It was a nice little dream. Dad’s expression was much sterner. He’d been the cooler head before, telling all of us to take a breather before speaking again. I wondered now if our few brief days apart had been long enough. “Cynthia,” my mother said. Instead of the calming, worried tone I had been
For Mom to make such a statement, I instantly knew that her demand for me to get an abortion had nothing to do with my health and future, and everything to do with her. My suspicions were confirmed when she bit out. “You will not continue to embarrass us.” She looked at my Dad. “Go get the wheelch
I didn’t know anymore. They’d already gotten me this far, wheeling me through the crowded hallways of the hospital. I cried and I begged for help from everyone we passed, but no one made a single move to help me. Maybe the doctors wouldn’t care about me either. Maybe my parents would come up with
After my mother had finished spewing her venomous words, she and my father turned and left without saying anything more. Once they were gone, Asher gripped the handles of my wheelchair and steered me back to my hospital room. Gently, he lifted me from the chair and lowered me down onto the bed. We
I couldn’t believe my ears. Asher was a child of rape? I held him as close as I could, offering him the comfort of my closeness. He brushed his fingers through my hair. “After I was born, my mother ignored me. Sometimes I wonder if she hated me. I was alone most of the time. Chase and I spent some
I never should have apologized. I knew as soon as I said it, that he misinterpreted it as a rejection. “Asher,” I began, ready to explain myself better, but he simply kissed me again. “It’s okay,” he said, though it made my heart break. “But I do… I have… I just…” My thoughts were a scat
The next day, Asher and I met my parents at the agreed upon restaurant off-campus. They were already present, seated on one side of a four-person table near the window. Asher held my hand as we walked across the restaurant to join them. I sat opposite my mom, and he sat opposite my dad. They bot
Asher squeezed my hand, offering support. “I will never give up on my dreams. I will make something of myself, and I will do it on my own. I will not hold Asher back, but carry myself forward to walk at his side. And my baby is going to have a great life full of love and happiness.” I blinke