Safa looked at Alex expectantly, and Alex reached out to take her hand. She glanced briefly over at Olivia, who had pulled out her phone and was dialing Rym.

Alex got out of her chair and squatted in front of Safa, taking both of her hands and looking directly in her eyes.

"Safa, sweetie, you are NOT going to die," she said, softly but forcefully, shaking her head.

"Hi Rym, sorry to bother you on a Saturday night. I know it's late. We, uh… we were wondering if you were available to stop by. There's a pretty urgent conversation we need to have with Safa, apparently…" Olivia said, pacing in the kitchen. "Great. Thank you so much. We'll see you in a bit."

Alex smiled at Safa and wiped a tear from her eye.

"Eat, then talk with Rym?" she said, using a phrase Rym had taught her to say, then handing Safa her fork.

Alex sat back down in her seat and had a sip of her wine. "Liv, that conversation I told you we should have privately? I think we need to have it, now."

Olivia nodded. "Why don't we try French and Italian? I don't want to risk her picking up parts of it in English if we're talking right in front of her. Even if I think she won't understand."

Alex nodded. "I don't think…"

"Safa already…" Olivia began at the same time.

"You go first," Alex conceded.

"Safa already asked me if we would keep her baby," Olivia admitted, looking at her plate. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you."

"When?" Alex asked.

"The day we took her to open up her scar," Olivia explained. "She was drugged, and I… we were just getting used to the idea of not being parents. I didn't want to open up that particular wound again."

Alex nodded. "Olivia, if Safa doesn't want to keep her baby, she can choose the adoptive parents, just like any birth mother could."

Olivia nodded. "I know." She paused. "Do you think Safa *doesn't want* to keep the baby, or that she's not going to survive childbirth?"

"Well, that's what we need to talk to Rym about," Alex said. "And what she thinks is going to happen to her after the baby is born."

"I don't want it to seem like… I don't think we took in Safa so we could adopt her baby. That wasn't the plan," Olivia said.

"I know it wasn't, Liv. Would you like that to be the plan? What if Safa really does want us to adopt her child?"

Olivia sighed and took another sip of wine, avoiding Alex's eyes. She swallowed hard. "Safa seems to trust us," Olivia said. "But I don't know… what if… could we do that again?"

Alex reached over and took Olivia's hand. "We could," she said gently. "And I know that we would rise to the challenge. But as much as I would love to adopt Safa's baby… we know that there are many wonderful couples out there who would create a good home for a baby. We also know that with Safa's challenges and her history of trauma… there aren't very many foster homes that could give her what she needs."

"If we agree to adopt Safa's baby, we would be sacrificing her to foster care," Olivia said, nodding slowly. "Assuming she wants to give up the baby, and not just that she thinks she's not going to survive."

"If she stays with us, we can get her counselling, tutors… and give her a safe home without men. The state would pay for some of that stuff, but if she's in a facility, or even a foster home with multiple kids… we both know she isn't going to get the care she needs to come back from this." Alex said.

"And a kid in foster care, who has already given birth and who hasn't learned to read by age 12… those are some major risk factors for prostitution or sex trafficking," Olivia concluded. She sighed. "I know you're right. And it's not that… I didn't mean that I wanted to adopt the baby instead of her. I just meant that it's going to be hard if she stays. And gives up her baby to someone else."

"I know, Liv," Alex said, squeezing her hand. "And if I thought… one option would be to take both of them in, and raise them as siblings. But I don't know if that would hold Safa back. Honestly, I think the best thing for her would be to give up the baby and stay here, but I don't want to stipulate one way or the other."

The buzz on the inter phone announced Rym's arrival, so Alex went to open the door, while Olivia led Safa back to the couch.

"Thank you so much for coming so quickly," Alex said, answering the door. "And I wanted to apologise for stepping out of line the last time. It was inappropriate for me to say, and I hope you'll forgive me."

Rym nodded. "Don't worry about it," she said, entering and removing her shoes. "What happened tonight?"

"Safa asked us to keep her baby when she dies," Olivia said softly. "Can you ask her why she thinks she's going to die?"

Rym sat on the couch next to Safa. "Hi sweetie," she said, tucking Safa's hair behind her ear. "How are you feeling?" She asked.

Safa shrugged and looked away. "Tired," she replied. "So tired."

"Tell me about what you asked Alex and Olivia," Rym said gently.

"They will take good care of a baby," Safa said.

"Are they taking good care of you?" Rym asked.

