15 | mend health

"EVERYTHING LOOKS GOOD," Doctor Fitzgerald announced, backing away from the Sonogram.

Adrik went out of his way to make sure they had everything the doctor could ever need. He even set up a room just for Avelina's appointments to make sure she stayed in the best of health. He wanted to make up for all the stress and damage he caused. It wasn't good for her and it wasn't good for the baby.

"Would you like to listen?" Doctor Fitzgerald asked. Adrik quickly nodded his head in eagerness.

He replaced the sonogram with an ultrasound and began to move the device across Avelina's belly. Adrik looked over at the screen to see the small baby. It was curled up inside of her stomach and had little movement as the doctor searched for sound.

Suddenly, the entire room could hear it. It was enough to make Adrik smile as he looked over at the screen. The sound of his unborn baby replicating nothing but a whoosh was suddenly the best sound he had ever heard.

He looked over at Avelina to see she was staring up at him. The moment they made eye contact, she turned away.

"That sounds like a very healthy baby to me." Doctor Fitzgerald smiled.

Once they got to see the baby for a moment, he removed the device from Avelina's belly and began to clean up. Adrik watched him hand Avelina a small towel she could use where she wiped off the jelly from her stomach.

Doctor Fitzgerald slid his gloves off with a snap and threw them away in a nearby bin.

"It was great finally meeting you in person, Mr. Zolotov," Doctor Fitzgerald said, raising his hand up so Adrik could shake it.

Adrik uncomfortably slid his hand into the doctors and gave him a firm shake. He knew it was a custom for people in America to shake hands, but no matter how many times he had done it, he still wasn't comfortable in the slightest bit.

"Miss Santos tells me that you were diagnosed with ASD," Doctor Fitzgerald stated. I glanced over at Avelina to see her attention was grasped by the ceiling.

"Yes," was all I said.

"I told Avelina that there was a eighty-percent chance your child could be born with ASD as a result, but it appears that I was mistaken. After throughly researching, I found that the chance of inheriting autism could vary greatly. The only way we will be able to determine if your child has autism will be tests we have to run but later in your child's life—anything before eighteen months. Make sure you are aware of the early signs of autism and what you need to look out for. However, it won't be me running these tests, of course, seeing as I am a Obstetrician. You will have to look into a neurologist or pediatrician," Doctor Fitzgerald advised.

"No matter what, and excuse me for saying this, but you look a lovely family. Your child will be very lucky to have you as parents," he said, smiling.

"Thank you," I said.

Doctor Fitzgerald gave a curt nod. "Have a great rest of your evening!" he exclaimed, walking out of the room.

A driver was already waiting for him to take him back to one of the guest houses where he and his wife would be staying until the delivery of Avelina's baby. Based on the swimming trunks and wet t-shirt he came to the appointment in, Adrik was aware that the doctor was enjoying his time.

"I do not want my child to have autism," Adrik confessed. Avelina's head sharply turned toward him where her brows rose in pure shock.

"Excuse me?" she questioned.

"You are excused," Adrik told her, holding the door open for her to leave.

She didn't get up. She sat up in the bed and let a frown settle on her face. Adrik realized she had been frowning a lot recently based on the wrinkles that were starting to gather on her face.

"It's not a matter of if you want our child to have autism or not. I'm sure no one wants their kid to go through the struggles of constantly being reminded of how different they are. The only concern we're allowed to have right now is the health of our child," she said stubbornly.

Silence filled the room after her outburst. Adrik read up on pregnant women to the pinnacle, he was already aware of the constant mood swings just waiting to occur.

Then, she sighed. There was resignation that hung on her face as she leaned back down on the bed to look up at the ceiling.

"I'm sorry. You have every right to have doubts—it's normal. My question is why don't you want our child to have autism?" she asked a lot less hostile than before.

"I am... afraid," he answered, grasping Avelina's attention again. It wasn't often that he expressed his emotions.

"The... baby would have to live their life in the same way I had to. I am afraid the baby will fail at finding someone like you," he answered, making sure not to say fetus so he wouldn't upset Avelina.

"What do you mean by that?" she asked, already knowing exactly what he meant but just wanting to hear him say the words.

"Other than us, who is going to love the baby, Avelina?" he questioned.

She looked down at her fingers.

All he wanted his entire life was to feel understood. He craved love and intimacy, knowing that both would be two of the most difficult things in the world for him. He needed communication, but for some reason, his words never held value to anyone. It was like he was locked in a glass box his entire life, always looking out, but never being seen... until Avelina.

With a key, she opened the box and let him out. With little words, he communicated his every thought and she understood him with no assistance. She gave him love and intimacy and made it two of the most easiest things in the world. He was free, and he was seen.

The thought of bringing someone into the world and trapping them forever would never satisfy his broken heart. Knowing that maybe an Avelina will never come along, and let them out of that glass box killed him inside. They would never understand true love and intimacy. They would never be able to communicate, and never be seen. It would all be Adrik's fault, and that burden was far too much to carry.

"I don't know," she whispered.

It was like reality sunk in. She got up from the table and slid her large shirt back down to cover her baby bump. Adrik watched her slide on her pair of sandals and walk past him.

He didn't hesitate to follow her. She only continued to walk to the back door where she slid the door open and stepped out.

"Avelina," Adrik called, stepping outside with her. He closed the door behind the two of them and followed her to the beach.

"What?" she asked, stopping to turn around.

"I wish for our relationship to return to how it was before—"

"Before you picked Natasha over me? Before you left your pregnant girlfriend in the lobby of your office and discarded her like trash? Before you let your sister trick me and spy on me? Before you kidnapped me? Before, what exactly, Adrik?" she snapped.

"Yes," he answered.

"I don't want a relationship with you," she told him, turning back around to go to the beach. Adrik was quick to grab onto her arm.

"I want a relationship with you," he told her.

Her eyes began to water as she looked at him. "Don't... just don't."

"Your brother made me choose between my sister's life or my relationship with you. It made my heart hurt to leave you in my lobby, but I was did not want my sister to die. I did not want anyone to die, Avelina. I never sent Natasha to spy on you. I am not completely sure what you meant by that question," Adrik explained.

Avelina continued to gaze at him. The wind was whisking through her dark hair and the sunset was reflecting itself onto her eyes as she scrunched them in the cutest way to block out some of the sun.

"Why would he do that?" she asked. Adrik's brows scrunched together in confusion.

"My brother... why would he make you choose between her life and our relationship?" she clarified.

"To prove a point. He said, 'My sister is naïve, and she believes that you actually love her. I keep telling her and telling her that you're a Zolotov. When does the Zolotov's ever love anyone but themselves?'" Adrik answered.

"Is it true? All that you love is yourself?" she asked.

"I love you," he told her.

"Stop," she muttered, a tear falling from her face.

She pried her arm from his hold and turned to walk away again.

"I'm going to the ocean. I need time to clear my mind for a bit," she said, leaving Adrik there alone.

—

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