Page 15 (1/2)

We had no idea what our future would be even two days from now But in his arms, I’d always felt beautiful, like the eous woman in the world The center of his universe

I laid ainst his shoulder and his aro back to the way they’d been, before ere broken

I wanted itelse

But that would never happen, would it? Our normal, those few short months of happiness, were norecked forever

I pressed my cheek to the center of his chest and fell asleep, lulled by the rhythht was pouring through the s and the bed was e so I lay flat onI’d been agonizing over a life-changing decision One that I kneasn’t grown-up enough to ht have stated that I enty-two years old but inside I still felt like a girl, immature, scared Afraid to come out of her shell, open herself up, take a risk Deep doas that girl inside the body of a woether, so much more in touch ho they were as adults Especially Adaht, but he was always certain of what he wanted and what he did I closed ht about hi it,atop o, I hadn’t even known it existed or that I wanted it But now that I did I wanted it --maybe even my own life But how could I tell him that? Or my mom or anyone else?

And how could I want this more than my own life? I was a scientist This life form was not viable and soon my body would not be a hospitable place for its own systems, let alone a completely dependent one This option ist’s brain My scientific mind knew that it wasn’t a baby yet It knew that one in four early pregnancies spontaneously aborted on its own--oftentimes before the woman even knew that it existed

The sahtly, but was it ly believed in a woht to choose Every woht for the right for a woman to choose and I’d never, ever dictate what that choiceso personal, so dependent on circumstance And what I faced--was it really a choice at all?

That hat rankled me most of all, what leftrobbed of my choice

Because my life wasn’t just about me It was about all those who loved me--Adam, my mom, my friends It was about my future, all the years I still had beforethe backs of my eyes I’d make this choice for them, because I loved them and I wanted to live for them But it wasn’t fair It was so not fair In order to save my own life, I had to destroy that tiny life inside of me before it ever had a chance

When Adam came out of the bathroom, one towel around his waist and another around his shoulders to towel his hair dry, he foundflat on my back, both hands on my stomach His expression blank, his dark eyes zeroed in on htly before he turned away He’d easily deduced as going throughthrough both of ourout theas he dressed When he was done, he came and sat beside "

"Want some breakfast?"