It was getting late. My stomach growled in protest. So I got up and headed for the kitchen. There, I opened the fridge, looking for something to nibble on.

The fridge, however, was practically empty. The only things left were unfinished boxes of takeout, a few eggs, a near-empty carton of milk, and pudding cups. I grabbed one of the pudding cups and tore off the lid, licking it clean before I tossed it in the bin.

I opened one of the drawers, looking for a clean spoon, but most of them were in the sink, waiting to be washed. Seeing the build-up of dishes, I was suddenly plagued with guilt. Franklin’s accusations echoed in my mind. Maybe he was right. Maybe I was turning into a freeloader. Wanting to prove that was not the case, I rolled up my sleeves and got to work.

Soon, my feet fell asleep and my back ached, but I kept at it. By the time I was done, beads of sweat were rolling down my forehead. I grabbed a nearby dishrag and wiped my brow, feeling satisfied with myself. I’d like to see Franklin complain now.

Thinking I deserved the treat, I grabbed a spoon I had just washed and started to devour the pudding. Nothing had ever tasted so sweet. By the time I finished, however, I was still famished, so I started opening the cupboards, looking for something else to eat. There was nothing of interest.

As a final resort, I headed for the pantry where all of the non-perishables were kept. At first, all I saw were canned fruits and vegetables. Nothing that would kill this craving for something sweet. But then I saw it.

“You little sneak!” I whispered to myself, quickly grabbing the nearby stepladder. So this was where Franklin had hidden all of the cookies!

I swiped them off the shelf, but my movement was much too quick. The world kept spinning even as I tried to stand still. Desperately, I reached out my hand to try and steady myself, but it was already too late. I came crashing down, my head banging against the lower shelf.

My vision blurred with white before a shoot of pain radiated through my skull. A groan escaped my lips as I lay there, feeling like I had shattered into a million pieces. I tried to call for help, but I was incapable of making a sound. All I could do was moan as the pain grew worse with every second. It radiated through my body, leaving me numb.

I managed to crawl a few inches, but that was all. I was splayed on the pantry floor with no one to help me. Everything started to fade into darkness. Fear left me crippled. Soon, it overwhelmed me.

* * *

In my unconscious state, darkness kept me engulfed in its depths for a long, long time. I couldn’t quite pinpoint how long I had been wading through the sludge, but it felt like an eternity. I just kept swimming and swimming, but with no end in sight.

Until suddenly, a tiny pinprick of light appeared in the distance. I hastened toward it, but my pace was slow and my path treacherous.

At one point, I thought about giving up, but if I did that, then what would happen to me? What would I strive for? This thought gave me an added push of motivation.

Finally, I reached the light. I reached out to touch it. As soon as my fingers made contact, it exploded, painting everything in white and chasing out the darkness. A lightness came over me that made me feel like I would start floating at any second. And in fact, I did.

My body hovered in the air for a moment until it flew higher and higher.

A burst of frigid air erupted from the sky.

I gasped and suddenly, I was no longer in the void.

Instead, I was in a room, one decorated in white and full of beeping machines. It didn’t take long for me to realize that I was in a hospital.

My last waking memory crashed into my mind like a freight train, leaving me winded. At the same time, my stomach tightened and twisted as it imagined the fall.

Before I could drive myself into a full-blown panic attack, someone squeezed my hand. I looked up to find Franklin sitting by my bed. He was leaning forward, his head resting on his arm like a pillow.

A nurse walked into the room. She smiled when she saw I was awake. “Can I get you anything, miss?”

I was about to ask her a million and one questions when I realized just how parched my lips were. “Water…” I managed to croak.

She nodded and left the room, her feet padding through the hall before the sound eventually disappeared.

When it did, I gathered the courage to look down at Franklin. He was still fast asleep. I couldn’t believe that he had stayed by my side this entire time… How long had I been unconscious anyway?

The nurse returned, handing me a cup of water. I drank it greedily, nearly choking. “Careful,” she warned. When I was done, she threw away the plastic cup for me. “How are you feeling?” she asked, resting a hand on mine and patting it gently.

“What happened…?”

“From what we were told, you took a nasty fall and bashed your head against a shelf. We gave you a few stitches, but at least you avoided a concussion.”

“What about the baby?” I asked, fear gripping my heart.

“The baby is just fine. He looks healthy from the ultrasound we performed.”

“He?” My eyes widened. “Did you just say he?”

“Oh my… did I? Just a slip of the tongue…”

“I’m having a boy…?”

The nurse didn’t answer right away, but she eventually nodded. “Congratulations.”

My heart swelled with joy. I started to fantasize about the future. Would my son become a major league baseball player? Or would he become a mathematician? Maybe a doctor? Who would be his first girlfriend? Who would act as his father figure? I frowned at the last thought. A boy needed a father. Someone who could act as his role model. Someone he could look up to…

My eyes fell on Franklin.