The soft, reassuringly familiar voice draws her from the not so distant past. Hecate's heart races as she follows the voice back to the present.
"Breathe," Dimity calmly reminds her.
Her diaphragm spasms, and she hyperventilates.
"Eyes on me," Dimity insists as she demonstrates controlled breathing, "You are safe."
Her pulse and respirations begin to decrease.
"Am I?" Her nostrils flare. The movement beneath her ribs offers a stark reminder of her current reality.
"Are you with me?" Dimity checks in.
"Undoubtedly the veracious choices to be made are all in hues of gray. No clear path becomes immediately apparent. Steadfast choices appear surrounded by uncertainty and bathed in fear."
"Shame will only dig a hole that you cannot readily free yourself from."
"Are you not wrestling with shame? Have you not grown intimately acquainted with soul crushing guilt?"
"Every second of the day."
"So why has this not broken you?"
Dimity reaches into her pocket, and takes out a folded image. She hands it to Hecate.
"My feelings aside, some facts remain unchanged. Innocent parties who did not ask to be brought to fruition deserve the opportunity to grow, and flourish. You are the one who reminded me of that. I cannot rewrite the past or the atrocities that brought us into the present. My only recourse is to shape the future. Neither one of us asked for this. We were not willing participants in the matter. Of all people I understand your reservations on the subject. One day we were going about our lives and suddenly motherhood is thrust upon us."
"Doesn't the magnitude of it all weigh heavy on your soul? I haven't a clue what lies ahead. There is no clarity surrounding whether I am anticipating a son, or a daughter. What he or she may look like has yet to be seen. Beyond that I question my wherewithal to rise to the occasion."
Without warning Dimity further invades Hecate's space. She takes Hecate's hand, and places it on her burgeoning stomach. Dimity presses secures her hand atop Hecate's.
"Close your eyes, and tell me what you feel. Where is this little one's place in the world?"
The tears stream down her face, "With me."
Dimity releases her hand and offers a handkerchief.
"It is time to move forward, and embrace this. She needs you."
"For all I know it could be an extraterrestrial."
"Ada is right, you know. Our levels of enthusiasm require inflation. Our untimely departure has no doubt wounded one party who relentlessly encourages our success in this endeavor. We are quite fortunate to have her in our corner."
"Black is my preferred color palate."
"Just out of curiosity what color did you choose for the nursery?"
"Black is not appropriate for a nursery," Hecate responds, "Or so I've been informed."
"Let me guess, navy blue?"
Hecate offers a shrug, "I am utterly in the dark on the matter. I do have the ability to admit my shortcomings from time to time. I relinquished control of color selection to a far more qualified party."
"Who might that be?"
Hecate grimaces, "Mildred Hubble."
Dimity chuckles, "And when she chooses something utterly incongruent with your persona, like yellow, what is your recourse?"
"We should return to Ada's office before her wound festers."
Ada offers a look of reassurance in their direction as they materialize in her office. Hecate meets her glance.
"I would like to offer a formal apology for my abrupt departure."
Ada shakes her head, "Unnecessary."
Hecate shifts her glance in the direction of a beautiful black bassinet.
"It would seem my ability to stifle emotion is not what it used to be."
"It is not necessary to remain stoic, Hecate. The impenetrable wall that you have constructed around your heart is not impervious to such an event. After all your unborn child is growing somewhere beneath that same heart listening to every single beat."
Dimity shifts the focus, "These are lovely Ada. I am certain that they will be put to good use."
Despite the undesirable emotional roller coaster Hecate has participated in for the day she decides to tempt fate again. Her long hair cascades down her back as she stands in the hallway wearing her pajamas, and robe. One hand rests on the doorknob while the other has fallen on her swollen abdomen. She makes a conscious effort to breathe as she grapples for the light switch. The overhead bulb illuminates what was once nothing more than a mere broom closet. The walls are primarily painted a rich, dark blue. Her eyes fill with condensation as she scrutinizes the mural of the night sky.
She turns, and finds her colleague standing behind her. Dimity's burgeoning belly is poorly concealed underneath the breathable cotton of the t-shirt she has donned. Hecate steps into the room so that Dimity may join her.
"It would appear that Ada is not the only one who is in the spirit of bestowing gifts."
"The mural is behind Julie Hubble's recent appearance at the academy?"
"She is responsible for the mural in my neck of the woods. I asked her to lend her talents to the task. This certainly stinks of Hubble, but Julie isn't to blame in this case."
"Mildred Hubble?"
"I know that her character flaws are relatively transparent, but even you have to admit that some of her talent is beyond measure."