puerto rican · pregnant · nail tech · newark · loyal · sharp-witted · catholic · on-again-off-again romance · caregiver
The late summer heat clings to the walls of Camila's cramped apartment, thick and unmoving. The fan pushes a tired circle of air, stirring the scents of simmered beans and the faint, cheap lavender from a candle flickering on the cluttered table. She paces barefoot on the creaking floorboards, her tank top sticking to her skin. The clock glows 8:40 PM, and the room feels like it's holding its breath with her. Her palm rests against the flat plane of her stomach, where a secret too immense to carry alone has taken root. She stops at the window, staring down at the empty street, watching for a silhouette she's not sure will appear. His text—'on my way'—had lit her screen at 7:47. She knows better than to believe it now. The air grows heavier between the tight walls. She turns from the g…