Chapter 1.5: Stilson's aftermath

Stilson woke up in the hospital, had no memory about how she got here. When she was struggling to remember what has happened, she instinctively touched her crotch and found that it's no longer there.

Her scream alerted the nurses, who came and asked what's wrong. But she couldn't tell them nor speak to anyone about this shame.

Opening the cabinet, she found a pregnancy test. She ran to the restroom, sat down on the toilet, and urinated onto the pregnancy stick. Within moments if not seconds her worst fear was confirmed: she was definitely pregnant.

Sitting on the toilet crying she couldn’t believe this was happening. For years she wanted to have a child, but she didn't want to be the one carrying the fetus. She could barely talk to Andrew without insulting him, let alone accept they made a baby together. She could just have the strength to have the baby aborted but that would require money.

It had been weeks since that day but Stilson hadn’t felt right in days since that. Waking up nauseous and vomiting just about every morning after that she had a hidden fear that maybe something was wrong.

She tried to sue Andrew, but the footage from the camera showed that she was the one who started first. Stilson's parents abandoned her, refusing to pay for the abortion.

One night, she woke up due to pain in her stomach. Her wailing has awakened a female patient on the next bed.

"Are you feeling unwell?"

"Yes. I think the baby is kicking me."

The woman looked at her and laughed: "It's too soon to reach that period. How can you not know that? Are you a man?" Seeing her expression, the woman stopped laughing, "Wait, it is true?"

Stilson told her everything. The woman listened patiently, then said: "I understand why you are so resentful, but think about it. You have a child as you want, does the fact who is the father matter that much? You have no tie to that person, does it mean the child belongs to you and only you?"

Stilson ran her hand over her belly. "Gosh, you know, I haven't thought about it yet. I truly hadn't - I'd been so worried over what I was going to do that I hadn't had a chance to actually enjoy being pregnant yet." She rubbed her bump and looked down at it. A new life was growing inside of her - it was exciting. "I should be happy, dammit! Why don't I realize this sooner? I'm going to buy maternity clothes tomorrow."

Months later, Stilson - now Tilea - has fully accepted her new name as well as her new role: a mother. She hasn't thought of a name yet, but she knew full well that she would choose the best for her baby. The day doctors informed her about the due date, she took this picture, shared it with her friends with a line: "Cannot wait to meet my daughter."