ation, a stage play for his own benefit. He claimed the fresh air would be good for Chloe's "nerves" and would give us a c

now a shrine to Chloe and her pregnancy. Liam had stocked the pantry with all of her favorite snacks and weird cravi

They saw Liam's arm around Chloe's shoulders, her swollen belly, and my quiet

inally got wh

After all t

-to-be, introducing her to everyone. "This is Chloe," he'd say. "She's carrying my son." He

that night as he was setting up a specia

"I'm just trying to make sure she's comfortable. The baby

till your wife," I said,

g to fix that. But you're making it so difficu

eyes, chose that moment to make her move. She let ou

am rushed to her side, h

hink the baby is kicking. He must be excited to be at the la

embered a time when he had looked at me that way. It was years ago, on this very porch. We had been dreaming about o

t dream with me was gone, replaced by this stranger who was bui

soft, helpless voice. A special tea, a foot rub, a different pillow. And Liam, my

from the creamery in town," she would murmu

nd he would wrap her in the softest blan

hinking of a celestial theme," she said, looking at Liam with shining eyes. "Little

for years, the one I had secretly designed in my head a hundred times

in, stronger this time. I stoo

ked, his voice laced with an

and I stumbled, knocking over a small table. A vase of fl

his feet. "What is wrong with you? You could h

stood there, glaring at me, his only concern th