Talia stared at the bag like I laced it with arsenic.
I rubbed my forehead tiredly before walking over to her. “Talia, use common sense for a second. If my goal was to kill you, food would be the least of your problems right now. This isn’t a Dottie situation, okay?”
Talia looked away briefly before lifting her bound hands.
“Can you untie me first?Please?” she asked stiffly. “I can’t eat like this.”
I smirked. “Well… since you saidplease.”
When I got close enough, I leaned in, feigning a light-hearted tone.
“Gosh, you stink!”
Talia’s expression shifted from anger to a hint of embarrassment.
Once her wrists were free, she snatched the bag so quickly that the greasy contents smeared across her wrist. She tore into it like a starving raccoon, eyes wide with hunger as she stuffed fries into her mouth.
I took a seat on the edge of an old trunk near the boiler, watching her ravenous consumption with a mix of amusement and pity.
I need to get her washed. The last thing I need is for her to get sick down here. She’s not dying… not until I said so.
“So much progress since I saw you last! You’d be proud of me!” I exclaimed, peeling my jacket off, “Okay, so I wasn’t going to tell you, but I guess I can trust you to keep a secret… since we’resistersand all.”
Talia didn’t look up from her meal, but I knew she was listening.
“I’m pregnant!” I announced, the excitement bubbling in my voice.
Talia’s chewing gradually slowed, her focus shifting from the food in front of her to me. Her eyes narrowed skeptically, and I could almost see the gears turning in her mind as she studied my face intently.
“You’re lying,” she assumed.
I gasped dramatically, feigning offense as if she’d just thrown the most outrageous accusation my way.
“Really? You think I’mthatdesperate?”
Then I paused, a sly grin creeping across my face.
“Okay…” I shrugged slightly, admitting with a hint of vulnerability, “Maybe I am.”
As I rummaged through my purse, I started mumbling to myself, the words flowing out in a somewhat frustrated stream.
“You always gotta prove stuff to people these days. Nobody believes in manifestation anymore.”
Talia kept a watchful eye on me, her expression a mixture of caution and curiosity, while I finally managed to dig out the ultrasound.
“Here!” I exclaimed, holding it out proudly, but in my excitement, I quickly snatched it back after noticing the sauce smeared across her fingers. “Oh, wait. Hold on.”
I backtracked as I fished around in my purse once more, pulling out a small packet of Kleenex.
“Wipe your hands first,” I instructed firmly, thrusting the tissues in her direction.
Talia shot me with a glowering look, but she complied, slowly wiping her fingers clean while I cradled the ultrasound protectively against my chest. The image felt sacred to me.
“I’m probably gonna frame this,” I admitted, my voice taking on a dreamy quality. “Like one of those expensive floating glass frames with soft lighting around it. Maybe right above the fireplace.”
Talia interrupted me, her tone a mix of incredulity and amusement. “Really, Haelyn?”
“What?” I responded defensively, a smile playing at the corners of my mouth. “It’s my first baby!”