Safa nodded. "They let me have cake and ice cream today."

Rym smiled. "What do you think should happen after you have the baby?"

Safa looked sad. "My mother... that's how she died. And I don't... what if I die too? I'm scared."

"Sweetheart, were you there when your mom died?" Alex asked.

Safa began to cry. "The baby got stuck. And there was so much blood..." she leaned into Alex, who rubbed her back as she cried.

"Safa, when your baby is born, we're going to take you to the hospital, with a doctor, so she will keep you safe," Alex reassured her. "You are not going to die."

"When a woman has a baby, she puts one foot in the grave," Safa said.

"And the women who help you in childbirth are there to make sure you don't put the other foot in," Rym finished for her. "We will all be there to keep you safe, not just the doctor."

"You are going to have to decide if you want your baby to stay with you, or if you want another couple to adopt her," Olivia said. "Alex and I would like you to stay with us, if you want to."

"You'll go to school, and we'll make sure you learn English. When you grow up, you can be whatever you want to be," Alex said. "It might be easier to do that if your baby lives somewhere else."

"Alex?" Safa asked, sitting up. "Did your baby die?"

Rym paused for a moment before interpreting.

Alex looked at her sadly. "What... tell me about that, Safa."

"In the room, there are pictures with a baby." Safa explained. "I found..."

"I... I was going to have a baby, and she died before she was born," Alex explained, choking up. Olivia put her hand on Alex's shoulder. "She was smaller than your baby is now."

"There are pictures of you holding a baby." Safa replied.

"We... that baby, Noah, is still alive. We adopted him and then his birth mother changed her mind and took him back."

"Oh," Safa said. "Don't you want a baby?"

"What we want," Olivia said, touching Safa's knee, "is for you and your baby to have a safe place to live, and for you to get to go to school and be a kid before you grow up."

"Safa," Alex said, her voice cracking. "You are worthy of grownups taking care of you. You are worthy of a childhood and an education. You are worthy of time to heal and of love."

"How do I know my baby will go somewhere safe?" Safa asked.

"You can choose parents to adopt your baby," Alex explained. "You don't have to decide now. You can decide when the baby is born. When you know that you and the baby are both safe."

Safa nodded. "Just tell me… what do I have to do? I don't know if I can afford to pay for everything for the baby and then for me too… I'd rather the baby have a safe place to live while I go to work."

Alex looked confused. "Honey, you don't have to work. You don't have to pay for anything. What do you mean?"

"But… I'm already in so much debt to you for you taking care of me. Don't you want me to work as your maid so I can send money to pay for the baby? And…" Safa began to cry harder, and Rym had to lean in to hear what she had to say. "Isn't that why you opened my scar?

Rym covered her mouth with her hands as she realised what Safa was saying. "No, no, no, sweetheart, no!"

"No?" Safa said. "I don't have any money…"

"Honey, that's why we need you to stay with us, and to find a good home for the baby," Olivia said, her heart breaking. "You don't need money, because you're a child. Your job is to go to school and learn, so that later, when you're an adult, you can work. You do not have to pay us. You do not have to pay the people who adopt your baby. You do not have to do work for us. And you are most definitely not going to go work for people who would hurt you."

"But then who pays money?"

"Olivia and I both have jobs, and we have money," Alex explained. "We have room for you to stay. We have food for you to eat. And in New York, everyone pays taxes to the government, and the government pays for children to go to school until they're 18, and pays for homes for children who don't have a place to live or parents who take care of them. I promise you do not have to worry about that, even if you don't want to stay with us. You will be safe."

"Right now, we just want you to rest and take care of yourself, and we're going to get a tutor so you can work on learning English. Then after the baby comes, you'll go to school. That's it. We don't want you to do anything else. Can you do that for us?"

Safa nodded.

"Are you hungry, sweetie? You didn't eat much," Alex said. "Then I think it's time for bed."

Safa shook her head.

"Rym, it's late. Why don't you stay over? This couch pulls out," Alex suggested. "Or Liv can drive you home. You shouldn't be out by yourself this late."

"Do you think… Safa might need to talk more in the morning." Rym suggested.

Olivia nodded. "Let's get her to bed. I think it would be a good idea if the three of us talk too, but if you're staying, we should probably all get some sleep first. That was hard for all of us."

Alex pulled out the couch and moved Safa's sheets to the recliner, and pulled out other blankets to make the bed. She got pyjamas, towels, makeup remover, and a spare toothbrush for Rym, and proceeded to make the bed, while Olivia took Safa to brush her teeth.

