My husband gave away every maternity dress I owned while I was at work. When I asked what I was supposed to wear, he kept spreading mustard on his sandwich.

I remembered seeing it advertised on Tara’s Marketplace page.

Then I turned sideways and looked at myself again.

This dress had never belonged to that memory.

It belonged to me.

Elaine and Frank arrived to accompany me to Gray’s Lake.

The autumn trees were glowing gold, and the air was cool enough that Elaine brought an extra coat.

Marcia began taking photographs near the water.

At first, she photographed me alone.

I rested my hands over Nora and smiled.

For the first time in weeks, I felt genuinely happy.

Then