MARIE

As quickly as the pain had arrived, it vanished.

I stood up straight, blinking in confusion.

I felt... fine. Perfectly fine.

I removed my hand from my stomach and forced a nod for my mother. "I'm fine, Mom. It was just a cramp."

She studied my face, her eyes narrowed with motherly suspicion. "Are you sure? You didn't look well earlier."

"I'm fine, Mom, really. Don't worry about me," I insisted. But inside, I was unsettled.

This was the second time I’d felt that strange, ...