Numbness settled gradually over my initial overwhelming shock as the remainder of that significant morning continued unfolding, Mara guiding me gently toward her small kitchen table where she prepared tea neither of us particularly wanted but both needed simply for something familiar to hold onto. Something about the ordinary ritual of preparing a warm drink felt strangely grounding given how thoroughly my entire understanding of my immediate future had just shifted within these past confusing, overwhelming hours.
She sat across from me quietly, allowing space for whatever emotional processing I needed before eventually asking gently what I wanted to do next given this significant, life-altering confirmation. I admitted honestly that beyond simple, overwhelming acceptance of the pregnancy
