While Pregnant, I Attended a Pottery Party That Turned into a Surreal Nightmare

Olivia thought a pottery class with her friend Ava would be a harmless distraction during her second pregnancy. Instead, it shattered her world.

Pregnant and exhausted, Olivia just wanted to rest, but Ava convinced her to go out. At a lively pottery session, the conversation turned to birth stories. One woman mentioned how her boyfriend had rushed to his sister-in-law’s delivery on the 4th of July—missing their own son’s birth.

The details hit Olivia like a gut punch. The baby’s name? Tess. The date? The same as Olivia’s daughter’s birth. And the boyfriend’s name? Malcolm.

Shaken, Olivia showed the woman a photo of her husband. Horror dawned as she realized: Malcolm was leading a double life. He had a child with this woman—without Olivia ever knowing.

Staggering from the room, Olivia confronted Malcolm. He admitted the affair, and their marriage crumbled. Now, five weeks from giving birth, Olivia is eating chocolate and researching divorce lawyers.

“This is it, Ava,” she whispered. “I’m done.”

And she meant it.