Hello gorgeous readers!
So only 1 chapter tonight. I did plan on writing more but STATE OF ORIGIN WAS ON! NSW WON BTW WOO! On the Blues. *fist pump*
Anyhoo – enjoy Chapter 4. Reviews are lovely.
Love love! Rahn
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Olena didn't leave my side for what seemed like hours. Her soothing words and soft strokes down my hair calmed me, brought me back to a state where I was able to comprehend what had happened. What will be happening to my body. The shock had worn of slightly and the tears began to dry up, I moved so that my face wasn't buried into Olena's chest, although she never indicated that I had to. I just felt…weak and that I was already depending too much on a woman who I had only just met. I was stronger than this dammit.
How had I missed it? I guess when you're stressed or so determined on something other than yourself you overlook such obvious signs. I had been feeling nausea more often but I was hunting Strigoi – it was a given I'd feel sick. Admittedly it had been fiercer than ever and one of the biggest things that should have tipped me. My period – I was girl, therefore it was something I'd dealt with for quite some time but the fact that it hadn't turned up just…never occurred me to. I was so fixated on my mission that…Wow.
I had felt more worn out but again, I was travelling every night and a lot of the day. Unlike the Academy I didn't really have a schedule to keep to, and I was never one who kept a bedtime if I didn't need to. Even when I did need to I kind of avoided it, sneaking out on various escapades.
But mostly – I had a belly! It wasn't much, more like I had eaten too many cheeseburgers but it was there. All my clothes from Montana had been pushed aside for new ones that allowed me to fit into the clubbing scene. Pretty much all my clothes now were ones I recently purchased and I was never one to pay attention to sizing, just if I liked it and it fit, it was bought.
"Rose?" Olena broke my train of thought and she began shifting to get out of the bed, untangling herself from me. She must have felt my mood change. I moved further across on the small bed, allowing Olena to get out easily. "I am sorry for scaring you. It wasn't my intention but…"
"No, no. Don't apologise. I guess…I guess I should have known and….there was no easy way to do it." I leaned up on my elbows. "I…I don't know if I can do this." My hair fell around my face, hiding the fear that I knew was still upon my features.
I could hear Olena shuffling around, gathering something. "Rose, if I am speaking honestly – no-one is ever prepared. Even those who plan and try to have children. We are all the same and we are all scared." I heard her sit back down on the chair beside the bed. I couldn't bring myself to look up and instead focused on hem of the shirt, listening to her words.
"You're very lucky. A child is a gift and this one is certainly a fighter – just like her mum"
We sat in silence for a moment, questions lingering in the air but neither one wanting to put a voice to them. I lay back down and began pulling the shirt back up, "I guess…you should do that check." Olena eyed me, still concerned about my previous outburst. She reached for my hands and gripped them tightly, "You're not alone Rose." She smiled and squeezed my hand again then placed the stethoscope pieces in her ears.
I watched her intently, she was so very tender as her hands felt around my belly, as she placed and moved the stethoscope around my abdomen. Her face grew serious though, and her touches became a bit stronger. Not hurtful but as if she was trying to move something around – well not something, my baby. Suddenly I felt worried and a different kind of panic settled in – had I lost it? "Can you hear her?...or him? Is everything okay?" I looked from my belly to Olena, her gaze never moving from the task at hand.
"I am trying to locate a heartbeat but…" her nose scrunched up as she moved the stethoscope again, applying pressure to a different section to my abdomen "I don't know how far along you are and this only works if you're at least 12 - 15 weeks. I did hear it before – when you were first brought it but it has been harder and harder to locate." She continued to examine me while my mind went off on its own horrible scenarios.
What was wrong with me? First I didn't want to believe it and now…now I am afraid that I've lost it? But now that I knew, now that I had settled – I saw more clearly what I had. A gift and I had to protect it. Olena's words had helped me view this differently but what my mind clung to was "This one's a fighter – just like her mum" Yeah but let's hope they aren't as reckless, or stupid. I was enough of that on my own but this baby was a fighter and I refused to lose it, now that I knew of it's existence.
Olena had a sharp intake of breathe and I shot back up onto my elbows "No! No don't move!" Olena pushed me back down with the hand that had been applying the pressure. I did as instructed and strained my neck to try and see what she was doing.
The stethoscope moved ever so slightly again, the pressure reapplied as she adjusted my belly. A smile came across her face, she was glowing.
"It's so much stronger. He was just hiding a bit further to the left. I think," She tilted her head back, like she was listening to music that moved her "We might be in the clear." She looked back to me with that smile and I couldn't help the one that came across my own.
My child, my baby was okay. I closed my eyes and relaxed, my body had previously been so tense and I felt all my muscles fall.
"Did you want to hear?" Olena was looking at me expectantly. I nodded. I didn't want to ruin the moment with my stupid verbal vomit.
"You'll have to take the ear pieces from me otherwise I might lose where the baby is." I once again sat up on my elbows, so careful not to move my torso too much. Olena leant forward, a smile still across her gorgeous face, lighting up her features – it was so very contagious. I placed the hearing pieces in my ears.
"Do you hear anything?"
"N…no…I think he must have moved or when – " and then I heard it. A faint beating, like someone had put a pillow over it. My eyes widened and I stared at Olena, her eyes indicating she knew exactly what the emotions were ran through me at this moment. It sounded like…a horse galloping or…a train chugging but muffled as if underwater. It was so fast and so little – I couldn't believe that I could even hear something so small.
"Thank you" Was all I could muster and I handed the stethoscope back. I sat up and finally put the track pants on but at this point I think Olena had proven she didn't care if I was naked or clothed.
"You'll need to be really careful over the next few months, Rose. You don't realise how lucky you are that the baby is still alive. You took some terrible hits to the area and…I really didn't think he'd pull through. So – bed rest or at least – no fighting or any form of intense activity" Her look was stern but still held the concern from earlier. I nodded sheepishly.
"I'm going to start lunch. Come down when you're ready. I'm sure the girls will be back soon and will be happy to see you up and about." She squeezed my shoulder and left the room, shutting the door behind her.
I believe that Olena knew I needed some time alone and she was right. So much had happened within such a small space of time and I reeled in it.
Pregnant. Rose Hathaway – teen mum. Well, I was 18 and in many cultures that was late for this kind of thing. I didn't plan on having kids for a long time. Like – really long time. My life was Lissa and being a guardian. I didn't see myself as a family person, ever but now…with this baby it was all I wanted.
My thoughts drifted to Dimitri. There was no way that I could chase after him now, not without endangering the life of my baby again….Our baby. I smiled meekly and placed a hand on my belly. Our baby.
Dimitri had been taken from me but…he hadn't totally gone. As always he'd found a way to make sure I always knew he'd be there. He'd left me with a gift, a piece of him and I had no idea how I was going to handle it. Quiet tears began the fall down my cheeks, my head falling forward.
"Why did you have to leave me? I can't do this alone" I fell back onto the bed, pulling the blankets up to my face and buried myself beneath them. "I need you."
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Welp! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! It turned out a bit different to what I thought it would *shrug*
Review people! I need to know thoughts on this!
Love love!
