For His First Love, He Ignored Our Life and DeathChapter 1
On the day the SAT results were released, my daughter got into both Harvard and Stanford, an incredible achievement.
That evening, our world came crashing down: my entire family tested positive for HIV. Desperate, I asked my husband, a physician, for antiretrovirals.
John Garcia handed me one dose and disappeared.
Holding the only vial of medication, I stood helpless by the hospital beds of my seven family members.
I called him, only to be met with impatience,
"I gave you the dose. What else do you want?"
Through tears, I told him one dose wasn't nearly enough for all of us.
John accused me of exaggerating and scoffed, "Emily, what kind of family is this, where everyone has such a disgraceful disease?"
His words stunned me, but before I could respond, his ex's voice came through the phone,
"John, you still love me, right? Finalize your divorce when we're back."
The line went dead directly.
The next time I saw him was two weeks later.
I was dragging a cart with six urns up to the cemetery, my face numb, my heart heavier.
John hadn't approved the medications until the time was too late.