Chapter 18

Hope

Between the smell of seafood and rich upstate lobbyists gloating about how they successfully cheated on their wives and got away with it, I didn't know which nauseated me the most.

Nonetheless, after counting to ten in my head, I got up from the table I'd been sitting on and decided to take a breather because something about watching Maria stab the lobster meat with her fork and pry the shell open made my stomach turn in ways it shouldn't.

I wasn't a big fan of seafood and my pregnancy only intensified the need to throw up. Excusing myself, I took the elevator up to the grand terrace where I leaned over the banister for a fresh breath.

The skyline was beautiful—absolutely magnificent. I always loved how the blue haze of day fell and lifted to reveal the stars. It was euphoric—as if God had singlehandedly sprinkled glitters upon the most perfect of black portraits.

I smiled, feeling the wind blow my hair into a tousled mane as I reminisced back to the days of