Jade stretched, relishing the soft sheets against her skin. Her fingers touched the smooth headboard, and she opened her eyes, looking up at it. It was morning, and she was still at Miguel's apartment. Her eyes darted towards the pillow beside her that was now empty. Peering over her feet, she could hear the shower running from behind the closed bathroom door.She sat up, keeping the duvet secure against her naked body. The room was spacious, filled with dark neutral colors and earthy textures. The charcoal-colored walls made the room feel masculine, while the stone-clad fireplace added a romantic ambiance. She smiled to herself, remembering the scene that took place in front of it just hours before. It was romantic, alright. Jade softly knocked on the door, listening for a reply. When she didn't hear one, she tried the handle. It was unlocked. The humid air enveloped her as she took slow, silent steps towards the glass pane, watching the muscular s

Jade slid off her shoes and dropped her clutch on the entry table. She felt emotionally and physically drained. There were so many things about Miguel's life that she needed to process; it felt overwhelming at the moment. "I'm home," she called out, following the sounds coming from the kitchen. She could hear a female meteorologist discussing the weather forecast. Marissa was perched at the island, gazing at her phone with a full glass of wine in front of her. She was still in her pajamas and looked like she hadn't left the house in days. "Hey," she glanced up as Jade trudged into the room. "I was just making sure the weather wouldn't delay our trip."Jade groaned, "God, I can't wait to be there. I need a vacation." She slumped onto the stool next to Marissa and rested her head against the cool countertop. "How was your weekend?" She mumbled."Uneventful," Marissa murmured before taking a sip of her wine, "Mm," She stood up at once and bustled across the room, "I did r

With more curiosity than courage, Jade turned into the Pharmacy parking lot. She'd allowed nearly another week to pass by, hoping this all was just a fluke. She needed to believe there could be another explanation. Stress, maybe? With each passing day, the prospect of that dwindled. It was now December, and she was finally beginning to come to terms with the situation. The first step was answering the most crucial question: Is she pregnant? Everything else would follow.The pharmacy had a plethora of pregnancy tests to choose from. Each looked identical: Rectangular boxes that only seemed to come in the shades pink or blue. Her eyes scanned over the selection, landing on one that read: 'Clear results in just sixty seconds.' It sounded simple enough. She tucked it between her arm and marched towards the register, determination in her every step.The box's contents rattled out onto the bathroom countertop; two white plas

Jade pulled away from the curb and steered the car to the neighborhood entrance. The clock on her dashboard read that it was only 1:00 PM, much earlier than she had anticipated leaving the party. From here, she was supposed to drive straight to an art exhibition downtown, where she would then meet Miguel. Now, she thought, there would be time to stop at home and freshen up beforehand.  As she passed the rows of lavish homes and manicured lawns, the tail end of a black sedan up ahead caught her eye. She was certain it was Andrea's car parked on the side of the road, steam billowing from the exhaust pipe. Jade slowed down and veered the car onto the crunchy grass a few feet away from its rear, concerned for her friend. It didn't look like the car had been in an accident.From behind the driver's window, she could see Andrea was visibly upset, with her light lashes soaked in the evidence of grief. Her eyes were closed as if, like a t

"So you do recognize me." The woman's voice was thick, foreign. Jade did, although her looks were inconsistent with the online photo she'd seen. She appeared sickly now, emaciated. Her collar and hip bones protruded from underneath the thin fabric of her dress, and her face was gaunt, the contour of her cheekbones too sunken. With all her makeup, Jade thought she resembled a Day of The Dead sculpture. She said nothing as the tall woman stepped towards the sink beside her, swaying her hips as if she were on the runway. "I recognized you as well." She leaned over the bowl and wiped lipgloss from the corners of her mouth, her slenderness revealing every bump of her spine. Nadia turned on the faucet beside her, and through the mirror, continued to speak, "Although, I've yet to learn your name."Jade rolled the lipstick back into the tube. "That's because it's none of your concern," she shot back in a snarky voice. The woman laughed, ad