Vanessa moved her hair over her cheek. ‘Why do you care?’

‘I don’t, I guess. I’ve just heard rumors, and it looks like they might be true.’

‘Yeah, well, I walked into a cupboard door, nothing more.’

They both knew it was a lie that dropped from her lips. It hung in the air.

‘You hate me,’ Vanessa blurted out, not sure why she even talking to Maggie.

Maggie considered her next words. ‘Yeah, I guess a little, but I’ll always worry about you.’

‘I’m pregnant.’ Vanessa had no idea why she told her; there was no reason to.

Maggie’s eyes narrowed. ‘You always did know how to hurt me,’ she choked out before turning and walking off. Vanessa wanted to call out after her. To apologize. To tell her what happened. But what was the point? It was over with Maggie. She was lost to her. Again.

Vanessa stared after her for a long time, lost in the past. Eventually she came back to the present, Wren wriggling in her arms. She popped him down on his feet and hung onto his little hand. He looked up at her, trusting, a wide grin on his face. She stared at him. Yes, he did look like Mark, but as he grew older, he favored her a little more. A year of beatings, no apologies on his part and silence on hers. People knew what went on inside their home, yet nobody did anything. Mark had always been popular, charming everyone with his good looks and quick tongue. Working at the bar, he got to know the locals even more. He was one of them; she was just a slut who got what she deserved. Small towns had long memories. Her mom pushed her gently to leave him and come home without actually coming out and saying it. She was supportive, and the offer was tempting, but Vanessa felt like this was her punishment for what she did to Maggie. The only bright spot in her life was Wren, and, soon, this new baby.

The night their second child was born, Mark was at work, pulling the late shift. Typically, on nights like those, he finished around two in the morning. But no matter what time he came home, he was always drunk and angry. Vanessa went into labor while she was feeding Wren. He was happily munching on his tea when she felt a contraction and the warm rush of her water breaking.

‘Shit.’ She went to get the mop and cleaned the floor before changing and ringing her mom to let her know. Her dad answered. ‘Is Mom there?’ she asked coldly, no hello, no how are you. She was sticking to her guns, even under these circumstances. It had been a year since she had spoken to him properly. She could admit that she missed him, missed being close with him, but she wouldn’t back down.