Marcus looked toward the living room where laughter continued.
Every member of his family was relaxing while his pregnant wife stood alone doing their work.
His jaw tightened.
Then something on the counter caught his attention.
A small plastic bag.
Empty.
Crumpled.
Labeled with Elena’s name.
A chill ran through him.
The Discovery
Marcus picked up the bag.
The label read:
Prenatal Medication – Do Not Discard
His stomach dropped.
“Elena,” he said carefully. “Where’s your medication?”
The color drained from her face.
She stared at the empty package.
Then she looked away.
“Your mom found it in the bathroom cabinet while she was cleaning.”
Marcus felt his pulse quicken.
“And?”
“She thought it was old medicine and threw it away.”
The room suddenly felt smaller.
“What do you mean she threw it away?”
Elena swallowed hard.
“Not just the vitamins. Everything.”
Everything.
The prenatal vitamins.
The iron supplements.
The medication prescribed to control her dangerously high blood pressure.
The medication her doctor had repeatedly warned was essential.
Gone.
Thrown away without asking.
