come to associate with a perfect Friday night. Liam Vance, my husband of five years, s

esigned together. No kids, no pets, just two incomes and a

" he said, taking a sip of

mth spread through my chest. This was

t, the perfec

p to help like he usually did. He just sat there, staring at

ng okay?" I asked,

face was pale, his eyes filled with something I

his voice rough. "I need

back at the table, a knot of u

slow and measured. "Her name is Sarah Mille

erous, and I had always admired that abou

es white as he gripped the edge o

s. I waited for him to continue, to

illed with a despair that terrifi

d only stare at him, trying to make sense of his

ined, his voice cracking. "She got my sperm from it. We

izarre, so grotesque, th

e dropping to a whisper. "I told her I would pay for everyt

ful, traditional family that va

father... my father... they said the ch

felt a wave of nausea. He was asking me to accept this.

s the table for my hand, but I pulled away. "P

ll the fight went out of me. I just n

y on, everyt

ldren, the man who had sworn our life together wa

t fetal development and infant care. He started coming home from work early,

we had used as a shared office, and b

d assembled a crib with his own hands

long time, and it wasn't for me. I felt like a ghost in my ow

k came on a co

was screaming, a piercing, relentless sound. I jumped out of bed,

hoked out, my

orange glow of the flames. Sarah was there too, cowering n

he cried, her voic

his arms. He ran towards the front door, his focus entir

voice swallowed by the roar of the

rned his head, and our eyes met through the thick smoke. I s

rm tightly. "Mr. Vance, plea

gly gentle, a tone he once used only for me.

ttle f

was pushed out of my chest. I watched as he shielded Sarah with his body

beam from the ceiling crashed down. It hit me squarely on

I had just left a restaurant after our anniversary dinner. An out-of-control truck suddenly swerved o

y abdomen, consuming my entire body. The last thi

ered the news with a heavy voice. My uterus was

My eyes were red and swollen from crying. "You' re the onl

was breathless. "Eleanor, I only want you," he said, his voice fier

e lashes from his grandfather' s cane. His mother had cried, calling it a sin. His father had

eyes on our wedding day as he lifted my veil. He had

nother woman, talking abo

his time, I would completely fulfill their wish. I

thing I saw was the stark whi

, you' re

ery muscle aching. He was sitting in a chair by the bed, his e

cheek. "The doctor said you have minor burns and a concussion. But don' t worry, I' ve

The man who had left me to die in a fire was now playing th

roat raw and burning. "

ly urgent. He pulled a document from his briefca

say it. Hearing it from him, even though it

due in a month. The child needs their biological parents' marriage certificate for

ce for him, my voice flat. My hear

ce. "I' ve already talked to her. She' ll take the money and leav

n my spine. He was planning our whole future, a

into my hand. "Sign it. The lawyer i

touched the paper, a tear fell from my eye, landing dir

sk and efficient. He leaned in to kiss my forehead, but I turned my head aw

for me," he said,

ehind him, the sound ec

wasn' t going

l bead of blood that welled up. Dragging my aching body

the maternity ward. I hea

, his tone so tender it was completely unfamiliar

excited voice came through the ope

e smile in Liam' s voice. "S

u like

dy thought of the names. If it' s a boy, it' l

o my palms. The name felt like a final, cruel joke.

ed outside my house, his eyes red. "Eleanor, no kids, no kids.

r woman' s belly, eagerly listening to a fet

ldren, why did you choose me? Why di

lling onto the polished hospital floo

, I called

ant to move abr

at' s wrong, sweetheart? Aren' t you and Liam doing well? Did

don' t love him anymore," I said

er a new address. The taxi stoppe

ld the clerk, handing over my documents. "And I

serious. "Are you sure, ma' am? After cancellatio

solve hardening

would be no Eleanor

I am completely exiting you