The hospital bag is packed and sitting by the door.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQdoQDcj7eu
Three onesies, tiny mittens, a pink baby blanket.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4zQaznhLBW
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.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4tQYkSy7Wy
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?"37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvHnI2U4Fsp
"Doctor said today's check-up's important. I need you."37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡciQ2YZ38vm
"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.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGExsi8EWMs
I asked what kind of stuff.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoZ9F8p1h3J
He didn't answer.
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He kissed my forehead and told me I was overthinking again.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ93Yh4cbrn2
Told me to rest.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZZ0Mu8w5Oy
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.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzrseFRFF6b
Didn't know that he was taking her on late-night drives, lying about visiting his cousin,37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl5JxBwpGJC
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.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYNSrSUeNaI
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.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7YFO2SXOU7
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.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp8gR4z6DLM
Not now. Not when we were so close to bringing life into the world.
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But deep down, I already knew.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡccfTdz946i
I'd known for weeks.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIY3PH5YJc5
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?37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEd20GCyt8C
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.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeEsHozS9jV
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.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ44A9Gm3agS
Her face is lit with joy. Pure and innocent.
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She has his nose.37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPBLjccDIJp
But thank God she has my heart.
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