Tyler walked past the two of them and headed upstairs.

For some unknown reason, something didn’t feel right to Wanda, but she couldn’t exactly put her finger on it. She had no choice but to ask Rachel about it. “What happened to Mr. Hunt? Did you two have an argument?” “It’s my fault. It has nothing to do with him.”

Rachel’s gaze followed Tyler’s back until he disappeared from view. Wanda could tell they must’ve had some kind of disagreement, but she knew better than to press. She quickly changed the subject. “Are you craving anything? I can whip something up for you.” Rachel hadn’t felt hungry before, but the moment Wanda mentioned food, her stomach betrayed her with a loud growl. She laughed in embarrassment. “Sorry, Wanda. I’m kind of craving fish and pickles, but at this hour, I doubt we could get any fish.” That put Wanda in a bit of a bind. “Yes. We’ve got no fish left, but there’s chicken in the fridge. How about I make hot wings instead?” “That works, too.” Rachel smiled. Lately, she found herself craving either sour or spicy food. “Perfect. I’ll get started right away,” Wanda said, beaming. “Thank you, Wanda.” Rachel’s eyes crinkled with her smile. Having someone cook for her felt so comforting. It reminded her of what she had lost, and of the people who used to cook for her but were no longer here.

“Now that you’re pregnant, don’t move around too much. The first three months are the most important. Once you’re four months along, you’ll feel the baby kick,” Wanda said. Rachel looked surprised. “Four months? Can one feel it that early?” “Mm-hm. I remember it so clearly when I was pregnant. At four months, I felt the baby move for the first time. It’s the most amazing feeling.” Wanda’s face lit up as she recalled her pregnancy, and Rachel could sense how deeply she had cherished it. Subconsciously, Rachel placed her hand on her still-flat stomach. The baby was little more than a heartbeat right now. It was hardly anything at all. Hence, doctors always said if someone wanted to end a pregnancy, it was better to do it within the first two months. The earlier, the better. Sensing Rachel’s uncertainty, Wanda asked carefully, “You haven’t fully made up your mind about keeping this baby, have you?”

Rachel fell silent before answering, “I was hesitant at first, but then I decided I wanted to keep it. The problem is, Tyler seems to think I don’t want the baby.” Her gaze flicked upstairs. Wanda pursed her lips and smiled. “Try to think in his shoes. When he was a child, his father didn’t want him. He insisted Mrs. Hunt get an abortion. If she hadn’t risked her life and stood her ground, he wouldn’t even be here. So when you said you thought about ending the pregnancy, it must’ve brought back all those painful memories for him.” Rachel was caught off guard. She never knew Tyler carried that kind of trauma from the past. The truth was, none of it had been his fault. Back then, he’d been nothing more than an embryo. How could there be any blame on him? If anything, it was his father’s responsibility. He had made his choices and planted his seeds, yet the child was the one expected to bear the consequences.