The hospital bag is packed and sitting by the door.53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQUiqIhLufb
Three onesies, tiny mittens, a pink baby blanket.53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ3HYvmzBOh
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.53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdF2OM1ns8E
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?"53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqJjpgYYgVW
"Doctor said today's check-up's important. I need you."53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Vr8ts3u57
"Where are you?"
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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.53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyy6brCiJQR
I asked what kind of stuff.53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx9T8z8aACm
He didn't answer.
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He kissed my forehead and told me I was overthinking again.53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNajUcyHD37
Told me to rest.53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSerQaAB0am
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.53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBrzJc7MITz
Didn't know that he was taking her on late-night drives, lying about visiting his cousin,53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2VlJJDr7zN
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.53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsAwY5aCb0C
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.53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡskwYwSqPKI
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.53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8jdbVDpP6T
Not now. Not when we were so close to bringing life into the world.
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But deep down, I already knew.53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxgKFChOnVc
I'd known for weeks.53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg92wzykIUu
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."
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Those words?53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYJ3t2ecJjf
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.53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLs7Y4IZDde
Because Angelique's laugh is echoing from the other room now.
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She's playing with her toy kitchen. Serving imaginary meals with plastic spoons.53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrwKdvXquHo
Her face is lit with joy. Pure and innocent.
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She has his nose.53Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS6dWMRozLL
But thank God she has my heart.
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