The first signs came subtly at first—an unexplained tiredness that settled deep in Cristine's bones, a faint queasiness that gnawed at her in the early hours of the morning. She brushed it off, attributing it to nerves or the lingering tension of recent changes in her life. But as days passed, those subtle hints evolved into more pronounced symptoms.
One morning, just as the dawn light filtered through the sheer curtains, Cristine woke up with a sudden, sharp wave of nausea.
"Ummp!" She barely had time to register what was happening before she rushed to the bathroom, gripping the cool porcelain as the queasiness took control. When the episode subsided, she sank to the floor, breathing heavily, a hand resting protectively on her still-flat stomach.
"Oh god,"
The realization hit her the
