None of us moves for a full minute and then James stands up, “I’m going to talk with Elizabeth.”
 
 Once he leaves, Will looks over at me like he wants to say something, but doesn’t.
 
 “What?” I snap. “Just spit it out.”
 
 He shrugs, “I get it.”
 
 I tilt my head to the side. That’s not what I was expecting to hear. I was expecting a lecture. “What?”
 
 He runs his hands through his hair. “I mean you’ve been friends for years, and she wanted a baby. I’d do the same thing. It’s dumb. It’s a terrible decision, but...”
 
 He pauses, lets out a loud sigh, and then continues, “I saw the two of you in the park that day. I saw how devastated she was. She was upset because she thought she couldn’t get pregnant, right?”
 
 I nod and he says, “I get it.”
 
 “I couldn’t say no to her,” I say.
 
 “Right.”
 
 I look down at my hands for a minute and then he says, “Do you have feelings for her?”
 
 I pause considering this. My stomach is in knots. “It doesn’t matter. Neither of us wants anything committed.”
 
 He grunts, and I turn my eyes up to him, “You’re pretty committed now.”
 
 “It’s not what she wants.” I wave toward the door. “Clearly.”
 
 “Would it be something you’d want?” he asks.
 
 I tip my head back. “Like I said, it doesn’t even matter. She’s made it really clear how she feels.”
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Chapter Forty-Four
 
 Maggie
 
 Elizabeth leads meinto a room and motions for me to sit on the couch. James does the same with Declan. We’re sitting as far apart on the couch as possible, facing the others. I feel like we’re teenagers, and we’re about to be grounded. Zadie, Celeste, Elizabeth, Will, and James are huddled on the other side of the room. “The grownups.” I don’t dare look at Declan; instead I face forward and fantasize about ripping his eyeballs out.