Chapter 41
Josie
I stood in the shadows and saw her look around. I knew she was looking for me. Hoping I’d be there. I didn’t have to talk to her to know that. Mia was part of me. My conscience. And that’s why it hurt so much. I knew I’d been a terrible sister over the past couple of months. I’d avoided her in every way I could. And it was killing me, but that was my problem. Because the truth was, if she saw me right now, it would destroy her.
Rubbing my belly, I looked down and saw my bump. There was no way I could hide it. I know that one day soon I’d have to come clean and fess up, but right now Mia was happy. She was doing something entirely selfish and putting her own happiness above all others. I knew if she saw me, if she knew what was going on, she’d stay. She wouldn’t let me face this alone. No matter how much it hurt her. And I knew it would. Mia had always wanted kids. She was a natural, while me, I had no interest. I didn’t want to be tied to one person in one place for the rest of my life. If anything, that sounded like a prison sentence. Now here I was, five months pregnant and alone.
All I wanted was a chance, a chance to start over, but that wasn’t in the cards for me. I wasn’t my own person any more. This little girl inside of me, she was my world. And if I had to give up my dreams for her, then that was a price I was willing to pay. Maybe one day things would be different, we’d have the chance, but for now, this was my life.
Wiping away the tears, I turned and headed home. “Time to go, smudge. That was your Aunty Mia. She’s going to love you so much one day,” I said to my belly as I hitched my bag higher on my shoulder and headed back towards the tram stop.I just hope she’ll still love me when she finds out.
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The End
