“Daisy! Daisy! Daisy!” She cried just as his hand made contact with her face, Myrtle felt her heart shatter. All the love she had felt for this man slowly began to break into a million pieces as she knew he had chosen Daisy. 

She could not help but ask herself, “Why did he have to pick Daisy when she had loved him after everything they had gone through together?” 

Tom’s little secret stowed away in a lavishly furnished apartment in the city. Today she had waited for him, longed for his touch, and to feel his love, a love that she had lacked for so long. The passion she felt for George was nothing, 

but oh how her love for Tom grew with every waking moment she spent with him. 

Many days before, Myrtle believed that she was with a child, which she confirmed as many mornings were spent curled up in the bathroom. Even so, Myrtle believed her life would be brand new. 

I can start a new life with Tom and our child.
She had rushed to the phone, dialed the numbers carefully, her shaky hands frantically moved, as she waited for his tender voice to echo back. Finally, the click of the phone answered her prayers. 

“Hello?” Tom had demanded.

“Tom,” she started. “I have something I must discuss with you, and before you get angry with me, I think it’s better that you come to see me.” 

“Myrtle… I told you not to call my home,” he began “Especially since I can not have my wife pick up the phone with you on the other end.” Wife. That word. How it stung her. As if  a hot knife had carved into her heart, ruining the memories of his voice with the firm yet tender utterance of those three words.. 

“Please Tom,” she begged. “I am pregnant and I need you immediately.” 

“How could I be so foolish?” He screamed, then more quietly “This was a mistake Myrtle.” More words spearing into her soul, she felt the future of her dreams crumbling before her eyes. She expected him to embrace her after telling him about their blessing. He was going to reveal to her that she was his only one, and he would leave Daisy. Make a new life but this time with her. Yet this had not been the case. 

Myrtle was brought back to the apartment by the blood from her nose that dripped into a puddle, staining the wood floor they had picked together. Tom’s rejection stinging more than the handprint she felt developing on her left cheek. She would not let him see her cry, she told herself. Tom escorted everyone out of the apartment as Myrtle stared at herself in the mirror. She didn’t recognize the heartbroken, red  face staring back at her. Questioning if she would be able to bring this baby into the world with Tom or if she would have to do it alone. She did not need to guess for long as he entered the room quietly leaning on the frame of the door. 

“Listen I.. uh lost my way back there, you know how things have been with you know work, and you know Daisy.” The dager pushed deeper into her heart each time he uttered her name. She felt her heart break in two, unleashing everything she had always wanted to say to him. 

“Tom, I have loved you since the day you gave me a chance, through all of your imperfections. I know Daisy has never loved you like that.” Her eyes welled as a tear trickled down stinging her cheek. “I would give up my whole world to start a new one with you and this child, please, please Tom give us a chance” Tom stared back at her blankly, no emotion on his face. 

“I gave you the whole world you speak of giving up. So when I leave you; you will go back to the poor land of ashes where I plucked you from.” His voice was sharp as a knife. “That child will never be called mine, and if you tell anyone otherwise I will make sure to deal with you and that child myself.” Storming out of their apartment and slamming the door behind him. She knew George would be wondering about her, but he was of no importance to her. As now all her love was being given to this baby inside her, for all the love she had lost from Tom, was being fed back to the new love of her life. 

Myrtle was awoken the next morning to George yelling at her for coming home at such a late hour. As her head pounded she stumbled over to the toilet as she felt her morning sickness tear through her stomach. George’s voice in her ear constantly telling her that she was the worst wife he could have ever imagined. Myrtle screamed back as she couldn’t take it anymore, 

“Leave me alone,” She began “I’m leaving this life behind and you with it. This child is my ticket to a new life and you won’t stand in my way ever again.” Myrtle clutched her stomach in agony. George yanked her hair and dragged her helpless body into their bedroom above his garage. 

“You will stay locked in here with that bastard child of yours and never see that cheat Tom Buchanan ever again.” George spit in her face as he marched out slamming the bedroom door behind him as the lock of the door clicked. Myrtles heart pounded 

Oh Tom If only you could hear me, I pray you send me the help I need, tell me you love me again just like you did that night. Please save me Tom.

She wept quietly in the frigid bedroom longing for Tom’s love. Yet all she heard was George whining all day left and right to his customers trying to poach more money out of them. 

He is nothing like Tom, so jealous and dirty. This was never the life I was supposed to live. 

Myrtle awoke to the sound of Tom’s voice, she thought she was dreaming. She rushed to the window and saw him outside talking to George. Whimpering at the sight of her dearest Tom she pounded on the door which locked her away from him. Yet her sobs were muffled to the outside from the locked bedroom. Tom’s yellow car pulled away and her heart follows him wherever he goes. As she stared out the window, she heard a snap as George yanked the locked door open grabbing clothes and shoving them into bags. “George,” she cried “Please stop this nonsense.” 

“We’re leaving now” He screamed back, his voice fueled with anger. “Get your stuff, we’re leaving this city full of scums like the Buchanans.” He continued to yell, throwing things and pushing their furniture over. He was a rage filled tornado tearing through the apartment she felt no connection to. 

Although his rage filled our house, all of my mind was drawn to Tom. I heard the echoes of Tom’s car in the back of my mind. He had come back to save me! Oh my Tom my prayers have been answered, you are coming back to me. I grabbed my things and ran past George as he chased after me calling my name and words of rage. I see the headlights. My heart is filled with hope, a new beginning, my reclaimed life with my Tom. The yellow car flys closer and I know my escape is imminent. A flash of light and warmth because I know I have been saved by Tom.