andr

its way back to

lsed through my body, a r

finally forced them open, the sterile whit

t. A sharp, burning sensation i

searing pain shot thr

ty: a thick bandage covered my lower stoma

octor to tell me

the agonizing ache, conf

a physical blow. A choked sob escaped my

beautiful, in

, a silent, venomous vow for the l

the suffocating grief. I yearned for unconsci

k of the doo

pened my eyes,

efore I saw him, fel

ep, my breathing shallow. I needed

I heard Efrem's familiar

was hushed, a c

she? T

t a bitter, cynical twist to my lips. His c

reply wa

e, Barron. But there

avy silence han

the baby di

sound escaped

w. Relief. Undeniabl

gh still low, held a distinct note of

al blow, worse than any

gh the last fragm

lamped shut, unwilling to let them s

ieved that my child,

rrent of memories fl

sing with a ring that shimm

mises to our unborn child. "You'll be the b

o protect me f

insignificant detail about my life, spent hours listen

ed to annoy me, his protective

incing, so charming

mance, a meticulous

h, every shared dream was a lie desi

leared h

? Is she... alr

terthought, an obligat

as heavy, lade

. They performed an emergency hysterectomy. S

intake of bre

ilence fill

plan. This was somethin

uture, comple

wanted to erase one child, and in doing so,

mate des

n into something new.

troking my hair, playi

u, Lexi. This wi

lieve I was

believe

tening. And I

in that bed was already