The Wrong Woman

Mila's phone rang until she finally mustered the courage to answer.

Nathan's voice greeted her on the other end. He hesitated before tentatively asking, "Wanda?" His tone carried an unusual softness.

Mila felt a pang of guilt. She wondered if she had ignored his calls so much that he thought someone else was answering. She replied with a gentle hum.

Nathan's voice brightened as he spoke warmly, "I'll come by tomorrow to go with you to the hospital to pick up our son."

Mila was surprised, knowing that his work wouldn't be finished until the day after tomorrow. She declined. "It's fine. You should continue with your work. Phoebe and I will pick him up. You don't need to hurry back."

"I'm not that busy." Nathan tried to take the opportunity. He asked again, "What time are you going to the hospital tomorrow?"

Mila refused once again. "Our son being discharged isn't a big deal. You don't need to worry about it."

Nathan fell silent.

to end the call. "There's not much to say. I'm hanging

phone from her ear, she faintly caught Nathan's voice.

ended the call. Setting down her phone, she stared at the sprawling field of white zinnias before her,

the maternity nurse prepare the child's bedding

discharged, but Mila politely declined. She wanted to spend

She kept looking at the photos she had taken

Mila gradually drifted off to sleep. While she was half-asleep, she sensed movement on the bed. Groggily, she opened

she thought she spotted Nathan. Still half in dreamland, she

be quiet, but he unintentionally disturbed her slumber. He was surprised by Mila's

dreamy, infused with drowsiness, stirred something

to her, and whispered,

groggy, Mila asked, "What time