James drove straight to the hotel. He was worried. The roads of Texas stretched before him, but he barely noticed the traffic or the red lights. All he could think about was Emily. Why was she in a hotel? Why didn’t she stay with her parents or friends? Why had she disappeared without a word? The diary told part of the truth, but James felt there was more. At last, he pulled up at the hotel she had mentioned. He rushed to the reception desk and asked for her room number. The receptionist gave it, and he ran to the elevator, his heart pressing against his chest with fear. When he reached her door, he knocked. No answer. He knocked again, louder this time. Still silence. Something was wrong. He turned the handle. To his surprise, the door was unlocked. Slowly, he pushed it open, and the sight before him almost froze his blood. Emily was lying on the floor, motionless. Around her were bottles—empty bottles of alcohol, scattered everywhere. The air was filled with the sour smell of drink. ...
Emily was in her room that night. She is sitting on the edge of the bed, holding her belly. She was in her ninth month of pregnancy, and she had been counting down the days. For years, she and her husband, James, had prayed for a child. They had tried doctors, prayed in churches, and visited specialists. Nothing worked. Until one day, 9 months ago, Emily told James the news he had been waiting to hear — she was pregnant.
From that day, James treated her like gold. He made sure she never lacked anything. He was excited, nervous, and happy at the same time. Every night, he would place his hand gently on her belly and talk to the baby.
On this night in Texas, as the clock moved past 11pm, Emily felt a sharp pain. She gasped and held her belly tighter. The pain came again, stronger this time.
“James… It’s time. I'm in labour,” she said quietly but firmly.
James jumped from the chair where he had been watching TV. “Are you sure?”
“Yes… I think I’m in labour.”
He grabbed the hospital bag they had kept ready for weeks and helped her to the car. The streets were quiet at that hour. He drove quickly but carefully, glancing at her every few seconds. She was in the back seat.
They arrived at the hospital, and nurses rushed to take Emily inside. James wanted to follow her, but a nurse stopped him at the door to the labour room.
“Sir, you have to wait outside. We will call you.”
James nodded and stepped back. He sat down in the waiting area, his elbows on his knees, and began to pray. “God, please keep my wife safe. Please let my baby arrive in peace.”
Minutes felt like hours. Finally, a nurse came out smiling.
“Congratulations, sir. You have a baby boy.”
James stood up so fast the chair almost fell over. “Is Emily okay?”
“She’s fine. They’re both fine. Come with me.” The nurse said.
She led him to a small room where the baby lay wrapped in a white blanket. The nurse placed the baby in James’s arms.
James looked down at his son. But instead of joy filling him, he froze. The baby’s skin was dark. Not just a little — very dark.
James’s eyes moved from the baby’s face to his tiny hands. There was no mistake. This was a black baby. James and Emily were both white.
He said nothing. He handed the baby back to the nurse slowly. His mind was crowded with questions, but he kept his mouth shut. This was not the place to talk.
Emily was brought out of the labour room and taken to a ward. James followed her and stayed by her side. He kissed her forehead, congratulated her, and even smiled when visitors came. But inside, his thoughts would not stop.
Three days later, Emily was discharged from the hospital. James drove them home in silence. Emily thought he was just tired.
When they reached home, James helped her settle on the sofa. The baby was asleep in his cot. James stood in front of her.
“Emily,” he said slowly, “I want to ask you something.”
She looked up at him. “What is it?”
James’s voice was calm, but it was clear he was not happy. “Why is our baby black?”
Emily frowned. “What do you mean?”
“You know exactly what I mean. Look at him. He is clearly a black baby. Emily, we are both white. Explain this to me.”
Emily shifted uncomfortably in her seat. “James, maybe it’s from some generations back… maybe someone in our family…”
“Stop. Don’t say that. You and I both know there’s nothing like that in our family lines. Emily, I want the truth. Did you sleep with another man?”
Emily was shocked to hear the question. “James! How can you even say that to me? After all these years together? After everything we’ve been through?”
