Wrapping her arm around him, she buried her face against his chest and just held him tightly. His heart was racing, his breathing not quite steady, but he was still there, still offering what support and comfort he could. He always did; no matter what he was always there for her, always put her first. He was her partner, her lover, her best friend, and the most important person in her life. She would do anything for him, and she knew he would do the same for her, but there had to be a limit, and this just might be it. She knew he would support any decision she made, but he had yet to give her a real opinion on any of this, and she couldn’t shake the feeling that he might resent her whatever she did.

And just what was she going to do? It had seemed so cut and dry yesterday. Of course it had still hurt, but she hadn’t seen another option, but now there was, now there was the chance of bringing life into this world. Could she really give that up? But what if she did decide to keep it but ended up losing it? She wouldn’t say she couldn’t go through that again, she could get through anything, it was how she was made, but it would be difficult, and she would lose another little piece of herself along with it, a piece of hope and normalcy. It would be easier to end it now, to remove the risk entirely, to keep control over it all.

It was the right decision, for them and for the lives they led and for the baby growing inside of her, but when she thought of it, thought of the picture, the decision felt completely wrong.

“I don’t think I can do this,” she said after a moment, her voice raw with emotion.