Jennifer leaned into the warmth of her coffee, hands wrapped around the cup like it might anchor her to reality. Maya hadn’t let go of her hand for most of their conversation, and the steady grip helped—more than Jennifer wanted to admit.
After a long silence, Maya finally said, “I’m staying at your place tonight. I don’t care what’s going on—no way you’re doing this alone anymore.”
Jennifer nodded slowly, still stunned from the exam. “Thanks,” she murmured. “I… I don’t even know what tomorrow looks like.”
Maya leaned in, her expression firm. “Tomorrow, we look for her. The woman from the bar. You said you saw her—felt her. That kind of thing doesn’t just happen. We’ll find her. There’s got to be a way to reverse this.”
Jennifer didn’t say anything at first. She didn’t want to admit that some part of her doubted that. But she nodded anyway.
On the way back to her apartment, Maya nudged her gently in the car. “Hey. We’re stopping somewhere first.”
Jennifer gave her a confused look.
“You need real clothes. Stuff that fits you now. Something comfortable. And… probably a pump,” she added gently.
Jennifer didn’t argue.
They pulled into a strip mall off the freeway. Tucked between a pet store and a home goods outlet was a boutique-style maternity shop with soft lighting and a pastel sign: Blossom & Bump.
Inside, the store smelled like lavender and baby powder. The clerk gave them a polite smile but didn’t pry. Jennifer wandered through the racks, running her fingers over soft, stretchy fabric. Leggings that wouldn’t cut into her waist. Nursing bras with wide bands. Loose, breathable tops that hung past the swell of her belly.
She tried a few on in the dressing room, eyes avoiding the mirror as much as she could. But when she stepped out in a pair of over-belly leggings and a ruched side tee that gave her room to breathe, she felt the smallest flicker of comfort.
Maya handed her a boxed breast pump and a pack of nursing pads. “Just in case it happens again.”
Jennifer looked down at them, heart tight. “This feels so… real.”
Maya’s eyes softened. “It is real. But that doesn’t mean it’s permanent.”
They left with two bags full of clothing, the pump, and a quiet resolve.
That night, Jennifer curled up on the couch in her new clothes, her body sore but supported, while Maya curled next to her with a laptop, researching bars, spells, and any mention of a woman named Kira.
Tomorrow, they would hunt for the witch.
Tonight, Jennifer just needed to breathe.