I don’t know his name. I don’t know what he looks like. But I know the way he made me feel. And if my masked stranger felt even half of what I did, he’ll call. I can feel it deep in my bones.
7
TOO BAD I CAN’T WRITE FIRST NAME MASKED, LAST NAME MAN AS A FATHER ON THE BABY’S BIRTH CERTIFICATE
HAISLEY
Present
Early January
The day after the trade news
“You’re pregnant.”
Everything in me freezes upon hearing those not-so-little words.It can’t be true.No way in hell. Just no.
“Haisley, did you hear me?” Dr. Pearson asks.
After staring at my worried doctor for what feels like an eternity, I whisper, “Excuse me?”
“We ran a few tests to see what could have caused your symptoms. Your pregnancy test came back positive?—”
“But I have an IUD!” My voice rises, disbelieving. I press my nails against my palms, mostly likely leaving marks. The dull pain grounds me in the situation I have found myself in.
“That’s another thing we need to check,” she says calmly. “Ifyou still have an IUD, it can be harmful to the fetus, and we need to consider your options.”
“I don’t need options—give me answers.”
“I understand.” Her expression softens further. “I’ll ask a sonographer to do a routine check for you. It might take some time until she can get here, so try to relax.”
Relax?She’s expecting me to relax during the most shocking news of my life?No way in hell.I think I manage to say something incoherent in agreement.
Dr. Pearson takes a few steps toward me, gently squeezing my shoulder. “I promise it’ll get easier after you’ve processed the news. For now, we need to make sure everything’s okay.”
My throat feels too tight to form words, so I only manage a stiff nod while a tear runs down my cheek.
Another tear escapes as the door clicks shut behind her, signaling that I’m finally alone. Then another follows, leaving a little wet trail behind it. My chest heaves as the dam breaks inside me. The tears blur my vision as I clutch my arms around my stomach, where a new life could be growing right now. A baby.
Mybaby.
The thought echoes in my mind, both a comfort and a weight I can barely carry.I’ve wanted to be a mom for as long as I can remember. The memory of playing house with my dolls flashes behind my eyes—how I cradled them, wrapped them in blankets, and sang lullabies that I learned from my biological mother before her passing. Back then, the entire dream of motherhood was innocent and untouched by reality.
I never expected it to happen, not in the way it did. Still, I can’t ignore the flicker of hope building inside me. This tiny, fragile possibility of a new life might be what I’ve been waiting for. My reason to make changes in my life. The tears don’t stop with that realization, but the heaviness eases. They aren’t tears of fear and uncertainty anymore. They’re mixed with something else now—something that resembles love for my unborn child and hope for our future together.
With that thought, the urgency to have my best friend by my side for the ultrasound fills me. I can’t imagine going through this journey alone, and Soph would jump at the chance to be here for me. Her unwavering support is exactly what I need right now.
My fingers fumble through my overpacked bag in search of my phone.Why do I always carry so much shit and useless junk around?Tossing an old receipt, my headphone case, and a half-eaten protein bar onto the table beside me, I keep digging into my big, forest green tote bag from last year’s collection by my favorite designer.
Finally, my hand closes around the bright purple phone case, and relief floods me. With shaky fingers, I unlock the screen and call Soph. The phone rings twice and she answers.
“What’s up? How was your appointment?”
Her voice calms me instantly, even if I don’t know what to reply to her. When I don’t say anything, only letting a choked sob escape, her voice takes an edge.
“Haisley, is everything okay? Do you need me to come to get you?”
“P-p-please do,” I stammer between my tears. “I need you.”
