Make her feel safe

"What could cause her pills not to work right? Brynne told me she's been on them for several years. Explain this to me," I demanded.

Freddy looked at me sympathetically. "Relax, mate. It's not the end of the world. She won't be forced into anything. We live in 2012. There are options." "Oh, fuck!" The idea that she could be pregnant was enough to process at the moment, but even thinking about what Fred might be suggesting was even worse. "A termination, you mean?"

"Yes. She's within her rights, and it is one option. Adoption is another," he said softly.

I flopped down into a chair, set my elbows on my knees and leaned my fore- head on my hands. I just sat there and breathed. As much as I was in shock, I knew that terminating the pregnancy was out of the question. Out of the fuck- ing realm of possibility. No way would I allow my child to be killed or have it hushed away. I just hoped that Brynne felt the same way I did. What if she doesn't?

"Well, you two need to have a talk and then