Chapter 99

“I can’t get my head around it,” Jake utters for the hundredth time as we lie in bed, our bodies entwined. My exhaustion has dissipated, giving way to mind-numbing silence after the events of the evening.

We finally have freedom… from her.

We’ve been home for a few hours, yet mostly all we’ve done is lie together and talk. Hours spent regurgitating the fact that there is no other baby, wondering how his family will react and how different things will be from now on without it hanging over us. It’s still too surreal to believe, and emotions between us have been swirling like crazy.

“I can’t believe it’s over,” I exclaim out loud, hearing him sigh again. A happy heavy relief kind of noise.

“Me either. It feels like it’s been consuming me… us… for months.” He’s lying on his back, staring at the ceiling while I rest my head on his firm abdomen, tracing the tattoos on his inner forearm of the arm across me casually.

“How did she think she would get away with