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I nod again, tears forming in my eyes as Martha pulls me into her arms for an embrace.
“Oh honey, this is such wonderful news! Do you want to tell Anthony right now?"
"No, Martha," I say, quicker than I intended to.
"I want to tell him later, on a special date. Would you mind keeping this to yourself?"
"Oh, sweetheart, my lips are sealed!" she squeals and claps her hands.
"You want to tell him on a special day! How very romantic!"
Martha's enthusiasm makes me smile and I'm glad that I can count on her at this time, since I have no one else to tell.
"But of course, you have to be extra careful now," she says, gently patting my hand.
"Your baby will need special herbs and tonics and food to ensure his or her wellbeing while it's growing inside you."
She grins warmly and reaches for a large basket on the table.
“I’ve made sure to prepare everything for you already because I had a feeling you'd be pregnant!”
She gestures for me to take a peek inside the basket and there are herbs, tonics, oils, teas, tinctures – basically all the natural remedies one would need for a healthy pregnancy.
"Oh Martha," I whisper as I look at all these goodies with awe.
"You have no idea how much this means to me."
Martha laughs lightly and pats my shoulder affectionately.
“It’s no trouble at all! Now, you better go pack these away somewhere Anthony can't see, or he might get suspicious!"
"You're right, Martha. So very right!" I say, taking the things up to hide away in the backpack.
An hour later, I sink onto the porch swing, thoughts churning like the churning in my stomach.
Pregnant.
How did this happen? We were careful. Weren't we?
An image of Anthony flashes in my mind, his face strained with pleasure as he thrusts into me, both of us lost in the moment.
Heat floods my cheeks. We weren't careful enough.
The swing creaks under me as I rock slowly back and forth, gazing out at the rolling fields.
Somewhere out there, Anthony is helping the old man with morning chores, blissfully unaware that he's going to be a father.
A father.
The word seems alien when applied to Anthony.
He's a mafia prince, bred for a life of crime and violence.
Not exactly father material.
But then I think of how he is with the old couple, protective and caring.
And the way he was with me yesterday in the evening, holding me close as if he never wanted to let go.
