sta

under my maiden name. It lacked the sterile luxury of the

acing. The image of Barrett's shocked face kept replaying in my

y. A life stretching out befo

orbell

wo giant bags of my favorite junk food and a bottle of red wine, her sharp

houldering her way in and giving me a

nd her. "Spill. What d

walls crumbled. I told her everything. The "

nished, she let out a string of curses that would make a sailor blush. "

ck with a glass of water, not the wine.

ally in this world, and the deep

. I'm pr

ger on her face melted away, replaced by s

the night b

know?" she asked, her

regnancy test, the flushed-away secret. And I

t the water down, moved to the sofa, and wrap

, her own voice thick with emotion. "Y

I had been holding back for two days finally b

y until I was empty, until my s

erious. "The baby... it's your body, your choice. Whatever you decide, I'

. I won't let my child be a barga

ng foreign on my tongue.

ng I'd ever said, all at once. It was the belief I needed

then gave a slow, fir

t, my phone r

Johnston. Barrett Sterli

in my hand. He signed

had orchestrated, a piece of my heart t

phone from my hand. "Thank you for letting us kno

me. "You're not staying alone ton

No. I need to lear

he sun was setting, painting the sky i

et but firm. "Book the appointment w

dn't argue. She just pulled out her phone and started making calls

egally, I was no longer co

ie between us would be gone,