I checked my reflection in the mirror, my heart beating feverishly fast inside my chest. My hair was tidy enough to make me look presentable. Yet, I couldn’t shake off the dread from the pit of my stomach.
Behind me, a small head poked inside the room. His bright eyes opened wide when he caught my gaze. It was followed by a melancholy of giggles when Aunt Maurice scooped him up and brought him inside my bedroom.
I grinned, gasping as my little boy handed me a bouquet of lilies. Aunt Maurice encircled me in a tight hug.
“Congratulations, darling! And you look beautiful!”
Her praises only made my stomach churn. Still, I appreciate her effort to calm my agitation, my lips parting into a broad smile.
“Thank you, Auntie,” I replied. “This wouldn’t have been possible without you.”
I turned to the little boy who cheerfully wrapped his tiny arms around my neck.
“And you…” My worries instantly melted and warmth spread inside my chest. I was reminded of how I got here and why.
