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Contents ( 47)
  1. OLIVE
  2. Emma Gannon
  3. Copyright
  4. Praise for Olive
  5. Prologue
  6. Part One
  7. 1
  8. 2
  9. 3
  10. 4
  11. 5
  12. 6
  13. 7
  14. 8
  15. 9
  16. 10
  17. 11
  18. Part Two
  19. 12
  20. 13
  21. 14
  22. 15
  23. 16
  24. 17
  25. 18
  26. 19
  27. 20
  28. 21
  29. 22
  30. 23
  31. 24
  32. 25
  33. 26
  34. 27
  35. Part Three
  36. 28
  37. 29
  38. 30
  39. 31
  40. 32
  41. 33
  42. 34
  43. 35
  44. Epilogue
  45. Acknowledgements
  46. About the Author
  47. About the Publisher

@writer_kate

Please DM me if you know anyone that has fallen in love with an inanimate object. Better still, got married to it. E.g. a brick wall. Thanks all #journorequest

@__colin01

Never make eye contact with someone whilst eating a banana. JUST DID THO lol.

@Jane_At_TheDOT

This article is fucking disturbing. Women: read, share, be mortified. This is the world we still live in.

I click on the link to the article that Jane has shared. My fingers tremble as the page loads. Maybe I’ve drunk too much coffee.

Of course, it’s about motherhood. Everything. Conversations with friends, overhearing strangers’ discussions, seeing push chairs and ‘Baby on Board’ badges everywhere, and it’s the same on the Internet and in the news. It’s like when you learn a new word and you then start seeing it everywhere. The more I panic about being abnormal, the more I think about it, and the more I see babies everywhere. I’m horrified to find that I’m reading an article about a state in America who want to make it mandatory for women to have a baby. It sends a shiver down my spine.

‘Republicans, empowered by the Supreme Court, move aggressively toward forcing childbirth on women’.

Have you ever seen a more frightening headline? I suddenly feel so lucky: to know that I personally would have the money, emotional support and family network to get an abortion if I needed to. I imagine women without the same rights as me, who for many different reasons might not want a baby, but are forced to have it regardless. They have nowhere to turn, and it’s expensive and long-winded to find a solution. Despite my disgust, the journalist in me forces me to keep reading: ‘In some states in America, if you want to have an abortion, even if it is only a few weeks in, they make you name it, and bury it.’ I feel a wave of sadness and anger ripple throughout my entire body. I read a quote in the article from a (surprisingly female) senator, and then read it again and again, letting the words haunt me as my chest starts to tighten:

Motherhood isn’t easy but it’s necessary.

Motherhood isn’t easy but it’s necessary.

Motherhood isn’t easy but it’s necessary.

Motherhood isn’t easy but it’s necessary.

My eyes are going blurry from looking at my laptop for so long. I look around and realize that the lights are all off in the cabin, the people around me sleeping uncomfortably in their seats. I pick up my phone and stare at the text message from Mum. OK, OK, I need to face this now.

I breathe in sharply and click ‘read’.

HERE IS THE JACOB MSG 4 U, BELOW – LUV MUM.

Hi Olive,

It’s Jacob … Hope you’re well.

I’m sorry for messaging. I’ve really tried not to, I promise.

I really really need to talk though. Please.

I was wondering if you’re around tomorrow afternoon?

I can’t stop thinking about our last conversation, there’s so much left unsaid.