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Girls Just Wanna Have Fundamental Rights
Girls Just Wanna Have Fundamental Rights Read online
Girls Just Wanna Have Fundamental Rights
A Charity Anthology
Shannon O’Connor
M Leigh Morhaime
Brigitte Ann Thomas
J.R. Rogue
K Leigh
Ellie Isaacson
Sophia Peony
Adrian J. Smith
C.A. King
Jessica Minyard
Cecelia Conway
Rose Bak
Renee Dyer
Katrina Marie
JJ Grice
Beatrice White
KL Donn
Michelle McCraw
Bryony Rosehurst
Lesley Hoover
Rachel Abugov
Sarah Stein
Amanda Cuff
Margot Swan
Denise Wells
Jacqueline Elisabeth
Deveree Extein
Nöi Lélek
Alexis B Mendez
Stella Donato
Kaylyn Marie
Michelle McCraw
Ann Maree Craven
Copyright © 2022 Shannon O’Connor
All rights reserved.
* * *
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and articles.
* * *
Any resemblance to persons alive or dead is purely coincidental.
* * *
Cover & Inside Designs by M Leigh Morhaime of Lost Marbles Designs
Formatted by Shannon O’Connor
Created with Vellum
Contents
Title Page
Unexpected Endings by Shannon O’Connor
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
About Shannon O’Connor
When Love Is Enough by M Leigh Morhaime
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Epilogue
About M Leigh Morhaime
Begin Again by JJ Grice
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
About JJ Grice
Letting Go by Amanda Cuff
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
About Amanda Cuff
Wright to Love by Renee Dyer
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
About Renee Dyer
Diamonds and Rubies by Karen Nappa
Chapter One: Diamonds and Rubies
Chapter Two: Unholy Night
Chapter Three: Magenta Castle
Chapter Four: Twisted Fate
Collared Tradition by Adrian J. Smith
Chapter One
About Adrian J. Smith
The Proposal by Ellie Isaacson
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
About Ellie Isaacson
Free Fall by Sophia Peony
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
About Sophia Brown
Clara’s Story (#1.5) by C.A. King
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
About C.A. King
Three Rules to Becoming a Goddess by Michelle McCraw
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
About Michelle McCraw
Bridging the Divide by Cecelia Conway
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
About Cecelia Conway
Comfort & Joy By Rose Bak
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
About Rose Bak
The One That Got Away by Ann Maree Craven and Michelle MacQueen
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
About Ann Maree Craven and Michelle MacQueen
(For)Ever Mine by Katrina Marie
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
About Katrina Marie
Cage & Magnolia: A Glimpse by K L Donn
Chapter One
Chapter Two
About K L Donn
A Rally for Rights and Love by Beatrice White
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
About Beatrice White
Photographed by Lesley Hoover
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Epilogue
About Lesley Hoover
Exposing Her for Good by Brigitte Ann Thomas
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
About Brigitte Ann Thomas
Am I the Idiot by Rachel Abugov
Chapter One
About Rachel Abugov
Dear Future Ex Husband by Denise Wells
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
About Denise Wells
Our Story By Margot Swan
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
About Margot Swan
Letters Worth Saving By Jacqueline Elisabeth
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
About Jacqueline Elisabeth
POETRY
 
; maybe when
On Postpartum Depression
SO TALL
For a Choice
At thirteen I began my bleeding
Boy will be boys
TO SURVIVE
TO BLEED HERSELF DRY
db day
Does the World Know?
Baby Blues
IF YOU DON’T WANT A BABY, THEN DON’T HAVE SEX.
misogyny
Witching Hour
WE PEAKED THEN
Embers
A life inside me
she cut him open.
i know that girl
YOU HAVE NO SAY BECAUSE YOU WERE BORN TO GET FUCKED AND BRED UNTIL YOUR UTERUS GIVES OUT.
pull us open at the seams,
Rituals
god is a Woman
THOUGHT OF GETTING A HYSTERECTOMY, AND IT IS AS IF I SAID I WANTED TO COMMIT MURDER.
People have been nitpicking
FIERCENESS OF WOMEN
Someone’s Someone
LIVING AS A WOMAN IN 2022
the enemy
A Letter to Whom it May Concern
ACHING FOR CHANGE
Listen
Our Humanity Isn’t Yours to Fuck With
How to Exist in a Fat Body While Pregnant: A Guide for Beginners
#LISTEN
Poets
About Deveree Extein
About Sarah Stein
About A.B.M.
