Contract And Marriage

Sarina

Our relationship has been good, and I feel at ease with him. I’m also happy, especially as the time for me to give birth to our child approaches. Ralph is very attentive to me, not letting me do anything around the house. Everything would be fine for me, and I wouldn’t have anything to worry about if not for one thing that troubles my mind.

According to my credentials, I was born in L. A. and even studied there. But why do I know how to speak Tagalog? I’m not exceptionally smart or gifted because I think my brain is just average. So there’s still a part of me that doubts. I can’t ask Ralph about it because I’m worried he might get upset, so I keep it to myself.

I’m very happy, and so is my husband. I feel his care for me, but I also feel his possessiveness. He doesn’t want me to go out alone; I always have to be with him. I don’t mind, but he gets upset even if I’m in the yard and a neighbor passes by to talk to me.

He doesn’t confront me, but I can see how he looks at any man who talks to me. Because of that, I’ve avoided hanging out outside if he’s not around. I don’t want to give Ralph any reason to get angry or think ill of me.

Ralph always smiles when he talks to me. It feels too good to be true, this kindness. You know, I thought, are there still men like this? The kind who doesn’t let me do anything, even though he has work to attend to.

Every morning, he cooks our breakfast. When I wake up, the food is ready; all I have to do is eat. He even washes the dishes, no matter how much I insist. “Do it at lunchtime. I’m not here, so I won’t be able to do that for you,” he often says, and it’s true.

“You do all the household chores and didn’t want me to help you. I am not that fragile.”

“I promised your parents I would take care of you, babe. What if they rise from their graves and yell at me?” I laughed at what he said and his expression, and since then, I have forgotten about any doubts I had until I became completely comfortable with him.

Our life together continued, and sometimes, he would invite some of my friends, who were very happy for me. Some of his friends did the same, which proved how much Ralph loved me.

The day of my delivery came, and I was extremely excited. I noticed Ralph was the same, and I could see it in his face. He was so excited that we shopped for our baby’s things early, and he arranged them in the nursery during his off days from the clinic.

“Our baby is so cute,” Ralph said happily, and I agreed. I smiled while looking at our child. I never thought seeing and holding my own child would feel like this. I used to think that moms were overly emotional, crying like they had won the lottery.

“Hello, little Chase…” I said as I gently stroked his smooth, soft cheek. Since he’s still a baby, it’s unclear who he resembles more, Ralph or me. But because I often see myself in the mirror, I know we’ll unlikely look alike.Exclusive content © by Nô(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.

“Thank you, babe,” Ralph said tearfully.

“For what?”

“For giving him the name that I like.”

“What are you talking about? I like the name as well.” He kissed me gently, and then we looked at Chase, whom I held while my husband sat beside me. We stayed in the hospital for a few more days before finally going home, with the thought that Ralph would love me even more because of our child’s arrival.

But that’s not what happened. A few months after I gave birth, I noticed a change in Ralph’s behavior. He became short-tempered, often shouting for reasons I couldn’t understand.

He also started forbidding my friends from coming over, driving them away if he found them at the house. I was confused and sometimes scared because I would catch him looking at me with what seemed like malice. Even little Chase, who was only a few months old, was being stared at in a way that made me uncomfortable.

I thought it would stop there, but when Chase turned nine months old, Ralph came home one day, furious. I had no idea why, since he had just come from the clinic that morning.

“Tell me, did you meet that man?”

“I don’t know what you are talking about!” I replied. I was about to say more, but he didn’t let me, grabbing my arm. I was holding Chase, so I quickly secured my grip on him, even as Ralph’s nails dug into my skin.

“Please, Ralph, you’re hurting me…” I begged. But he didn’t listen, and his eyes only grew more intense.

“You’re hurting? What about you and what you did to me? Do you think I didn’t feel hurt at all?”

“I really don’t know what you’re talking about. Please tell me so I can understand.”

“Tell me, who’s the father of your child?” My eyes widened at his words. I couldn’t imagine myself with another man. How could he even think such a thing?

“Of course, you!” I quickly replied, which only made him slap me repeatedly. I cried and begged him to stop, but he grabbed my hair and forced me to face him.

“I am not that bastard’s father! You slept with another man, so tell me who it is!” he shouted at me. I didn’t know what he was talking about. I couldn’t remember anything-how could I defend myself?

“What? You can’t say a thing? You didn’t know that I would find out?” After he said that, he kicked me, hitting my leg so hard that I collapsed to the floor from the pain. I thought about my child, whom I was still holding tightly. I needed to get him away from Ralph because he might take his anger out on him.

But I couldn’t walk anymore; I was weak, and I felt like I was losing my breath. Not knowing what else to do, I placed Chase on the floor as he began to cry uncontrollably. I shielded him with my body so Ralph wouldn’t hurt him. But I could already feel my breath shortening along with the pain in my body, especially in my leg. I lost hope, thinking that this might be the end for me.