you won't lay a

looked through her l

d pushed the door open. "The appointment

pain hit her belly. She gripped the doorframe,

ading on her forehead. "Can you take me

ld answer, hi

softness she hadn't heard in years.

fr

ther end, she'd rec

ph

go, came back four months ago. And j

for another woman. She felt her heart twist, but she didn't

her briefly. There was a flicker

to be," he muttere

f, leaving her alone

d. Her arms wrapped around her stomach instinctively, the pain swellin

n. But this-this abandonment,

. Her vision dark

verything

-

of antiseptic

to the white h

mm

e familiar voice. Her express

stood beside her bed

e gate," he said. "You're lucky. If I'd arrived a

ew to her bell

e baby's okay. You're stabl

a breath she hadn't realized

You shouldn't be out on yo

augh, bitter and dry.

she could tell he und

he asked, hesitant, but hopef

r. "I have a surgery scheduled. I c

r question. And tha

uder. Her hand drifted again to her belly. The

there, in a sterile bed with no husband, no family, a

st alone. She

n't come.

-

housekeeper was the only one who came , dropping off a change of

mission. She didn't tell

weather was soft, the streets quiet. When she passed a large departme

tels, teddy bear prints, baby bottles and toys.

her baby would look like. Would it be a boy? A girl? Wo

, helping her waddle between displays. He picked up a tiny blue

a f

ching. Her throat tig

hat love l

a child should

he had nothi

u, ma'am?" a s

clerk stood beside

ma said with a polite n

d away, sensing

breath, willing h

n she h

et's get

stif

t v

ph

o peek behind a nearby di

ed gently into his side. She was radiant. Joyful. She l

will look cute in thi

a rare smile. "If you lik

still, bare

ba

art st

was p

eady had

ether. Pain. Betrayal. Confusion. The f

ounter, out of sight. Her fingers clench

wasn't just unwant