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"Then you need toto share custody of a child, you've got to have some type of established means of communication"

I don't like it, but I adood advice While Max is the ronant, he knows that's not me I would never shirk e is necessary to raise one

"And she definitely wants to keep the child?" Max asks me, which causes my stomach to turn sour with fear

"We didn't talk about that," I tell him in a panic "She said she has a doctor's appointment next month You don't think she would have an abortion, do you?"

"I don't know, man," Max says empathetically "Is that even a possible choice for you?"

Iof curses and look atknohat to do"

Chapter 2

Stephanie

I pull upet her voicemail She never answers my calls, but I prefer it that way Over the years we've lapsed into the habit of coh voicemail, because it's just easier

I'nant There was a part of nancy test, so I was actually faintly surprised when the doctor confirmed it Iso in nancy I have no clue what to do or how I' I had ever planned to do

It's not so I ever wanted to do

It's so daunting I believe I would literally sell my soul to the devil if I could just have one person I could confide this inforhborhood bartender I could spill the secret to and ask for advice

Sadly, I have no one close enough I would ever feel coot about a million and one casual acquaintances, people at work I a class that I've gotten coffee with on occasion A for with

But none of those people are good options to say, "HeyI'nant and I'm scared What the hell do I do?"

I've never let anyone in close enough toso personal to

After e "Hey, it'sI know you're in Greece and our time zones are way off, so no need to call me back"

I hang up without askingto be a grandmother

I'm not even sure why I called, because I knew before I ever even picked up the phone that I wouldn't tell her as going on in my life We don't have that type of relationship at all, but if we did, and if I told her, I knoould spend theto reassure her that beco older

With a sigh, I turn back to my email I'll often come in and work on the weekends to do administrative stuff, but this weekend I just didn't have it into have an aard conversation with the daddy So this lected emails

Saturday holly unpleasant because I spenthi lot ful, and even though I knoas justified in asking for it, I wasn't prepared for hiht I was pretty loose, which is and isn't true I'm a liberated woman who thinks sex is pretty daht stands, and in fact prefer the for them If a situation presents itself and I'o ot a fucking awesome vibrator

Sunday I prettyat all I'nose lad it's now Monday and the eek has started, because that is so I can't avoid Work will force hts

A tapping on my door causes my head to snap up and I call out, "Come in"

Philip Wagoner steps into hter in my chair He's the director of the museum and my boss He's the one who decided to promote me to interim director of acquisitions from my assistant curatorial duties

Note the key word being interim

This is not a career opportunity, as I don't have the education or the experience to hold the position long term The last director of acquisitions had a PhD, and I have a lowly y I've only been here at the ree lay wasted while I worked in retail There was no way I was going to be considered for anything more than an interim position

Mr Wagoner givesin to see how things are going with you"

I blink in surprise "Uot a bead on a partial Claosaurus speciastroliths found with the skeleton"