“And the baby?” Brenda pressed, her tone icy yet controlled. “What’s going on with the baby, Grace? Start talking.” Grace swallowed hard, glancing at Stacey for reassurance. When Stacey gave her a subtle nod, Grace took a shaky breath and began.
“The baby is mine,” she admitted, her voice breaking slightly. “I had him with my boyfriend. But my parents don’t know about him. They can’t know.” She looked down, her tears splashing onto her trembling hands.