A local woman missing- Mary Kubica

I write back, All first-time mothers get scared. It’s normal.
Try to sleep. You need your rest. Let’s talk tomorrow. xo.
It’s an empathetic response, but one that hopefully puts the kibosh
on a lengthy discussion. I’ll call her tomorrow, ask if she wants to
meet for coffee and discuss. We’ll make a list of her fears and tackle
them one by one.
Shelby doesn’t write back at first. It’s three in the morning. She
took the hint and went to bed.
But just as I’m about to return my phone to the nightstand, it pings.
I’m scared of my husband, it says this time.
I stare at those words. I read them through twice. I haven’t met
Shelby’s husband. I don’t know who he is. I do know that his name is
Jason, and the few things Shelby told me about him.
I don’t wake Josh. Josh would tell me to drop this client. He’d say
that I don’t need to be getting myself involved in some sort of
domestic dispute.
But I’m already involved, aren’t I? Shelby paid her deposit. She
and I both signed the contract. I put a copy in the mail for her
yesterday.
That said, the check still sits on the kitchen counter. It’s waiting to
be deposited. I suppose I could just give it back. I could say I’ve
bitten off more than I can chew and can’t take on another client. I
have another eight women due next month, same month that Shelby
is due. The odds of two of them going into labor at the same time is
good. I could apologize, recommend another doula. Shelby might
leave me a bad Yelp review. But that would likely be the end of it.
That’s the worst she could do. I don’t think she could sue.
That said, the last thing I want to do is make someone else
shoulder the burden. Besides, it’s women like Shelby who need me
the most. Women like Shelby are the reason I got into this career, to
be there for women with no or unsupportive partners.
I take a deep breath. I peek at Josh to be certain the covers are
still over his head.
Did he hurt you? I ask. I remember the sunglasses the last time
I saw her. She was hiding something, either red, swollen eyes from
crying, or a black eye.