in the same womb. She is the type of friend that you keep, tucked in your pocket, forever. I remember when I met her, I few guys were cornering me, pushing me around and I was so scared I didn’t know what to do. Diana came in with a pipe, screaming at the top of her lungs; I fell in love instantly.

After ten minutes, I heard a light knock on the door. It sounded like a little pebble being thrown at a hallow wall. I didn’t think it was anyone, but when I went to go check she was there, waiting for me.

“Why didn’t you call me? I could barely hear that,” I said anxiously.

 “Uh, I did call you, are the girls awake?” she whispered.

“Aunty D!” The girls called, longing for their aunt. Their little feet stomped down the stairs and ran to hug Diana.

“Where have you been, D?” Ava started, as my mind traveled elsewhere.

She called me? I fumbled through my clothes to look for my phone and found it in my pants pocket. Only one missed call.

“Are you okay, Jess,” Diana said, interrupting my thoughts.

“I haven’t seen Henry all day and he just went out to run some errands. I’m going to see if I can find him.”

“Find him?” She looked at me, then concern ran across her eyes, and she slowly said, “really?”

She took out her phone and showed me a picture of Henry escorting a pregnant woman to a hospital. One arm was wrapped around her waist, while the other was holding her hand. Behind them, Jun’s hospital stood taller and whiter than what I remembered when I gave birth a couple of years ago.

“Evelyn said that they were in a rush and he looked really excited, she even said that she might have heard him say ‘we’re having a baby.’ I didn’t tell you because, you know Evelyn, she’s always taking things out of proportion and I swear I thought he could have just been working. He’s an EMT, right?”

 I froze for a moment and forced myself to process the information correctly.

“ Wait! Is that Beatrice?” My heart dropped to my knees.

“Girls, why don’t you go upstairs so your mother and I could talk,” she told the twins, calmly. Their naïve minds did not take in a word we said as they fumbled through Diana’s coat pockets. They ran back up the stairs, snickering about what they found. I walked past Diana to grab my coat and keys. As I started to head out the door, Diana grabbed my arm. “What are you doing? Where are you going?” I pulled my arm back and continued to my car. She wasn’t stopping me.

I remembered seeing Jun’s hospital in the photo, so I turned my engine on and typed in my destination. The street was deserted so I passed almost every red light. When I get there, I got out of my car and heard several cars honking. I paid it no mind and continued walking patiently to the maternity ward. Inside, there was an empty waiting area with just one nurse behind the receptionist desk.

“Hello, I’m sorry, but it is past visiting hours,” the nurse said in the sweetest southern accent.  

 “Oh, I know it’s late, but I really need to see my sister. I’m so embarrassed but I missed the birth of my first nephew because I lost my phone. My sister would be devasted if I didn’t go today, you see, our mother just passed away last month, and she really needs a lot of support. I’m Beatrice Simon’s sister.”

“Oh dear, yes. I heard about her. So sad, but such a blessing,” She looked at me hesitantly.

 “It is past visiting hours, but I’m feeling empathetic today so just sign here.”

I signed a visitor’s sheet and put the pen she gave me in my pocket. She passed me a paper with the room number written on the bottom left, R367. As I walked to her room, my heart started pounding and I took it as a good sign. When I got there, I peeked inside to make sure Henry was not there. My heartbeat quickened and it sounded like my heart was trying to claw its way out of my ears. It was only her and her baby; even better – she was sleeping. I stepped in quickly and quietly and as I stood over her, I could feel peace emanating from her. That irked me. I took out my pen, right as her eyes flickered open. I had to think fast! I put my hand over her mouth and stabbed her neck at least 5 times. She looked at me with disbelief as she choked on her blood and I explained, “He was mine first.” I slowly diverted my attention from her, as to indulge in my accomplishment, to her baby. She grabbed my wrist and I snatched it back. I walked to the little bin next to her hospital bed and reached down; there was a note taped to the side that read ‘It’s A Boy!’

“Lucky guess, it’s a boy. He always wanted a boy…” I croaked.

I picked the baby up, with my blood smeared hands, and manage to say, “He looks just like his father.”

 I looked to Beatrice who was still alive and watching while she clutched her throat, gasping for air. Her face was pale and shocked. I kissed her son’s forehead and put my hand over his mouth and nose; basically, covering his entire face. He didn’t struggle and left peacefully. Right then Henry walked in, with his golden medal smile, but when he seen me his smile diminished.

 “Oh Ashton, look at what you’ve made me do. You’re just like all the other men in my life, Ben, Jackson, Daddy. You don’t know how to act so I had to fix things for you.” I said, mocking him.

 He examined the scene, turning his face from me to Beatrice. His face was flushed. “Beatrice! Beatrice!” He called, trying to summon her back to life. He ran to his mistress and back to me, to snatch his child out my hands.

“Jessica, What. What have you done?”

 I sighed. “You couldn’t hide this forever,” I said, tears rolling down my face. I was genuinely sad.

“Then your people came and that’s exactly what happened detective. How are my poohbear and my poohbear littles?”

Jessica, handcuffed to a table, sits on a red chair with a tall man, dressed in a blue suit and tie, sitting across from her. Jessica is chuckling manically when she suddenly stops. “Do you hear the birds – chirping? Chirp, chirp, chirp?”