#Chapter 488 – Alone

“Ariel,” dad says, his voice low with warning. Rafe, Mark, and Jesse sit very quiet on the couch, looking between us. But I ignore all of them, shifting my eyes to mom. “And what about everything you were saying this morning,” I snap, vanishing my flame away. “About being able to have it all, to not have to limit myself simply because I’m pregnant?” “Baby, I meant every word of that,” mom says, pressing her hands to her heart, her eyes going wide. “But you have to acknowledge the reality that your life is different now – your life is going to change in a very physical way. And if your first pregnancy is anything like mine, you may need a great deal of bed rest! Why don’t you simply…delay your education until the girls are born? Take a minute to –“ “If I stop now,” I say, my voice getting creaky with sadness and worry, “I won’t go back – how many women does this happen to? Who say ‘oh I’m going to just take a step away for a moment,’ and then they never go back? Why not do it now