Chapter 1 chapter one
She was born on a day of celebration.
Lost in thought and carrying a touch of hesitation, she stood by the kitchen window and watched the sunlight spill across the yard. Today was her birthday, yet she could barely think about cakes or gifts. Her heart was occupied by a much bigger secret.
She was pregnant.
The news filled her with excitement and fear at the same time. In a few weeks, she and her husband would leave the city and return to the family farm to begin a new chapter of their lives. A new home. A new future. A new beginning.
She smiled softly and placed a hand on her stomach.
There could not be a more perfect day to tell her husband that he was going to be a father.
The sound of the doorbell pulled her from her thoughts.
A moment later, the front door opened.
Her smile faded when she saw him.
His face was pale. His shoulders were slumped with exhaustion and grief.
“What’s wrong with you?” she asked, rushing toward him.
He looked at her with eyes full of pain.
“Rest in peace,” he whispered.
Her heart skipped a beat.
“What do you mean?”
He lowered his head.
“I lost my friend.”
