ck to herse

her feel like she'd been folded wrong and left that way. Then the sounds. Low voices. Sho

elids f

dn't op

lis

re's holdin

ther voice echo

edically. But the pregnanc

word s

egn

and instinctive. A hand-hers-tw

l," a woman continued. "But if it s

ind doctors used when the

, we'd need t

d landed

rmi

nside her sn

N

pain, louder than the beeping machine. Her heart

delay," the man said. "She's

m aw

her throat, rough and th

d in the ro

ced her

ve her-startled, cautious, suddenly alert. The

aid gently. "C

ered. "I heard yo

as different now. No longer

een through a lot. You were in an acciden

hook, but not from confusion. "Y

softened. "We're w

wed. Her th

the

her p

carefully. "But it's weak. Continuing

her stomach. The movement sent a ripple

" she

t small. Then she

closer. "Miss, we ne

reath shallow now. "You're say

correc

with fear, but something

if I d

cover fully," the

cov

ign. Like it belong

es flickered behind her eyes-her apartment, empty and echoing

lready d

g," she said. "No

slowly. "We need con

it harder than

t of

ded painfully a

one," she sai

tated. "Everyon

he movement barely per

glances. Profess

or said. "A legal contract.

ust

in the air betwe

reading from a tablet. "He's listed as le

room

breath

hr

surged-too fast, too vivid. His voice in a quiet room. The way he watched her when he thought

yes fl

st

octor

ow him,"

aid no

ce was ans

the nurse added careful

rs curled in

am

sted strange

r chest-not fear of dying, not

f being

into a life she'd alre

osed he

pped through its fingers-then maybe she could finally leave wit

a settle

rify

empow

he said

ed in. "No to w

ered. "No consent. No termin

r voice steadied as she spok

r a long moment. "You're a

. "I've been risk

d again, thick wi

," the nurse said fin

y moved away. The room exhaled, the

the ceiling, her hand sti

now if she wa

new she was

eps app

or crea

n't turn

idn't

d. By the pause in his breathing. By the weight of his p

Ir

r real one-s

osed he

her face like he was afraid she might vanish if he blinked. His shoulders were

were awake," h

idn't

He stopped himself, s

lly turne

r eye

flared-shar

, the past stepped

n't say

hovered between

, Mia wondered if disap

tay was the bravest t