The Perfect Game (The Perfect Game 1)

“I’m up here,” she shouted from upstairs, he

r voice sounding odd.

“Are you okay?” I yelled before craning my neck to hear her response. “Chrystle?” I yelled again, dropping my bags with a thud.

I could make out the soft sounds of crying as I rushed up the stairs to our bedroom. Chrystle was curled into a ball surrounded by pillows and used-up tissues. While no feelings existed for the woman I was married to, my feelings for what grew inside of her were immeasurable.

“What’s wrong? What happened? Is the baby okay?” I asked, overwhelmed with worry.

“Oh, Jack. ” She broke down into tears. “I lost the baby this morning. ”

My stomach dropped and on its way down it grabbed a hold of my heart. “What? What happened?”

“The doctor said it’s common. I woke up and started bleeding really bad. I was so scared. ” She threw herself into my arms and sobbed against my chest.

Devastation ripped through me. Somewhere along the way I’d grown used to the idea of being a father. I’d made plans and looked forward to a future that no longer existed.

There was no more baby. I brushed under my eye and stared at Chrystle’s stomach, resting my hand there.

“I can’t believe I lost our baby. I’m so sorry. All I wanted was our baby. Our child. ” She looked up at me through her tears.

“I know. Me too,” I admitted as a tear escaped my eye. “Can I get you anything? Do you want some water or something?”

“I’m okay. Where are you going?” She clung to my shirt as I climbed to my feet.

“I’m just going downstairs to grab a drink. I’ll be right back, okay?”

She nodded and I flew from the room, my emotions taking over. I hopped over the last two stairs before rushing into the tiny bathroom and slamming the door shut. I fell to the floor, my head falling between my legs as I grieved for the child I’d lost.

My chest heaved with pain before a sliver of hope crept in.

You can leave Chrystle now.

Get a divorce and go fix things with Cassie.

Spend your life making it up to her.

Relief washed over me, quickly followed by guilt, my new best friend. How could I feel relief at a time like that? This isn’t the time to find happiness. What the fuck was wrong with me?

I steadied my heartbeat before pushing my body up from the floor. I poured a glass of water, grabbed some headache medicine, and slowly crept back up the stairs.

“Let’s make another baby, Jack. ”

Her request caught me off guard. “What?”

“Make love to me,” she begged.

“No,” I told her staunchly, the very idea made me want to punch something. I hated the relief I felt, but the truth was, I’d just dodged a bullet. I wasn’t about to load the gun again.

“Why not? Now that we’re not having a baby, you’re going to leave me? I can see the headlines now…‘Jack Carter Leaves Heartbroken Wife After She Loses Baby. ’”

I winced. “Calm down, Chrystle. ”

“Say you won’t leave. I can’t handle you leaving on top of what I already lost. ” She sobbed, her face flushed.

“I’m not going anywhere,” I conceded.

I woke up the next morning, my head throbbing as if I’d drank too much the night before. But it was the ache of loss that ripped through my skull. I glanced at Chrystle, her arm possessively clasping mine. She whined as I removed it from her grip and flipped over, but continued sleeping as I crawled out of bed.