He paused, and when he spoke again, his voice had softened into something almost gentle. "Stella, don't worry. I just want to take care of Glenda and her son. I won't cross any lines."
"Focus on the pregnancy. Have the baby safely. I'll come visit you and the child once a month."
"I already bought so many little outfits—I even picked out a name..."
His voice was bright, almost giddy. But my thoughts had already drifted far away.
I knew, in that moment, that I had truly let him go.
A soft chime broke the silence—a text notification. My gaze drifted down.
Dear Ms. Abbott, your abortion procedure has been scheduled for three days from now.
That night, I drifted into a fitful sleep.
I found myself standing in a frozen wasteland. The blizzard raged with terrifying force, the cold cutting straight to bone. My body went rigid, and just as I was about to collapse, a current of warmth bloomed from somewhere against my chest. A small, tender voice reached my ears.
"Mommy..."
I trembled and instinctively wrapped my arms around it.
The little orb of light was so small—I could cradle it in both hands—but it radiated a warmth so profound it nearly brought me to tears.
"I'm sorry..."