Nithya sent a silent thank-you to the heavens. She had already started to lose the nerve to ask. “Yes, if it’s not too difficult. Carma will be so happy.” That was true. And to be fair, her aunt had a way with children.

“Will you come and bring me over? These new autos are so strange, I don’t like to go in them alone.”

“Certainly, Chitthi. When should we come?”

They negotiated the time according to all the modern auspices and Carma’s school schedule. Driving her aunt back and forth would mean earlier mornings and busier evenings, but Nithya shouldn’t complain. Free help, even from family, was a rarity. With the next day being Carma’s birthday party, her aunt wanted to come early, and Nithya decided she would be a welcome addition in place of Luis.

That night, as Nithya lay in bed, the thought struck her: by the time Luis returned, their flat might be full with Zeli and her family. Her aunt slept on a bed made from her alcove blox, as would happen for any other guests. If Zeli came, Nithya would have no privacy and a sizeable audience. She couldn’t confess her sin and then hide the emotional fallout.

She slipped past Bhairavi Chitthi’s sleeping form into the bathroom, donned her jewels, and called her husband.

Luis sat on a bench in a sea of destruction, eating a sandwich. “Nice to have your company for lunch, but shouldn’t you be asleep?”

She launched a microcamera. Bad enough to do this remotely. At least she should show him her face.

He frowned at her expression. “What’s wrong?”

Nithya took a deep breath. Why hadn’t she rehearsed some words for this? Stupid. “I… I need to tell you something, and I thought I’d better do it now, in case Zeli and her family manage to come.”

“Okay.”

“It’s about the miscarriage.”

By the time she drew breath to go on, he’d figured out the truth. His jaw clenched. Eyes narrowed. The sandwich sat beside him, forgotten.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered. What else could she say? “I shouldn’t have lied to you, but I thought it might be easier if you didn’t know. I was wrong. I don’t deserve your forgiveness, but if you can, please forgive me.” She wanted to go on, to explain why, but then she might blurt out that if he hadn’t been so adamantly opposed… and that would land them nowhere good.

Luis’s expression was stony, withdrawn. He held up a hand, gestured. The call dropped. The passive feed went blank. He’d blocked her access to him. Feeling sick to her stomach, Nithya recalled the microcam and switched it off. She replaced her jewelry and lenses in the charging cradles. What had she expected? A cheerful acceptance of her apology?