Chapter 58

I asked Jabari to add Skylar and Bethel to Lucien’s cell but it turned out no one had seen them all day. I fiddled with the heart-shaped pendant on my throat as a feeling of being overwhelmed washed over me.

Celeste had to report back to work for a few hours and Jabari assured me that he would secure the pack until Valens’ return. He seemed to have a lot of faith that Valens would return soon. So much that I kept looking out the window expecting to see my mate. That was how assured Jabari made me feel.

I looked at my allergy medication and wondered why it wasn’t working. If anything, it just make me feel even more tired.

Octavia brought me lunch and when she tried and failed numerous times to get me involved in a conversation, she finally left with an empty tray. I was hungry today and not as queasy as usual.

“I brought some snacks.” Celeste came in holding a bag. Whatever was in her bag smelled delicious and I went at it with fervor. Celeste had a big grin on her face when I was done devouring the snacks like a starved animal.

“I think I’m pregnant.” I wiped my mouth as I raised my head from the bag.

“I thought so too so I got tests.” She held up another bag which I hadn’t noticed when she walked in.

It didn’t occur to me since that I may be pregnant. I always had irregular periods. My period had come a week late before and once I’d had a missed period. I no longer had a period diary but by my rough calculations, it was close to two weeks late now.

Celeste followed me to the bathroom and pulled out three pregnancy tests. She told me how to use them. I half listened to her words and half panicked.

A part of me admitted to wanting the test to come out negative. What did I know about children to be having one of my own? The comment I made about being pregnant wasn’t supposed to be anything more than a comment!

“Excuse me for a second.” I looked at the tests while speaking to Celeste. She left without a word and I may have shed a tear as I tore the first pack open.

My hands shook as I took off my underwear and a flurry of mixed feelings plagued me. I used the three sticks and read the instructions on them to pass the time. They had varying instructions on how long I had to wait to determine my fate.

One after the other, I checked the tests and let out a sigh. The first one came out negative while the next two were positive.

I was pregnant.

I wasn’t sure how to feel. I didn’t think of children any more than I thought of my period. I looked at the sticks again. One of them indicated I wasn’t pregnant but the other two begged to differ. Was it possible the other two had malfunctioned and I really wasn’t pregnant?

Celeste knocked on the door, jostling me from my state of indecision. Was it a good time to be pregnant? Did I even have any idea about raising kids? Was I ready to raise kids? Valens was desperate for kids and yes, I knew one day in the future we’d have a family. I was certain of it but I didn’t think the future would be so soon.

“Can I come in?” Celeste asked, knocking again. I opened the door before she knocked again. “What’s the result?” She asked. She wanted to enter the bathroom with me but I stepped out instead.

“I am pregnant.” I flopped into a seat and raised a pillow to my face.

“Congratulations?” I chuckled at the uncertainty in her tone but the laughter died a quick death. “How do you feel?” I felt the chair dip beside me as she took a seat and I pulled the throw pillow from my face.

“Truthfully?” I asked and she nodded. “Equal parts excited and terrified.” I sat upright, wishing I’d lied instead of telling her the truth.

I was supposed to be excited about pregnancy. Over the moon. Wasn’t that the reaction of expecting mothers? I should be thinking of baby names now. I should – I should not be wondering if I knew the correct way of changing a diaper.

“That’s to be expected, isn’t it?” My friend nudged me.

“It is?” Hope filled my heart. By my reaction, I already felt like an awful person; a bad mother even.

“It’s your first pregnancy and judging by the look on your face, it’s not one you’ve taken time to consider.” She leaned back into the seat and put her hands behind her head.

“It’s not as if I’m surprised. We never used protection and Valens has been dying to have a child. I’m just –“ I just hadn’t really thought of it.

He’d been told he may not have a child but he’d also been told a lot of things by the dozens of oracles and prophets he visited in his desperation to end his curse. I knew we’d have kids but I never took time to consider the fine prints of having kids.

I’d be pregnant for nine months and then I’d be responsible for a whole human. I never had younger ones. No nieces or nephews to babysit. In fact, I’d never been around babies much. What the hell did I even know?

A stray thought entered my head and it almost made me explode with the anxiety that came with it. “What if I’m a bad mother?” My heart pumped with anxiety and horror.

“You won’t be a bad mother if you’re already so concerned about being a bad mother. Cheer up.” She pulled my cheeks.

Valens would be ecstatic, I think. No, no. I didn’t think. I knew. He would be over the moon if he knew he was about to be a father. And I wouldn’t be a bad mum. I laughed at the absurdity of the thought. As if Valens would allow me be a bad mum to his children. I placed a hand over my stomach.

I didn’t feel pregnant but I didn’t know what pregnant felt like. Was it pregnancy or was it the food I devoured like an hour ago? Was I full with food or was it love flooding into my heart and tightening my ch3st?

“Just so we are clear, you are totally naming her Celeste.” My friend piped up from beside me. “Congrats, Aysel. I’m super proud of you.” She hugged me. “Doctor Clarke will be in by tomorrow so we can get you tested. You’ll have to register for antenatal as soon as possible.”

Someone knocked on the door with Celeste still hugging me.

“I’ve got it.” She dashed to open the door and Jabari came it holding a phone out to me. My heart leapt into my throat. I knew who it was already.

“Hi.” I cleared my throat as I held up the phone with shaky hands.

“I –“ I was glad to know I wasn’t the only one nervous on the call. “We need to talk.”

“Nothing happened. I swear it.”

“Jabari says you’re sick.Wolf’s bane poisoning?”

“Yeah. Skylar used wolf’s bane on me but that’s not why I’m sick.” I glanced at the two others in the room who were watching my every move.

Celeste blushed when I turned to them. Surprisingly, she pulled Jabari with her and the man allowed himself to be dragged out.

“What is it then? I’ve sent over a doctor since Redville’s is incompetent.” There was a bit of noise in the background so I didn’t speak until I was sure he could hear me.

“I think – Well, I took a test. Three really and two came back positive.” More noise in the background made me pause. “I’m pregnant.”

I pulled the phone from my ear when the other end of the phone went dead silent.

“Hello?”

“I am at the airport. Can you imagine these idiots don’t have a flight to Redville today? It’ll take them four hours to arrange a private plane for me.” The infuriation and sudden topic change took me aback.

“Oh no. Umm what will you do now?”

“It’ll take me two hours on a run to get to the closest airport but then I have to deal with morons who think I may be invading but am I really going to be a father?” I laughed.

“You’re losing your mind, aren’t you?” I asked and then he proceeded to lose his mind.

I’d never heard anyone ramble as much as he did then. He word-vomited anything his mind set on. After a good thirty minutes of rambling, my stomach hurt from how much I was laughing.