She’d barely slept. Every time she closed her eyes, the image of that folded receipt flashed behind her eyelids. Paternity DNA Testing. Paid in Full. By sunrise, she had already dressed the baby, strapped her into the car seat, and driven across town before she even decided what she would say. Her hands gripped the steering wheel so tightly her knuckles went white.
She didn’t know if she wanted to scream, cry, or just understand why. The sign for Riverton Diagnostics appeared suddenly, sterile and unassuming. She parked crookedly, heart pounding. Inside, the lobby smelled of disinfectant and fresh paper. The woman at the front desk looked up, polite but cautious.