What Steffen Was Afraid Of

Chelsea Salmon cradles her bump in Steve Shaw’s photographs for Treats! Magazine—that specific gesture, hands moving slowly across the curve of her belly, communicating warmth the way almost no other human gesture can. It’s an edited version of the experience, obviously. No nausea, no cramps, no 3am sprints to the bathroom. Just the golden part. The part you’d frame.

Looking at them I thought about Steffen, which surprised me. His condom broke and he came around in a state—actual tears, holding up a photo of his girlfriend in my face as if I were somehow part of the situation, as if I could fix it. Nothing happened. It resolved itself into relief for everyone involved. But watching Chelsea’s hands move across that belly I felt something quietly wistful about that, which is a strange thing to feel. I’m choosing to blame the lighting.