in

my tongue. Termination. I had

s. She flicked the lock, creating a small pocket of silence in the hospital's cha

loshed over my knuckles. I didn't feel the burn. Every nerve ending felt frayed, a

nd with a paper towel, her touch infinitely kind. She didn't ask que

h the quiet. My phone lit u

de

red at it, the letters blurring, like looking a

to get that?"

ating on my raw nerves until it fell silent. The quiet lasted only a

some unknown well, I reached for the phone, my movements slow, d

ritation. "Erin, are you done with your little drama? You hav

th in my chest hardening

. "Look, I know you're pregnant and your hormones are all over the place, but you can't be this unprofessional. I hav

son on his tongue. A dry, hum

kness so violent I'd burst blood vessels in my eyes. Aiden had stood in the bathroom d

n she was pregnant," he'd said without looki

m. Apologized. For bei

Now I understood. It wasn't

ecognized as his primary tool. "Okay, baby, stop pouting. It's not what it looks like. Debbra is just a... a f

a way that made my skin prickle. "Maybe we should reconsider. Your

le comments wrapped in the guise of concern. Are

ve a baby. He just didn

ake was a terrifying, absolute calm

n voice surprisingly s

knew you'd understand. Now, just go home and

, devoid of all emotion, "you're right

he other end was

into the void, "I'

e. Alarm. "What decision? Eri

his lack of interest in buying furniture, his constant "late nig

accusations. I was childish, manipula

s a mercy. I opened my contacts, found his name, and pres

thing stirred. A whisper

vita

pening the bottle himself, shaking a single pill into his palm, handing it to m

d the way he'd watched me swallow. Not with tendern

he thought away. Paranoia.

hisper wo