Chapter 10
Christian POV
Wednesday, Dec. 24th, 2014
I'm tapping my foot nervously as I wait for Ana to get ready. We're going for her first prenatal check today, then we're flying out to Montesano to spend Christmas Eve with her father; meaning, I'm going to meet him for the first time today.
I've spoken to him over the phone a couple of times, and he seems like a decent man. However, he is a military man, and I am sleeping with his daughter.
We're telling him today that Ana is pregnant. I know he knows that technically, I'm not the one who got Ana pregnant, but the thought is still nerve wrecking.
Nevertheless, meeting Ray is not the only reason I'm nervous. Ana has been throwing up nonstop lately, and I'm worried that it's more than morning sickness. It suddenly hit her a week after we found out she's pregnant, and until it happened, we had thought that she was one of the lucky women who don't get morning sickness.
I guess we jinxed it.
Whoever called it morning sickness should really be sued. It has nothing to do with morning, because if Ana as much as smells something that upsets her, she runs to the nearest bathroom, trash can, or even flower bush, and throws up everything she ate. It could happen any time, and we can't even predict what could trigger it.
I was really happy when Ana told me that her doctor is Dr. Greene. She's a friend of my mother's and I've known her for as long as I can remember. I guess she might be surprised to see me with Ana today.
I jump to my feet when I hear Ana getting sick in the bathroom, and I run to our bedroom, only to find her holding the trashcan by the bed and hurling into it.
I guess she couldn't even make it to the bathroom in time.
"It's ok, baby." I say as I hold her head back and rub circles against her back. "I wish there was anything I can do to help."
Ana just groans and she continues to get sick, then suddenly she starts pushing me to get away from her. I frown as I let go of her hair and take a step back. Once she finally stops throwing up, she takes a deep breath and wipes her mouth with a tissue.
"I couldn't make it to the bathroom in time." She says and closes her eyes. I take the trashcan from her and place it outside of the room, because the smell of vomit can push her into another fit of throwing up.
"What happened?" I ask as I take a step towards her, but she just holds her hand up to stop me, and I can't help but feel hurt at the gesture.
"It's your cologne." She says, and I raise my eyebrow at her. "I was collecting the dirty laundry, and I just held your shirt and took a sniff, because I usually love the way you smell."
"Oh." I say, and I honestly don't know what I can do about that.
"Do you mind taking a shower?" She asks, and I quickly look at the bedside clock. "I don't want to be throwing up all the way to the Doctor's, then all the way to Montesano."
Good. I have time for a quick shower.
"Sure, baby." I say as I begin taking off my clothes. "I'll be out in 5 minutes."
"Thank you." She calls at me, but I'm already in the bathroom, turning the water on and getting the rest of my clothes off. I make sure to use the scentless shower gel she got a few days ago because she couldn't handle the smell of hers anymore, and true to my word, I emerge from the bathroom 5 minutes later.
I find Ana already dressed in a pair of jeans and a sweater. Apparently, Christmas Eve at the Steele residence is a very casual occasion. That is why we will be coming back home to change into more formal attire to join my parents for Christmas dinner tomorrow.
If I thought I was nervous about meeting Ray, Ana is feeling ten times worse about meeting my family, and no matter how much I try to assure her that they will love her, she still won't believe me.
"I used some of your shower gel." I say as I pull out a pair of jeans and a sweater for myself.
"Thank you." She says with a sweet smile as I get dressed, then she rests her head back on the bed and closes her eyes for a while.
I keep my eyes fixed on her as I get dressed, and I can't help but feel the worry increase in the pit of my stomach. She's paler than she usually is, and she has dark circles under her eyes. I know that she's also losing weight, but she keeps saying that it's not the case.
How can she think otherwise when nothing she eats stays down, is beyond me.
"Ready." I say once I'm fully dressed, and she opens her eyes. I see her eyes roam my body, and the hunger in them makes my cock stir to life.
I was loving the crazy pregnancy hormones, because it meant that we were having more sex than I ever imagined possible. However, two days ago, she started getting too tired for even a make-out session.
She says that it's normal, but I don't believe her, and if her doctor says it is, I'm going to try and convince her to seek a second opinion.
"Let's go." She says and stand up, and then she sways a little on her feet, making me rush to grab her.
"Maybe we shouldn't go to Montesano, baby." I say, but I already know what she's going to say about that.
"No!" She says, her voice not leaving room for discussion. "We will be spending Christmas Eve with dad and Sandra."
"Ok, ok!" I say, knowing that unless the doctor says otherwise, we will be on our way to Montesano within two hours.
I had already contacted Stephen, my pilot, and asked him to have Charlie Tango ready at the top of Escala. I will be flying us there, and I have already talked to Ray about landing in Sandra's backyard.
Apparently, Sandra has a huge property, and it was previously used to land emergency helicopters before the local hospital established its own helipad.
