n the pregnancy test

ple

urt. Mark, my new husband, a man as solid and

n town already bu

ibrarian, and now, soon

fect, a sun-d

e whispe

kes the special cupcak

childish, and it echo

s ten-year-

think I'm not happy a

and familiar, sliced

nigh

d and terrifying, of a life I' d lived before,

me innocent smile,

sting,

the loss, the darkness. Me

e vision. It was just a nightmare, a s

hosen, projected thought, lingered in my

look what Chloe

ate piled high with brightly frosted cupcakes. Chloe stood beside him,

mach c

outh. "I... I suddenly feel awful. Morning si

Oh, sweetheart, sit down.

little shaky. "They look so good, and I' d hate for

ped up. Her innoce

, real and raw, before sh

ward, yanking the plate from Mark' s surprised grasp. "They' re o

sent a cupcake tum

nderfoot, snatched up a fallen piece

k exclaimed, but

arted whimpering. Then he was

blur of fear. The diagnosi

sehold cleaner got mixed into the fros

n accident! I was cleaning the counter... maybe some sp

a torrent of feigned remorse, childish

oked at me, his face etched with concern for Chloe, for Buddy, for the whole

buried in Mark' s shirt, h

I

lking loudly with Mark in the living roo

velopment, we should open substantial college tru

loe's eyes from across the room before she'

the show of remorse, were colder. "

Chloe' s performance, her projected i

stomach, a new, icy fear coilin

just the