\u201cJust call a taxi, Valeria. I\u2019m not missing a meeting because you decided to go into labor in the middle of the night.\u201dThose were the last words my husband said before rolling over and pulling the sheet over his face.It was 2:14 a.m. in our house in Zapopan. I stood in the doorway, legs shaking, my nightgown soaked, another contraction hitting so hard I had to bite my lip to stay quiet. Outside, the gated neighborhood slept peacefully\u2014perfect homes, security cameras, manicured lawns\u2014like nothing bad could ever happen there.\u201cOscar\u2026 my water broke,\u201d I whispered, trying not to panic. \u201cThe baby is coming.\u201dHe barely opened his eyes. No urgency. No concern. He didn\u2019t even sit up.You\u2019re overreacting, Valeria. The doctor said it could take hours.\u201dI can\u2019t drive like this.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He sighed, annoyed.\u201cThen use an app. That\u2019s what taxis are for. I have a presentation tomorrow. I need rest.\u201dAnother contraction bent me in half.\u201cOscar, please\u2026\u201dHe silenced his phone and muttered, \u201cDon\u2019t start with the drama.\u201dThen he closed his eyes again.I stood there waiting\u2014hoping he\u2019d change his mind, remember this was his child too. But nothing happened. Just the sound of his steady breathing while I struggled to stay upright.In the living room, shaking, I tried to book a ride. The first driver canceled. The second didn\u2019t move. The third was unavailable. I called my mother\u2014she lived hours away. I called Oscar again. His phone was off.That\u2019s when I realized this wasn\u2019t an accident.It was a choice.I dressed as best I could, grabbed my hospital bag, my ID, the small blue blanket I\u2019d bought at the market, and my keys. One hand against the wall, the other on my belly, I made it to the garage.Driving alone down the empty avenue, I whispered prayers between contractions. Every red light felt cruel. Every wave of pain reminded me: I was alone because the man who promised to protect me chose to sleep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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