The Lies He Told Me (Grace and Antonio)

I'd been having a funny feeling in my belly recently.

The other day. I went to the hospital for a physical. Unexpectedly, I ran into Antonio and Amber. I registered again and had the examination.

When I got the result, I laughed so much that I teared up.

For the past five years, Antonio and I had been trying to have a baby. We never succeeded. Now, we were about to separate, and I found out I was pregnant. The time wasn't right. Holding the report, I wandered in the hospital absent-

mindedly, at a loss for what to do with the baby.

I should have an abortion, but I didn't have the heart to do it. It was harder than leaving Antonio.

Then, I looked up and saw

Antonio with Amber, who had just had a prenatal checkup. These days, neither he nor I mentioned Amber.

He mistook my silence for acquiescence.

our baby is very

betrayed no emotion. But when he raised his eyebrows, I knew he was in a good mood. "Hmm. You've taken good care

had stopped in front of them. Antonio let go of Amber's hand and kept her at arm's length

of silence, I spoke

leave you be.

took my hand

He

me go. "Grace,

explain."

swlove

me

free from him calmly,

angry. The baby

finished speaking, Amber's

let me keep this