The Second Time

I

She stared down at the small pink cross in utter disbelief, tears welling and clouding her dark eyes. She was pregnant, after all this time. After these years of trying, these doctors, these sad nights. A huge smile broke across her face and she quickly brought her pale, slender fingers to her mouth, stifling small sobs of incredulity.

Her first thought was a worry that they had had a glass of champagne mere hours ago, a midnight celebration of their five year wedding anniversary. 

She quietly opened the bathroom door and watched Sasha sleeping in the soft light of the moon through the sheer curtains. Her long ebony legs splayed across their sheets, a small smile on her narrow face. Slowly Anne crept to the closet, and found the shoe box that hid the necklace she was going to gift Sasha for their anniversary. She opened the soft velvet case and withdrew the long gold chain, wrinkling her nose in silent laughter at the thought of replacing the expensive item with a pee stick.

Then she stood and silently slipped into the sheets beside Sasha, cradling her slim build next to her partner's athletic one. Anne nuzzled her face into the crook of Sasha's neck kissing her collarbone gently until she woke up, and said in a groggy voice, "Are you okay?"

Anne smiled, her tears dripping onto Sasha's face, "I couldn't wait to give you this." Then she took Sasha's wrist and firmly placed the box in her hand. Sasha grinned sleepily and opened it, letting her eyes adjust slowly to what was inside. Her smile gradually fell, until her mouth was simply agape. Tears sprang to her eyes. She looked up at Anne in disbelief.

"You're pregnant?" she whispered softly. Anne nodded, and as soon as she was given confirmation Sasha shot out of bed, her yells of joy echoing through the house, "We're pregnant! Oh my god!" She picked Anne up swiftly and held her tightly to her chest. "I'm sorry. My gift isn't nearly as good," Sasha stammered out in a fit of giggles.

This was the moment Anne thought about while she stared at the little pink cross this time. And she thought about her son, Gabriel, and about the life she couldn't have anymore. At least now it would be over for a while, for at least another year she could live in comfort, not having to bury herself every month in the bed of man who she considered a monster. Her head in the lap of an icy woman. Her soul somewhere hovering above, watching it's vessel die.

Who know what would happen after that year? Perhaps another assignment house, perhaps an unknown wasteland. She shook her head at the horror of it all, but was interrupted by a loud banging on the bathroom door. "Well?" her headmistress' shrill voice called out. Anne stood and as she opened the door to this life she closed her mind to the one before.