a P

n arm around Caroline. He pulled her

er. She means nothing to me. Y

osable status. I felt myself shrink. Caroline

e mistaken. Or perhaps y

venom. She tried to sound sympathe

It' s natural to develop feelings. But he n

o stay calm. I to

gnant. I know

was too much for her. I started to walk away. Caroline mo

Aida. We' re

worn leather purse flew open. Its contents spilled across the polished hospit

esults and my appointment reminder. The paper was still mostly hidden. I felt a s

le sheet of paper from the scattered mess. She held it up.

y good

r face contorted into an expression of exaggerated

this? A pregnanc

ot mine. I felt a wave of nausea. This was

ne! I don' t kno

was shaky. She held the paper, cl

ut of your bag! And look here, the nam

s indeed hard to read. The date, however, was clearly v

ke! She knew I was coming back.

ocument. The blurry name. The clear date. The words "Positive" and "Expected Due

t stares. This was public humiliation. This was a

ds failed me. My voic

s not my report! I di

ce was stone. He looked from the paper to my face. His jaw w