ONE-NIGHT EQUALS FOREVER

my heart pounding like

rl up in waves. It wasn't simply the fact that

ether," but the tight coil

ost surreal. I grabbed my coat and fumbled with the door

full of promises and warnings. I held the package tig

ly looked up. He smiled knowi

nd look toward the door. The box

lis rushed by without a care. My fingers brushed the test,

e at home, and my heart be

haking like a leaf in a storm. I couldn't breat

conds seemed to last forever. Two lines,

eality. Before I could stop them, my knees hit the floor. The cool

eemed strange coming from my mouth, like a

ow? Why now? I believed I was constructi

y, a weak hope began to g

o this by

ccasion was heavy a

throom mirror. Her eyes were wide as sh

fast that I couldn

es, hoping the world would s

stakes made, doubts whispered,

lum say? Would

y were closing in, and

sink, my knuckles turning wh

th. Two

p, my legs shaking

turn away, no matt

anym

hovered over the phone. Callum's name lit up the screen, a li

e sounded far a

lump in my throa

all e

, and amazement mixed wit

imes. No response. No soun

y voice full of des

ring. The walls closed in, and I felt the

name again, shaking as I

breath, but the phone just

all, my breath unstead

? That he would be there? Are

city went on with its business, not car

t if this changed everything?

r of hope behind the panic. He

time, it was a missed call f

aced and t

this to end. Not

it anoth

nce m

rt and the quiet wa

a message from him. Callum. The man who disappeared like smoke e

ight as I walked around my small flat. The walls felt like they we

eyes. "Juniper, no one has said an

ught it would. A billionaire hotel tycoon who wa

I called Callum again, then his assistant, and then a business acquaintance

udly, waking me up. An

led the quiet room, making me catch

iper

word, full with me

ar and hope. Who sent that message? Was it him? Or someone

so loud that it swallowed ev

oked quickly at the dark window. The metropol

's name again, but this tim

hear the truth. Or the quie

on me, and my hands resting lightly on my tummy. It was too much to

name came up out of nowhere, like a flash in the dark. I couldn't

the screen. Could I manage what I was going to say? Could

illpower took hold. This child needed more than just be

quiet chamber, "I'm

ltered everything. The city lights came through the window and made delicate shadows

tting ready for whatever came next. The line clicked

ounded far away,

my voice firm even

then a faint sigh, as i

emarked, "We

d that held us together became tight

that needed to be said and the