My sister pu.s.h.ed me d.o.w.n the stairs at 8 months pregnant. “Apologize for making her angry,” mom demanded as I bl*d. “You know how stressed she is with her divorce.” I apologized. Then I made one phone call. They had no idea what I would do next…

The next, the world tilted violently.

She remembered the carpet first.

Beige with tiny brown flecks — the same ugly carpet her mother chose years ago because it “hid dirt well.”

Then came the terror.

Emma’s arms instantly wrapped around her stomach.

Protect the baby.

That was her only thought as her body crashed down the stairs.

Her knees slammed into wood.

Pain shot through her spine.

Her ankle twisted painfully beneath her.

Her shoulder struck the wall.

Her head hit hard enough to blur her vision.

Still, she protected her belly with both arms.

By the time she landed at the bottom, she could barely breathe.

Then she heard her sister’s voice above her.