Chapter 7

Minerva sat on the edge of the bed beside her, while watching nervously at Poppy.

Poppy noticed and whispered, "I'm almost sure it is the stress that's been thrown at you lately, Minerva. Everything's going to be just fine," she said, dipping the test-strip into the container with Minerva's urine and holding it into the liquid for five seconds. "That just means the urine is being absorbed," she added, seeing Minerva's eyes widen as suddenly the end of the test-strip turned pinkish, before lifting it from the container again.

She quietly put the container aside on the white night table, before sitting down beside Minerva on the edge of the bed again. "We just have to wait about two minutes," Poppy whispered, lowering the test onto a piece of paper towel into her lap so both could perceive the changes immediately.

"I have never been late more than even one day in all my life, and…" Minerva uttered worriedly, eyes fixed onto the test in Poppy's lap.

"You haven't been unsafe lately, have you?" Poppy asked, and her voice suddenly sounded higher than usual. Minerva didn't fail to notice that change, and that didn't particularly make her any calmer either.

"I have…" She sighed, before lowering her head into her hands. "Finnley and I were hoping for a baby…"

"Oh Minerva…"

Minerva's head shook, before she slowly raised it again, and shock took over her being, seeing a light blue line appear into one of the windows on the test. "What's that?" Minerva questioned, pulse racing.

"That means the test's working," Poppy reassured, almost intuitively reaching for the other woman's hand and squeezing it lightly. She really tried to hide the fact that her pulse too began racing. It wouldn't be much longer anymore until both women would be able to read the result of the test and be able to say if Minerva actually was with child or not. She internally hoped for the latter, well aware how difficult it would make things.

"When…?" Minerva began, shakily.

"Soon."

Minerva nervously chewed her bottom lip, keeping her eyes focused onto the test. Another surge of fear coursed through her being, as a light blue sign appeared into the other window. She shrieked. "What's that?"

Poppy's thumb slowly slid aside to show her that according to the key of the test, a minus meant that the test was negative, and a… Minerva gasped, before raising her eyes to meet Poppy's. Poppy swallowed. "Is there any possibility that this thing could be mistaken?" Minerva asked, voice shaking under the load of emotions running through her. Her teal green eyes almost begged the nurse to say anything else but no.

Poppy swallowed again. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "There's a chance this thing," she said, shock taking over her speech as well and keeping her from using the correct medical names, "may miss…"

"Please do another one then," Minerva breathed.

"Minerva," Poppy said. "It rarely happens that false positives occur with this method of testing."

"I don't care," Minerva said, eyes never leaving the light blue plus screaming at her, telling her that indeed she was with child, just like she had already feared. "Please…" she begged. Poppy's fingers tightened around hers, she felt. She wasn't really doubting the result.

"I'm sorry," Poppy whispered. "I… I cannot even begin to imagine just how difficult it must be for you, to carry his child, when he's no longer there to share it with you…"

"Poppy," Minerva whispered. "That's not really my main worry now…" She then took a rather deep breath to voice that which Poppy seemingly hadn't thought about, but was what actually made Minerva panic. "What if… What if this little one isn't Finnley's, but…?" She didn't need to finish that, for Poppy had already covered her mouth with her hand to keep another gasp of shock unheard. "What if this baby's his?" She voiced. "I'll never be able to love this child, even though its innocence. I'll just see him again…" She swallowed, before continuing in a more serious, less panicked, softer tone, "Is there any way to tell…?"

Poppy's head shook. "I'm afraid not, Minerva… I would have… There isn't any way to make sure until you have given birth…" Minerva just nodded, and a silence fell between both women. When Poppy could no longer bear it, she continued, "Minerva… There's… We could make it undone, if…"

Minerva's head immediately shook in reply. "I would never be able to forgive myself if it had been Finnley's…" she whispered, choking back a sob from pure despair. "He really wanted to become a father…" Poppy nodded, hoping that sooner or later her tears would begin to fall. She appeared to be in shock right now, and that didn't particularly make Poppy feel more comfortable about the situation. "What if this baby's his, though?" Minerva repeated, heart racing.