“I’M NOT GOING TO BE LIKE YOU, BI…!” Xavari stopped herself before the “ch” sound escaped her lips.

“I wish you would,” Regina growled at Xavari. Neither one of them breathed for a few seconds. The only sound in the kitchen was the oscillating fan. Their eyes were locked as though they were playing the staring game they used to play as children to see who would blink first. Xavari conceded. She crumpled into the chair directly behind her and broke down in tears.

“Oh, God, how could I let this happen again? I don’t want another baby right now!” Xavari covered her face with her hands and sobbed like a woman who was mourning the death of a child, not a woman giving life to a child. Regina felt a lump in her throat and tears starting to well up in her eyes. She hurried around the table and put her arms around her sister. She spoke softly and comfortingly to Xavari.

“Hey, little girl. It’s going to be OK. We can deal with this. Xavari, you don’t have to have this baby. Have you told Emmanuel?” Regina rocked Xavari to calm her down. Every few seconds the warm air from the fan blew on them as it oscillated from side to side.

“No, but I think he suspects that I am,” Xavari replied into her sister’s neck.

“Xavari, you don’t have to have this baby. Women have abortions every day. It’s not that big of a deal,” Regina said as she gently pushed Xavari away from her and wiped Xavari’s eyes with the flat of her hand.

“Regina, how can you say it’s no big deal? You’re asking me to murder my child.” Xavari looked into her sister’s eyes for the first time since they’d started the discussion about the pregnancy.

“Xavari, it’s not murder. Don’t think like that. It’s an alternative to having a baby you don’t want.” Regina’s voice was compassionate but firm.

“How can you say that? The Bible says that God knew everyone of us before we were even formed in our mothers’ wombs. I don’t care about all this “when does life begin” crap that the scientists and politicians are spouting. If God knows us before we’re formed in our mothers’ wombs, abortion is murder.” Xavari wiped her nose with the heel of her hand and then reached for a napkin from the napkin holder in the center of the kitchen table.

“That’s not how I see it, Zee.” Regina walked back around the table and sat again in the chair across from Xavari.

“Well, that’s the way I see it. God says He won’t forgive the shedding of innocent blood. I’m not having an abortion, Gina. That’s out. Besides, Emmanuel would lose his mind if I had an abortion. I’m having my baby, and that’s all there is to it.” Xavari crossed her arms over here breasts and looked evenly at her sister.

Next page