The hospital bag is packed and sitting by the door.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Q1rAQmaQx
Three onesies, tiny mittens, a pink baby blanket.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqqj5f34O8p
The one with little clouds on it—Henry picked it out.
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I remember the way he smiled when we bought it together at the baby store, said she'd be "a little storm with dimples." I believed every word. Every crooked, practiced word.
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I'm eight months along, bloated and tired, the skin on my stomach stretched to the edge of what I can carry. Everything aches—but what hurts most is the waiting.
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He said he'd come. He promised he'd take me to the check-up today.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOANQcKhpzT
But he's two hours late.
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I stare at my phone. No calls. No messages. Just a bunch of screenshots from baby name websites and a photo of the first sonogram. I scroll through the texts I sent today.
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"Babe, are you coming?"42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp0KsfQMIq6
"Doctor said today's check-up's important. I need you."42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡil5trHVDaY
"Where are you?"
42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyojHBmrvEV
Nothing.
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The flashback cracks wider when I remember the conversation from three days before.
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He was distracted, fidgety. Said he was tired. Said he had "stuff" to deal with.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTfOvb2YCE8
I asked what kind of stuff.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRGbhLRdhC5
He didn't answer.
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He kissed my forehead and told me I was overthinking again.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡahZ3z8n8lY
Told me to rest.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnAeJcsNZek
Told me I was glowing.
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I didn't know back then that Trina Alfaro had already started calling him "baby" behind my back.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUREifUJv0Y
Didn't know that he was taking her on late-night drives, lying about visiting his cousin,42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIm81TeUzvm
telling her I was "just a situation" he couldn't get out of yet.
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The first real sign came like a gut punch.
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It was a week before I was due.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjJcc9Gdu3z
Stacy texted me while I was folding baby clothes.
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"Sam. I saw Henry at La Vida. With Trina. Holding hands. Sorry."
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La Vida was the bar I used to ban him from back when we still had boundaries.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE8PeGRvSga
Back when I thought rules meant something in love.
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I dropped the onesie I was folding. My legs went numb.
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I wanted to say she was wrong. That it was a misunderstanding. That Henry wouldn't do that to me.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfbIil5aIlk
Not now. Not when we were so close to bringing life into the world.
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But deep down, I already knew.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGjVqvXLlug
I'd known for weeks.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0uxXZk4ps3
You don't just lose someone in one night. You lose them in small silences, in missing replies, in half-hearted kisses and fake laughter.
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Two days later, I called him—one last time.
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He picked up on the fourth ring.
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"Sam," he said, sounding annoyed. "What now?"
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I paused. Then: "Are you seeing someone else?"
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Silence.
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"I saw the picture, Henry. Her hand in yours."
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Another silence. Then a sigh. "Look, this whole thing is just... a lot. You're emotional. You're blowing things out of proportion."
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"I'm due in a week." My voice cracked. "You're supposed to be here. For us."
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"I didn't ask for any of this," he snapped. "You're the one who wanted to keep it."
42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPYPmmsONTn
Those words?42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl2evzTduQr
They carved something out of me that hasn't fully grown back.
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I hang up the memory like a photo I don't want to look at anymore.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHDDcvhQTid
Because Angelique's laugh is echoing from the other room now.
42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi0Fbo3btxk
She's playing with her toy kitchen. Serving imaginary meals with plastic spoons.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ00wUBoIFt7
Her face is lit with joy. Pure and innocent.
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She has his nose.42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmCEozGJQuT
But thank God she has my heart.
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42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK1QGYkpWoJ
42Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJCxI9vZCl3
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