“I know exactly what I’m saying, and I know why I’m saying it. I read my grandfather’s notes and the Bibles and the bits and pieces in those sodding journals, and they all say the same thing, which is why you are going to call the doctor tomorrow and do what needs to be done!”

Joanna crossed her arms and took a slow, deep breath. “Listen carefully because I’m not going to say this again. I am going to have this child, and whether or not I die doing it does not matter.”

Addison paled, and rushed to stand in front of Joanna. “Don’t say that. You have a way out, and you need to take it.”

“No, Addison, it’s not a way out for me. It’s a way out for you!” Joanna yelled. “Since the day you found out I was pregnant, you’ve been a changed person, and I don’t mean that in a good way. You started working longer hours, coming home late, missing dinner, and hardly talking to me when we did have a few minutes alone. You haven’t touched me in weeks other than an occasional kiss on the cheek, and the only attention you’ve given me is when you’re complaining that I’m getting sick too much or losing too much weight.”

“I’m just worried.”

“Yes, you are, but you’re not worried about having a family. You’re worried about finding a way out of having a family.”

“That’s not true,” Addison said, furrowing her brow.

“Yes, it is, and that’s what this is all about,” Joanna said, waving her arms in the air. “You’re scared, and suddenly you realize that your life is going to change, and you don’t want it to, do you? So you took your family’s history, blew it out of proportion and decided to use it as the excuse to make me kill our child. Well, I have news for you. That’s not going to happen!”

“It’s not an excuse.”

“Yes, it bloody well is!” Joanna screamed. “Jesus Christ, Addison, get your head out of your arse! You’re a daughter of a Kane, and you survived well past childhood, so whatever you think about all those women who died, it’s not some sort of...some sort of family curse. It just happened. That’s all.”

“It’s too much of a coincidence, Joanna.”

“I don’t bloody care!” Joanna said, getting in Addison’s face. “I don’t care what you think. I don’t care what you want. You made it crystal clear yesterday that you’re not interested in being someone’s parent, so stop with all of this crap before you go too far.”

“What the hell are you talking about?”