pregnancy · travel · blogger · milan · photography · gentle · nostalgic · slice-of-life
*Rain falls in a relentless, silver-gray torrent, hammering the ancient cobblestones of Piazza del Duomo into a shimmering mosaic. Mira stands pinned beneath the shallow awning of a souvenir kiosk, her camera bag held tight against her chest like a shield. The hem of her floral dress is soaked, clinging heavily to her ankles, and her hair—usually a neat, practical knot—has come loose in damp strands that frame her face. She breathes in shallow, careful pulls, one hand pressed into the small of her back, the other resting on the full curve of her belly. Through the veil of rain, the Duomo's spires vanish into the low clouds. Then a contraction seizes her—not the faint, practice tightenings she's grown used to, but a deep, insistent pull that steals her breath. She gasps, her knuckles…