Page 86 of Snowman

Then, she slid down onto her knees in front of us, taking our hands as tears ran down her face.

She whispered, "The world breaks little girls so little boys can live."

We didn't understand.But we leaned into her, wrapping our arms around her as best we could.

PRESENT DAY

I got home, groceries in my hands, balancing the bags awkwardly as I nudged the door open. Tonight, I wanted to cook for her. Something special. But as I stepped inside, something felt off. The house was quiet, too quiet.

"Bree?" I called out, my voice bouncing off the walls. I set the bags down on the cold tile, my chest tightening. No answer.

I walked through the kitchen, peering around the corner. Nothing.

I checked the living room, but it was empty too. My steps quickened.

"Bree!" I shouted, louder this time.

I sprinted up the stairs, my pulse hammering in my ears. I threw open the bedroom door. It was empty, just like the rest of the house. Panic shot through me as I called her name again, my voice cracking.

"Bree!"

Finally, a soft reply came from the bathroom. "In here."

Relief crashed into me as I rushed to the door.

I pushed it open, expecting, I don't know what. But there she was, kneeling on the floor, her back to me, holding something in her hands.

"Bree?"

I dropped down beside her, wrapping my arms around her, and pulling her close. She didn't resist, but whatever she was holding slipped from her hand, landing on the tiles with a soft clatter.

I looked down and froze. It was a pregnancy test.

Heart pounding, I reached for it, turning it over in my hands. My eyes landed on two pink lines. The room seemed to tilt.

"What the fuck is this?"

She exhaled softly. "Thor, it's obvious, isn't it?"

"No," I snapped, shaking my head. "No, Bree, it's fucking not!"

Her eyes lifted to meet mine. Calm. Too calm.

"I'm pregnant."

She stood and turned to the sink to wash her hands as if this was just another moment in her day.

I stumbled to my feet. "Bree... how?"

"We can't... I mean..."

She turned, "Really, Thor? You want me to diagram it for you? We even played with your cum. What part of this isn't clear?"

I stared at her, my throat dry. "We can't do this," I said, my voice breaking. "Bree, we can't."

"But we can," she said. "And we will. There's no going back."

Her words sank into me like a stone, dragging me down, my chest tightened as flashes of a future I wasn't ready for raced through my mind. A child.Me, a father.It didn't feel real, it felt like a bad joke.

---