ise

building. Blaze's words echoed in my head, a cru

s another woman's shadow. All my efforts, all my obed

like a knife against my skin

wave of nausea. I leaned against a brick wall, gagging, m

nt. More physical. The feeling

friend, Fiona. I answered, t

astard is getting engaged?" Fiona's voi

to her voice, the tears I'd been holdin

hing was wrong. "What's wrong? Are you crying?

ant nausea, trying to blam

econds. Then she asked a que

ve you missed

ed to open my phone's calendar app. The last

ppening, I had com

rmacy right now and get a pregnancy test. No, don't go your

ing to ice. It couldn't be. We al

had been drinking heavily, more reckless and roug

ically hailed a cab, giving the add

ghost. I had my blood drawn and t

a century. My palms wer

y name. I walked into her office feelin

tle smile on her face. "Congratulations, Ms. Rogers. T

. I was

used me as a substitute and wa

world be more absurd

precautions, about nutrition

ng the thin piece of paper. It f

the people hurry by, feeling comp

mall life was growing here. A child that shou

couldn't bring a child into the world under such awful circumst

s a knife to my own heart, but my ratio

k back into the clinic a

hoto-a picture of me with my late grandmother. In the phot

wish was to see me have

et st