The Lies That Bind

by Emily Giffin

“You know I can’t do that,” I say, having had this discussion with him before, several times, including when I declined his invitation to go to a pro-choice march in Madison. “And besides. What if it’s Matthew’s? I’d be killing what would have been our firstborn.” “Abortion isn’t killing,” he says. “And a fetus isn’t a child.” “Let’s just move on,” I say. “There’s no use debating these points because I’m not getting an abortion. It’s just something I personally can’t do.”