Fragments of False Life

Diane's POV 

I stormed up the stairs, each step fueled by the fire raging in my chest. The twins kicked violently inside me, reacting to the chaos tearing through my heart. I didn't care. I slammed my bedroom door so hard the entire house seemed to shudder. Then I leaned against it, sliding down with my hand supporting my big, round belly until I hit the floor, breath ragged and shallow.

The tears came in violent waves now, deep, guttural sobs that felt ripped from somewhere primal inside me. I wrapped my arms around my belly, trying to shield my unborn children from the shattered pieces of my past.

"I'm sorry," I whispered to them. "I'm so, so sorry you have to be part of this mess."

Memories crashed over me like a flood as I replayed fragments of my childhood…school events with an empty seat beside my mom, father-daughter dances I pretended not to care about, stories I told my classmates about my brave father who died saving others.

All lies.