U

pered, "what

past me outside the courthouse, voices carried by t

"Yes, Seraphi

ly still. The atmosphere suddenly thickened. Joe wa

Jasper's child

nd grabbed the nearby wall fo

truth. But somewhere deeper,

nd Seraphina smiled as she had already won. B

ch

s. Three years of silent prayers w

tlessly while I remained the bar

turn violently, and nausea

are you

ached toward me,

ine,"

stop; another wave of nausea hit me

kily before Joe coul

stood there, still holding onto the wall

me," I spoke into the phone, "I

am at the clinic. Do

ckly, "I will ma

l before he cou

The pains refused to stop, and

?" the doctor asked. "Hav

ocess my answers, anot

vomit

e questions, and she

floor while my fingers tr

e. Nausea. Dizziness. They only po

o

ow. If the result was negative, then I could walk away cl

... my chest tightened.

s Qu

up, and almost immediately, I heard my name. T

talk pri

nto the office numbly and sat across from her. The

ximately five

y hands moved toward my st

t?" I ex

ctor responde

d to be the moment everything changed for the b

a husband who had already stopped loving me. S

aking, but I barely

proper rest...avoid

eath the low hum of

the hospital, evening had b

ghtly in my trembling grip. Tears

ch. And then, it dawned on me th

after everything

eath escap

d to g

last

, at least for the

ed the same. The guards stiffened immediately they sa

h the massive door slowly. I paused at

r said the fe

e drifted throug

hearing that for the first time, but bec

quietly. "As long as the baby is fine,

y result in my hand. Nothing else mattered. Not me

didn't wait to hear from them

Seraphina shifted first with sh

rue," I sa

ing here?" Jaspe

r the trut

"You should've called before barging i

ghed

you could welcome me proper

d closer

eeping with my husband," I said. "

yes. "Yes. The child y

en lunged toward her and landed

a gasped

bit

wrist before she touched me. Years of swallowing

nted what belonge

o!" she s

ped forward

d her wri

ve come back here

gh escaped

have slept with my

ingers curled tightly around my bag,

he knew about the ba

ng thing. But even after everything, some weak,

parted

ere pre

ble second, I actually hoped. Even

pounded v

would

didn't

rid o

ely still. Without knowing, he h

nd walked away. And this