Olivia sat down with Safa on the edge of the bed, and turned her back as Safa changed. She noticed her sketchbook and a photo album on the side of Alex's desk, and flipped through them, sighing. That was how Safa knew.

When Safa was dressed, Olivia took a medicated cream, that she put on the burn on the side of Safa's face, and then handed her another cream for Safa to put on her more intimate scar. Then, she sat down next to her and picked up a hairbrush, gently brushing and attaching her thick hair in a ponytail. When she was done, Safa leaned into her unexpectedly, and Olivia wrapped one arm around the girl, rubbing her back with the other hand.

"You're going to be safe, Safa," she whispered. "Nobody is going to hurt you." She kissed the top of Safa's head and helped her to lay down on her side, rubbing her back until she fell asleep.

Olivia joined Alex in the bedroom, where she was silent as she changed into her nightclothes. She sighed as she laid down next to Alex under the covers,

"Liv…" Alex whispered, turning in towards her. She touched Olivia's neck and collarbone lightly, dragging her fingertips down her arms, as Olivia trembled and began to cry.

"Shhh, love, it's okay," she whispered, as Olivia fought her tears.

"She thought we were going to let her become a prostitute," Olivia said.

"Liv, we know that's a reality for women around the world, especially orphans. Even for women who age out of foster care in New York struggle with homelessness, addiction…"

"I know," Olivia said. "11 years old and she thinks she has to sacrifice her whole life. She's already suffered more than most adults."

Alex kissed Olivia's forehead and held her gently as she watched the thoughts go through Olivia's head. "She had fun today, I think," Alex reassured her. "And now she knows she's going to be safe."

Unable to sleep after Olivia drifted off, Alex extracted herself from the bed and crept into the kitchen to make tea. As she waited for the water to boil, she took the last sips out of her wine glass from the abandoned dinner and debated pouring herself another glass of wine instead as she cleared the table.

She leaned against the counter, doing little more than warm her hands with the teacup, as she contemplated which of her healing exercises she wanted to do to calm down and soothe the knot in her heart. She closed her eyes and focused on her breathing, in and out. I love you. I'm sorry. Please forgive me. Thank you. As she sipped her tea, she thought she heard crying coming from the living room.

Alex sent Rym a text. Would you like some tea? ️

A few minutes later, Alex felt a presence at the entrance to the kitchen, and looked up from her tea to smile gently at Rym standing in the door, her eyes puffy. Without a word, Alex set the kettle again and slid over a box of Mariage Frères herbal teas for Rym to choose. They sat in silence for a few minutes, sipping their tea.

Alex reached over and put her hand on Rym's arm. "You saw today how important your job is," Alex said. "I know that was hard. But I'm really glad Safa has you to help her communicate."

Rym nodded and looked down at her tea.

"I'm so sorry for your losses," Rym said, after a moment of awkward silence. "It can't be easy watching Safa like this..." she trailed off.

"Thank you," Alex said. "It's not easy, but we're healing."

Rym nodded and sipped her tea.

"I'm sorry we interrupted whatever fun you were having on a Saturday night. Unfortunately it's pretty common in our line of work."

Rym shrugged. "It was probably for the best. I took it as a sign I wasn't supposed to stay out." She blushed and looked down at her tea.

Now it was Alex's turn to nod.

"I noticed your ring, by the way. Congratulations."

"Thank you," Alex replied.

Rym bit her lip. "You and Olivia... you met through work?" Alex nodded again. "How did you know... how did you start your relationship?"

Alex smiled, and studied Rym for a moment as she placed her teacup on the counter.

"We became really close friends when we worked together the first time, for almost four years. Then I... had to leave New York for a while, came back and got engaged to someone else. Then he assaulted me and I left, and Olivia let me stay with her for a bit while I was getting back on my feet. One day I looked at her and realized that everything I wanted to feel in a romantic relationship, I already felt with her. I had just never made the connection before, because she was... a she. But why not? So I told her how I felt."

"It was that easy?"

Alex nodded. "Well, I did already know she dated women, so that part wasn't a huge risk." She sipped her tea again and shifted. "Rym, can I ask you something?"

Rym nodded.

"You don't have to answer me, but maybe it would help to think about it. How would you like to feel in a romantic relationship? How would you like your first time to feel? And why do you think you don't deserve that or can't have it? And are any of those reasons really true?"