James took a step closer. “Because there’s no other explanation. We’ve been married eight years. We have no history of this in our families. Now suddenly, after all the struggles, you get pregnant and the baby is black?”
Emily’s voice rose. “Are you calling me a cheat?”
“I am asking you for the truth. If you made a mistake, say it now.”
“I did not cheat on you, James. I swear to God.”
James stared at her for a long moment. He wanted to believe her. He wanted to push away the doubt, but the picture of the baby’s face was clear in his mind.
“I don’t believe you,” James said quietly.
Emily gasped. “So you think I am lying?”
“Yes. And I am not going to let this go. Emily, we must have a DNA test. I don’t want to raise another man’s child.”
From that day, James treated her like gold. He made sure she never lacked anything. He was excited, nervous, and happy at the same time. Every night, he would place his hand gently on her belly and talk to the baby.
On this night in Texas, as the clock moved past 11pm, Emily felt a sharp pain. She gasped and held her belly tighter. The pain came again, stronger this time.
“James… It’s time. I'm in labour,” she said quietly but firmly.
James jumped from the chair where he had been watching TV. “Are you sure?”
“Yes… I think I’m in labour.”
He grabbed the hospital bag they had kept ready for weeks and helped her to the car. The streets were quiet at that hour. He drove quickly but carefully, glancing at her every few seconds. She was in the back seat.
They arrived at the hospital, and nurses rushed to take Emily inside. James wanted to follow her, but a nurse stopped him at the door to the labour room.
“Sir, you have to wait outside. We will call you.”
James nodded and stepped back. He sat down in the waiting area, his elbows on his knees, and began to pray. “God, please keep my wife safe. Please let my baby arrive in peace.”
Minutes felt like hours. Finally, a nurse came out smiling.
“Congratulations, sir. You have a baby boy.”
James stood up so fast the chair almost fell over. “Is Emily okay?”
“She’s fine. They’re both fine. Come with me.” The nurse said.
She led him to a small room where the baby lay wrapped in a white blanket. The nurse placed the baby in James’s arms.
James looked down at his son. But instead of joy filling him, he froze. The baby’s skin was dark. Not just a little — very dark.
James’s eyes moved from the baby’s face to his tiny hands. There was no mistake. This was a black baby. James and Emily were both white.
He said nothing. He handed the baby back to the nurse slowly. His mind was crowded with questions, but he kept his mouth shut. This was not the place to talk.
Emily was brought out of the labour room and taken to a ward. James followed her and stayed by her side. He kissed her forehead, congratulated her, and even smiled when visitors came. But inside, his thoughts would not stop.
Three days later, Emily was discharged from the hospital. James drove them home in silence. Emily thought he was just tired.
When they reached home, James helped her settle on the sofa. The baby was asleep in his cot. James stood in front of her.
“Emily,” he said slowly, “I want to ask you something.”
She looked up at him. “What is it?”
James’s voice was calm, but it was clear he was not happy. “Why is our baby black?”
Emily frowned. “What do you mean?”
“You know exactly what I mean. Look at him. He is clearly a black baby. Emily, we are both white. Explain this to me.”
Emily shifted uncomfortably in her seat. “James, maybe it’s from some generations back… maybe someone in our family…”
“Stop. Don’t say that. You and I both know there’s nothing like that in our family lines. Emily, I want the truth. Did you sleep with another man?”
Emily was shocked to hear the question. “James! How can you even say that to me? After all these years together? After everything we’ve been through?”
James took a step closer. “Because there’s no other explanation. We’ve been married eight years. We have no history of this in our families. Now suddenly, after all the struggles, you get pregnant and the baby is black?”
Emily’s voice rose. “Are you calling me a cheat?”
“I am asking you for the truth. If you made a mistake, say it now.”
“I did not cheat on you, James. I swear to God.”
James stared at her for a long moment. He wanted to believe her. He wanted to push away the doubt, but the picture of the baby’s face was clear in his mind.
“I don’t believe you,” James said quietly.
Emily gasped. “So you think I am lying?”
“Yes. And I am not going to let this go. Emily, we must have a DNA test. I don’t want to raise another man’s child.”
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