More Than I Can Bear Read Online Free Page A

game before the national anthem is even sung. I can’t do this, Norman. I won’t. And I haven’t even mentioned the challenge of raising a child without a father. I was raised in a two-parent home and I half made it out sane. I can’t bring a baby into the world knowing its father isn’t going to be in its life because he’ll be in jail the next four years for raping and beating his mother, and then on top of that assaulting a court officer during the trial. And what if it’s a boy? I can’t teach a boy how to be a man. I’m not having this baby.”
    â€œAre you not having this baby or are you not keeping this baby? There is a difference. And not once have I heard you say either ‘A’ word. So which is it, Paige. What are you going to do? Which ‘A’ word is it going to be?”
    Paige paused for a moment and then spoke. “I’m not having this baby, Norman.”
    â€œThen what are you going to do?”
    â€œNot have this baby.”
    â€œWe can dance around the word all you want, but if you’re big and bold enough to do it, then surely you’re big and bold enough to say it. So say it. What are you going to do, Paige?”
    Paige shook her head and turned away in shame. “You know what I’m talking about.”
    â€œSay it,” Norman demanded.
    â€œI won’t.”
    â€œYou can’t.”
    â€œIt’s not that I can’t—”
    â€œThen say it. You mean you can trot out here to some clinic to have the procedure done but you can’t even fix your lips to say the technical term for it. Wow,” Norman pressed.
    â€œWhy are you doing this?”
    â€œBecause I need you to listen to yourself. I really want to hear you put that out in the universe if that is truly what you are hell bent on doing. Because I’m not going to stand here and try to talk you out of something your mind is made up on doing. Now if your heart is still on the fence, that is a different story. But if you’re all in, then just say it and do what you need to do.”
    Paige looked into Norman’s eyes that silently pleaded with her to please consider other options. The other ‘A’ word might not be so bad, especially if the child landed with a family who could do all the things for the child that Paige couldn’t. But did she really want to sacrifice her body for something she felt no connection to?
    â€œWell, what’s it going to be?” Norman said.
    Paige swallowed hard and then forced herself to say what deep within she’d made up her mind to do from the moment she got her pregnancy results. “Abortion. I’m getting an abortion.” Hearing herself say it almost brought Paige to her knees. As a matter of fact, she would have fallen to her knees if Norman hadn’t been there to catch her fall and take her over to the couch.
    The two just sat on the couch while Paige buried her face in Norman’s chest and cried. “Please don’t hate me for my decision, Norman. It doesn’t make me a bad person. I’m still a Christian.” Paige tried to convince herself more so than Norman.
    Kissing Paige on the forehead Norman replied, “And I’m still your friend.”

Chapter Three
    When Paige first opened her eyes, she had no idea where she was, as they were greeted with darkness. She jumped up, the cover that had been pulled up to her neck dropping to her waist. She frantically looked around until her eyes became familiar with her surroundings. She exhaled once she realized she was in her living room on her couch.
    â€œWhat time is it?” she mumbled. She pulled the covers off of her and placed her legs on the floor. She wiped her eyes and then that’s when something else familiar caught her eye. “Norman?”
    He stirred upon hearing his name, but he didn’t wake up. He was curled up on the living room chair. Seeing how uncomfortable he looked made