Breaths Around You

Chapter 1

A single tear drips from my face falling into my lap.

"Don't cry, I hurt when you hurt." Ben says while he swipes his hand across my cheek to wipe my tears. I hold back whatever tears I have left and sniffle. I can't believe it, my baby girl is gone. I had it all planned out, and then she slipped through my fingers in an instant. We had just painted the nursery. I just picked out the perfect name for our baby, Layla.

• • •
Library's are calming. Peace, quiet, and words. Just words written on a piece of paper to fill your mind. Fictional characters and fictional stories that still effect our emotions. I feel a light and gentle tap on my left shoulder breaking my thought pattern. I swing around to see Charlotte, my best friend and sister to be. She embraces me and my handful of books. I drop them and let tears fall from my eyes onto her shoulder leaving a wet mark on her shirt. I awkwardly try to wipe it off but end up just smearing it and feeling bad.

"How are you holding up? Want to go get some tea? My treat." Charlotte says with a faint smile.

I return the look, "Sure" I say as I wipe my recently fallen tears. When we arrive at Terri's Teas and coffees in Lima, Ohio Charlotte gives me a sympathetic grin and says "We don't have to go in if you want to go home. It's totally okay."

"No it's okay I think that tea will calm my nerves and relax me." When we walk inside and go up to the counter I order my usual, a simple green tea. Charlotte goes with a pumpkin spice latte. We pick the low table in the corner by the window. We continue our conversation that we started on the drive here. I could tell she was trying her hardest to avoid any talk about the miscarriage.

Charlotte pays for the tea and we leave. I walk into my house and I'm home alone. I read my new book that I rented at the library. Some time after Ben walks into the door. "We need to talk" he says in a nervous tone. "I think that we should break up."