The Other Man's Child

my body tremblin

or looked

d, gesturing to the cha

our expertise and hope you hav

ag, hugging it cl

and bad news. Which should c

Tom and took in

ed back in

hould hear the

ping his hands together and loo

that Selene's ovaries are no

fr

urrowed, and he

you mean, docto

e not being fer

at me and back

aughter. She's

ver time; it could be hormones, stress or even age, but

ee the results,

s." He stretched i

r it, but Tom

ace told me everyth

anded it to

boldly written

st right

exhibits premature o

twisted. Th

opped belonging to me. Like I had fail

ead. "This is wrong,

. "How do we go about

e a series of fertility shots, healthy die

; we will be in touch,

his arm, but he

shing I could plug his eye o

hreatened

or ruining my

ma'am; I was on

houlder and walked out. I

y in the car. Hi

lease..."

hear it. "Get in, S

hurriedly. My

for me to shut the doo

inst the windowsill. T

After all these years, I wished I'd

s the blaring horn from the cars that sw

lled up at the f

I whispered, m

ut," he

I asked,

"N

im. His gaze pi

yes wi

was s

. The wind felt like it slapped my wet cheeks.

fast the tyr

," I called to the

re for what f

s with the back of my sleeves

the house

a was

t much trouble?" I

ful, and her temperat

fighting back tears. The doct

e for an extra hour?

would be delighted

hank

y way to t

ad an

often him. Steak and mashed potatoes...

ly, cracking eggs, washing po

eel useful to him. Maybe-just maybe-if he tasted some

he plate, my hands trembl

door, the food neat

lose Tom, not aft

nd drove in the dir

. He never let me come here with him except when he

rough the lobby-employees pretending not to

wasn't here to embarrass him

or, the secretar

ver her chest with an an

rned me not to let anyone in."

r Harold is my husband.

Maa

pushing her aside. I n

ollowed

ou really s

hest p

on the door of Tom's

he might smile wh

shed i

stepped fully inside. The sight

"T

ed from my fing

ntents s

ou," the secr