Chapter 3

I hurled every last bite of that cake.

Alvin blanched. He strode in, and his hand trembled as he patted my back. "What's wrong? Did something upset your stomach?"

The perfume washed over me again. As I lifted a hand to push him away, I saw a jarring streak of red on his white dress shirt.

All at once, I thought of our wedding three years ago. I remembered waving those scissors around hysterically. My lips trembled as tears slipped down my face.

Alvin took me to the hospital. Just as it was almost my turn, his phone rang. I had no idea what the person on the other end said, but his expression shifted, and he shot to his feet.

People around us turned to look, but he didn't seem to notice. "Daph, stay in line here. I've got something to deal with, but I'll be right back."

He walked off in a rush while tossing those words over his shoulder.

I watched him leave gastroenterology and head straight for OB-GYN. As I got to my feet, my phone chimed. It was my reminder for the abortion appointment I'd booked.

When I rounded a corner in the hallway, I saw Alvin and Esther. His face was lit up with pure joy as he gathered her into his arms, even spinning her around. She swatted at him a couple of times, chiding him as one hand came down to rest over her lower belly.

I stared at her still-flat stomach. Swallowing down the urge to retch again, I held up my phone and snapped a picture.

When I got to the OB-GYN entrance, I pulled up my chat with Esther. I typed, erased, typed again, and erased again. I repeated that several times. Before I could manage a single complete sentence, I saw that she'd just posted an update.

"I'm gonna be a mom!"

The photo was of her cradling her stomach. Another pair of larger hands formed a heart over her belly.

As I stared at the ring on that finger, the one that matched mine, the post suddenly disappeared. She must have finally remembered to hide it from me.

Later, as I lay on the operating table, the glare of the surgical lights made my thoughts drift back to college, when Alvin and I had only just started dating.

Esther had sent me a video. "Daph, can you have a baby for me to play with? I'll give them back after I make them cry."

I'd laughed at her. "Why don't you have one yourself?"

She'd grinned. "No way. I'm never having kids. You can have a baby girl, and I'll be her godmother. Then, she'll have three people loving her instead of two! I'll love her just as much as I love you."

How had the woman who'd sworn up and down that she would love me turned into this? Why did she lie to me?

If she'd just come clean back then, I would've walked away from Alvin and let her have him.

I shut my eyes, and hot tears slipped silently into my hair.

The procedure ended quickly. My legs felt like jelly as I shuffled down the hallway, and I nearly walked straight into two familiar faces.

Alvin was supporting Esther by the arm. When he saw me, he blanched.

She reacted even faster, immediately yanking her arm away as the color drained from her face. "Daph, what are you doing here?"

I heard my own voice, thin and washed-out. "I came to see a doctor."

Alvin frowned. "You kept throwing up after your stomach acted up. Why didn't you stay in gastroenterology as I told you to? What are you doing over here in OB-GYN?"

Esther's face turned even paler at his words. "Daph, you've been throwing up? Are you… pregnant?"

Alvin froze. Then, before he could stop himself, a trace of joy entered his voice. "Are you?"

I didn't answer.

Esther forced an ugly excuse for a smile. She stepped closer and gently rested a hand against my stomach. "Are you really pregnant?"

I asked hoarsely, "Do you want me to be?"

She was taken aback. "I—"

I cut her off softly and asked again, "Do you want me to be pregnant?"