Into the Woods (DeBeers 4)

remembering, her eyes drifting around the resurrected

images.

I bit down on my lower lip and finally let my

tears come unflinchingly, too. For a few moments she

didn't notice, and then she blinked and looked at me. "Oh, honey." she said. "I'm sorry I know how

much it hurts when I bring up your daddy."

I shook my head. "No," I said. "That's not it." She held her gaze and then sat back slowly,

suspicion darkening her eyes and narrowing them as

well as she perused my face with a mother's intuitive

observation.

"What is it, Grace? Why are you crying?" I tried to speak, but for a moment my throat

was so tight I couldn't utter a sound.

"What is it, Grace?" she asked, more

demanding. "I'm... I'm pregnant. Mommy," I said. It was as if a clap of thunder had just occurred

right above us. That was how my bones vibrated. She

didn't move a muscle; she didn't even blink fast. Her

lips trembled finally until she drew the strength to

speak.

"Pregnant? How can you be pregnant. Grace?

You never went anywhere, dated anyone all year." I could feel the tears streaming down my

cheeks and dripping from my chin, but I didn't wipe

them off or try to stop them from coming. He came to

me one night when I was in a daze. Mommy, groggy

from the sleeping pills."

Her eyes widened with the shock of her

realization of just what I was telling her.

"I barely remember it, but I know he did it more

than once." I said.

She was shaking her head as if to throw the

words out of her ears before they could reach her