rse. Mark had departed-again. He had not been home in three days. No cal

stomach. She was in her third trimester, and the weight of everything-p

ver felt m

emory. Most of them had distanced themselves after the wedding when Mark's possessive tendencies became

re was h

ark, and when she informed them of the pregnancy, e

her mother had said over th

ispered gently, trying to hold bac

nticipate a celebration." This child

up short

nal time she he

he heard were tho

id yo

t you lea

you see t

did not help her waddle through a double shift at the café with swollen ankles

ess, she

e to surviv

se of

. The electricity had gone off briefly that morning. She had paid enough to reclai

gs, a half-carton of

y, she noticed the chipping paint on the kitchen wall and

recognize he

ams. She sought love. Safety. A home. She

al

af

her tummy. Simon kicked

me, child," she said

had packed from the diner's leftovers. She put on the same worn-out sneakers, her

ound with coffee pots, clients complaining about wait

rowd, Lana fe

ir eyes as she moved slowly. Nobody asked about her emotional status

fatigued lady trying

ted her tips, which totalled twelve dollars and change. Not enough

coat, Mia, one of the youn

t?" She said wit

d with won

am not sure what you are going through, but I see

had been weeks, if not months, since someone

ou," she

brief embrace b

aking notes in her notebook.

is on i

210 emerge

cared enoug

s not

re was s

explain. He came into the flat, smelling of liqu

food?" he said, s

ashing up the last of the chipped

ead and eggs

breath and flopped on the couch

ted to yell. She wanted to tell

he di

t

ntil she had a clea

round him like a shadow. She slept with

cond was

lness sho

e other mothers, some with partners at their sides, holding hands and smiling as they

sat

r name, she stood slowly

as the technician slid

hnician said gently. "A power

ran gently do

ing out of relief rath

aby w

ng everythi

d to hold

ut, unhappy that she refused to

him and leaned against it fo

om, opened her cosmetics cabin

tting clos

n the right day woul

happened,

y the a

t the m

herself who could

dst of

one being

ng for affection, which s

r child de

did