About Jen Rogue
About Byrony Rosehurst
About Stella Donato
About K Leigh
About Kaylyn Marie
About Jessica Minyard
Unexpected Endings by Shannon O’Connor
How do you tell the person you love that yo may never be who you once were? Would they be able to love the new you?
Prologue
“I’m pregnant!”
should’ve been
the two happiest words
to come out of my mouth.
Not the words
that turned our lives
upside down
Chapter One
I peed all I possibly could onto the five sticks sitting beside me. I wish they had thought of a better way to check for pregnancy these days. Because peeing that much was kind of gross. I wash my hands, twice for good measure and just to give me something to do while I wait. It wasn’t like I was taking these for fun, I had the symptoms; missed periods, sore boobs, and a gut feeling. I was sure I was pregnant, despite that being the last thing on my plan right now.
My boyfriend, Oliver, was great. I’m sure a few years down the road and a wedding we’d love to have some kids of our own. But now? It wasn’t exactly something we’d discussed yet. Then again, we should’ve been more careful. If my mother were here she’d ask me how I could be so stupid, letting a man get me pregnant before I got married. The exact thing she did, and spent her whole life regretting.
The timer dings and it pulls me out of my downward spiral. This was it. Whatever the tests said, would determine the next, well the rest of my life. I take a huge breath and let it go before looking at each one.
Positive. Positive. Pregnant. Positive. Pregnant.
Well, there you go. I throw all but one of the tests in the trash and walk into the living room where Ollie was playing video games with his online friends. I typically tried not to bother him when he was playing, I usually took that time to bake something or read one of my cookbooks, marking recipes I might want to make.
“Ollie?” I tap his shoulder gently. He glances at me and he must see the look on my face because he pauses his game and rips off his headset.
“What’s wrong babe?” He walks over and holds my face in his hands. It’s one of my favorite things he does, so I lean into it and he wraps his arms around me.
“I’m pregnant,” I whisper beside his chest.
“What?” He pulls me away to hear me better but I can’t say it again. I hand him the stick and his eyes widen.
“You’re pregnant?” His tone is unreadable.
“Yes,” I nod, the tears tumbling down my cheeks.
“It’s going to be okay, I love you. And I’m going to love this baby.” He kisses me fiercely.
“You want to have it? The baby?” I ask, surprised. We had never talked about abortions before, but I wasn’t opposed to them. It just depended on the situation. I knew my mother would say this was the one to have one.
“I love you, why wouldn’t I want to have a baby with you? Of course, only if that’s what you want. It’s your body. I support you either way.” I can tell he wants this baby but his words are genuine. I know if I decided differently, he’d hold my hand while I exercised my right to choose.
“So we’re having a baby.” I say nervously. Ollie’s smile extends to his ears as he leans down to kiss my still flat stomach.
“We’re having a baby.” He smiles.
I lay on the couch next to him and instead of playing his video games, he puts on a movie for us to watch. Cuddling me in the couch, he’s scrolling on his phone when I realize he’s looking at baby names. A gigantic smile crosses my face at the realization of his excitement. Sure, this baby wasn’t planned, but I was sure in this moment it would be a good thing for both of us.
“Do we have to tell her?” I grumble as we stand outside my mother’s house.
“Yes, it’s better she hears it from us.” He says and I know he’s right.
“Jenna! It’s so good to see you!” My mother completely ignores Ollie and reaches out to hug me. My father at least shakes Ollie’s hand.
“Hi ma,” I walk into the house overflowing with children. My nieces and nephews were running around each room, filling the house with laughter. It was nice to think someday soon, my own child would be running along with them.
“Want something to drink?” She asks, holding up a beer. This was my mother’s ploy. If you said no, she’d immediately ask if you were pregnant.
“Not right now,” I say carefully. It was kind of a cop out, but I wasn’t ready to blurt it out the moment we walked into the house.
“Well, come on in, your sisters are out back. Louisa’s pregnant again, but she said she’s not accepting any negativity whatever that means.” My mother shakes her head. I knew exactly what she meant, which was why all of my sisters already knew. The four of them could keep a secret better than anyone I knew.
“Jenna! Oliver!” Everyone gets up to greet us and it’s a round of hellos and hugs.
Oliver pulls out a chair for me and everyone awes. I want to brag about how extra responsive he’s been lately but in reality this is how he’s always been. It was a lot of the reason we had gotten together. He was always a perfect gentleman.
“Ma, Pa, why don’t you come sit down?” My sister, Mirabel says trying to give us an opening to share the news.