this night is everything bubbles so many bubbles i should write a book lots of words that would be so great the stars are so pretty i should text him why not maybe i will write that book im so smart i shouldnt text him i wish this night would last forever bubbles im going to text him

For her people. The towers have burned. The ships have sank. The well runs dry. As a child, she dreamt not of weddings and gowns, but of peace and safety. Her eyes studied maps and scoured books. Her most idealized figures were kings and diplomats, not wives and mothers. "Gentle," that is the word that the nuns at the convent used to describe her. Her soul might be gentle, but her mind certainly was not. She will do whatever it takes to protect her people. Including marrying a man two decades her senior. The alliance born from this union will secure safety for the land she holds dear to her heart. While she might not find peace in her marriage, her people will find peace when they lay their heads down tonight. And that, is enough to fill her cup. At least for today.

Anisa gazes down at the cheap piece of plastic in her hand. Shaking, she brings it closer to her face. She squints, tilts her head, moves it into the light. Confusion swarms her consciousness as she desperately tries to do mental math. "How is this possible," she mumbles out loud.

"It's possible!" Jane squeals as her husband embraces her. The familiar burn of tears floods her eyes as she stares at the white rectangle perched on her bathroom sink. A smile is plastered across her husbands face. "It was all worth it," he whispers into her ear.

"This was not worth it," Iris sighs, exasperated. She chunks the test into the trash. She should have known better than to buy the cheapest option on the shelf. Unfolding the massive info sheet, she rereads the instructions trying to figure out where she went wrong. Lost in the text, a knock on the bathroom door snaps her back into reality. I'll buy another one tomorrow, she thinks to herself.