Faded Hearts, Renewed Love

y's

s from earlier that day were still ringing in my ears. "You really are a p

p. How else was I supposed to survive here, thousands of miles f

the missed calls from him, the ones I didn't answer because I knew what they were going to be: more cold, dismiss

welled up without warning, cho

other to check the screen. I kne

uch, curling into myself as I tried to stop shaking. Why does this hurt

be postponed," he'd said, his tone dismissive. "You'll get it, eventually.

I was too tired. Too beaten down. The reality was clear now: Damon didn't want me

no one

aby inside me was the only thing that kept me going some days. But eve

again. *I should've never come her

was wait. Wait for the money that may or may not come. Wait for Damon to make so

***

to get out of bed, to do anything other than count the days until I was due. The heat in

way through the crowded subway station, everything felt like too much. I almost lost

omach, but before I could fall, a yo

y?" she asked, con

lt dizzy, my legs weak beneath me. But I didn

ng to sound reassuring, though i

k fine. You look like yo

lighten the moment. "I'm j

r check-up?" she asked, glancing down at my belly.

l day. "No, he's... not here," I said, avoiding her eyes. The lie felt h

raging smile and said, "Well, I'll take you to the hosp

had no family here, no one to help me, but this stranger was looki

needed to be prepared. But how could I be prepared when I didn't even have a place to stay long-term

together, but it

urniture I'd bought for the baby's room. It was a small item, one I thought could help

art d

ushed open the door to my room. The smoke was thick, b

All the money I'd saved for the baby, all the

tand there. I had

halfway through, my roommates-the ones who had barely spoken to me in the time I'd bee

hem yelled, his voic

hings!" I cried, strugg

was unbearable, and I realized quick

pleaded, tears in their eyes. "It's

th. There was nothing left to save. Nothing. And yet, I sti

ld around me faded, the noise drowned out by the sound of my own pulse. I felt lig

ath hi

panic in their words, before I heard someone

or, my vision blurring

was the sound of an amb