“You have to understand…”

“No! No, no and no again, Jeanie! I will not let you do this to yourself!”

Jeanie righted herself sharply, eyes flashing with tears; her russet hair had pasted itself to her face in patterns that reminded her mother of a spider web.

She was absolutely livid.

“To myself?! I’m doing the world a favor, mom!” she continued, trying to keep her voice from cracking. “Would you honestly want me to bring another unhappy life into this place?”

“You can’t just – “

“You honestly want a child to carry the stigma of the unknown father?” Jeanie was crying earnestly now, her eyes squeezing shut slowly.

“We could work something out.”

“Look me in the eyes,” Jeanie said, taking her mother’s hands forcefully and coercing the woman into meeting her gaze.

“And tell me…”

There was silence for a short while.

The hospital walls gleamed in the dim sunlight.

“Tell me that you want me to keep a baby that is…”

“Don’t say it!”

Jeanie went on.

”..the result of a rape. Tell me!”