BENEATH HER ASHES

mson – Poi

r baby. Please do not contact us, or we will call the

nto my vision. She did not just say that. My surrogate , the same desperate little nobody

he is ? Threatening m

have a dea

e any idea who I am ? What I am capable of? If she knew even half the lengt

owed him the pregnancy test, I was there. I comforted her. I paid for her rent, prenatal vitami

owe

alk away with my ticket to sec

e hotel. The staged seduction. The "pregnancy" that would bind Jackson to me

the only person who

c leaking into my voice. "We have got a serious pro

s a long

oice sharpen

're jo

ish I

calm. I will think of something. But

ut dr

d be worse

pital says Emily might sti

h hitches

. The doctors are confident she an

can not be

nce. I should have let her bleed on that floor. Now she is about to give birth to Jackson's

me the same way again. If Emily gives birth, the empire is hers. He

happen. I have come too f

ncy – Poi

doctor says gently, his voice coated with pity. "And an

ded me, the ultrasound images and blood test results blurring into meani

years,

h, hoping. Every year, grieving. My husband left last fall. S

s not

nto this world while my own womb betrayed me. There is no justice in it. No

or offers some sympathetic words I do not even regis

is not o

times before, and head back to the nurses' station. I hav

my name on

eded in the operating roo

e been in many high-stakes deliveries, but noth

ite hospital gown soaked with blood at

ipl

nto every inch of her face a

g them," she

gently gripping her hand. "You are goin

every cell in my

my soul. She looks familiar, though I do not know why

on I can no

hand harder. He

sobs. "Promise me

prom

rgery b

incision. The room goes quiet. And t

first

with warmth. I bite my lip to stop from crying. I have d

baby is delivered

d wailing as we wrap them in blanket

at, something in

es tears of joy, I feel like I have been given something, too. A remi

n at the smallest baby girl. She blinks up at me throu

know she has c

she

H POINT

That

row pillow like it is a lifeline, my phone s

y sur

th to three h

ipl

o violently I can hear it in my ears.

e fine. She even named one of

ne across the room. The rage. The injustic

how it was sup

m not gi

still weak. Vulnerable. And Jackson is

need a n

, no one will