As I drove to the hospital, the balloons bobbed beside me in the passenger seat. My smile was unstoppable. Today, I was bringing home my girls!
I couldn’t wait to see Suzie’s face light up when she saw the nursery, the dinner I’d cooked, the photos I’d framed for the mantle. She deserved joy after nine long months of back pain, morning sickness, and an endless carousel of my overbearing mother’s opinions.It was the culmination of every dream I’d had for us.I waved to the nurses at the station as I hurried to Suzie’s room. But when I pushed through the door, I froze in surprise.

My daughters were sleeping in their bassinets, but Suzie was gone. I thought she might have stepped out for fresh air, but then I saw the note. I tore it open, my hands trembling.

“Goodbye. Take care of them. Ask your mother WHY she did this to me.”

The world blurred as I reread it. And reread it. The words didn’t shift, didn’t morph into something less terrible. A coldness prickled along my skin, freezing me in place.What the hell did she mean? Why would she… no. This couldn’t be happening. Suzie was happy. She’d been happy. Hadn’t she?A nurse carrying a clipboard entered the room. “Good morning, sir, here’s the discharge —”“Where’s my wife?” I interrupted.The nurse hesitated, biting her lip. “She checked out this morning. She said you knew.”