I help Ana to the elevator, and all the way until we reach the car, my mind is going on overdrive with what the doctor could tell us about her situation.
Taylor is already waiting for us by the car, and he gives me a worried look when he sees Ana. I simply shake my head at him, because I really don't know what to tell him if he asks.
"Merry Christmas, Taylor." Ana says once we're in the car, and she's obviously trying to make her voice sound stronger than it actually is.
"Merry Christmas, Ana." Taylor says, and again, he throws me a worried look through the rearview mirror. "How are you feeling?"
"Good." She says, making both Taylor and I raise questioning eyebrows at her. "I am good, because being this tired means the baby is growing the way they should. It's part of being a mother, my body is making a human being."
"Was your wife this tired when she was pregnant?" I ask Taylor, and he shrugs.
"I wouldn't know, sir. I was deployed during her pregnancy." Taylor says then he concentrates back on the road.
"I didn't know you have a kid or that you are married." Ana says. I guess she's trying to keep herself busy because she might end up vomiting again if she looks through the window.
The first time it happened, I barely managed to park on time before she ran out and threw up in the nearest flower-bush. That's why I have a stash of airplane quality motion-sickness bags stashed in every one of my cars.
"Divorced." Taylor says. "And my daughter is turning 8 next month."
"Are you going to be spending Christmas with her?" She asks, and I give out an internal sigh.
"Unfortunately not." Taylor says, making Ana let out a gasp. "Her mother has her for Christmas and I have her for Easter. I did send her many gifts, though."
"So did I." I say, making Ana beam up at me.
"Why didn't you tell me? I would've sent her gifts as well." Ana says, and I see Taylor smile.
"I wrote both our names on the cards." I say and kiss her temple. "We're almost there."
Ana doesn't look out the window. She just rests her head against my chest and takes in a deep breath, then suddenly she pulls away with her hand over her mouth, and I quickly grab one of the bags and hold it to her.
I didn't use any cologne for God's sake!
Ana stops throwing up by the time Taylor parks in front of Dr. Greene's practice, and he hands me a small water bottle to give Ana.
"Here you go, baby." I say and open the bottle before giving it to her.
"Thank you." She says, but she doesn't drink the water until we step out of the car. I help her up when she sways on her feet again, and she points towards the trashcan at the corner of the building. Once we reach it, she takes a quick sip, gurgles, then spits out the water in the can. She then takes a few small sips, and lets out a sigh when the water doesn't come back up.
"We shouldn't take longer than an hour, Taylor." I say, not taking my eyes off Ana.
"I'll be right here, sir." Taylor says, but I barely pay him any attention as I help Ana inside the building. I'm praying that we don't wait long, and my prayers are quickly answered, because as soon as the registration nurse takes one look at Ana, she ushers us into an examination room, even though there are 4 other women sitting in the waiting room.
"How have you been feeling, Ana?" The nurse asks, and I raise my eyebrow at the familiar way she addresses Ana. I help Ana up on the screening bed, and she quickly rests her head back.
"I've been better." Ana finally admits, for once giving an answer other than 'good'. "But I read that it's normal to be tired during the first trimester."
"Just how tired have you been?" The nurse asks, and looking at her nametag, I learn her name is Laura.
"Tired." Ana simply says, and I let out a loud groan.
"Baby, don't downplay things. You have to let her know how you've been really feeling. I don't think it's normal for you to throw up more than 10 times a day and have times when you can barely lift your head from the pillow." I say, making Ana shoot me a deadly look.
"10 times?" Laura asks and writes something down on the chart I just realized she's holding. "Have you told Dr. Greene about it?"
"I haven't talked to Dr. Greene since before I found out I was pregnant." Ana says and closes her eyes. "I only spoke to Suzan to make the appointment for today."
"Ok." Laura says with a small nod, but I don't like the look on her face. She seems worried, and it's never a good sign when the nurse is worried. "I'm going to take your blood pressure now, and I will need you to get on the scale for a minute."
"Ok." Ana says, and I quickly help her up so that Laura can take her blood pressure. A few minutes later, I see Laura's frown deepening as she writes down the results on the chart, and I have to bite my tongue so that I don't snap at her.
"Have you been feeling dizzy?" Laura asks, and Ana actually looks ashamed for a second.
"Ana?" I ask, feeling my anger bubbling. I count to 10 then count backwards to 1, twice. I then take a deep breath.
"Yes." She admits, her voice coming out small. "I felt like I was going to faint at work yesterday, but then I got better."
"Damn it, Ana!" I snap. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"It's normal." Ana says with a shrug.
"Not it's not!" Laura and I say at the same time, but Ana looks at Laura with wide eyes.
I guess she's more likely to believe the one with a medical background.
"Your blood pressure is lower than normal, Ana." