ENA

throom with about t

eaten since the lamb I never touched, so there was nothing to bring up, which didn't stop my body from trying. When i

came a moment later,

ren

ine, G

like a dr

omethin

ou pacing." The cane tapped again. "Open the door or I'll

toast, a pot of ginger tea, a bowl of plain crackers. She looked at the tray and then at m

bed and ea

ndma

beside a pile of school ribbons I had never thrown out. "When you want to tell me, you'l

elf into the rocker by the window and picked up her knitting, a gray scarf she'd been workin

this morning," I said a

l will t

an d

sband's name is on the title." She slid a st

Reed Women's Health at five minutes to nine, with my knuckles white around the door handle and his radio playing a ballgame from 1991. I t

thing to te

he said. "O

he receptionist, filled in my name, and hesitated over the line for marital status. I wrote married

d hair, a quick, level gaze, and a habit of speaking as if every word had cost her something. She h

said, "and tell me how lo

nine

did a h

o. And two mor

sit

of

wand, and said nothing else until a gray shape rolled into view on the screen. It

About one hundred seventy beats a minute, which is exactly what we

and it was mine. For three days the pregnancy had been a piece of paper and a feeling in my stomach. Now it had a p

Dr. Reed said, and

laughed a little

careful tone of a woman who has asked th

N

plan to

N

why." She wiped down the wand. "But I'll say this as your doctor and not as your friend. You are going to need prenatal care, bl

randm

Keep he

eld them against my chest, and for a second I let myself believe that t

down the wand. She went to the door, looked into

thing I need to show

. "Is something wr

my hand. "A law office called our front desk at seven this morning, before I was even in. Grady and Associates.

ion form with a signature at the bottom, a loopin

r signe

took her glasses off and rubbed the bridge of her nose. "My receptionist refused

rce lawyer want m

completeness in the settlement. Then he asked me one more question,

ears, quick and light, a litt

did he

een seen at this clinic in the las

at them, at the little bean-shaped dark inside the gray, and I unders

had kno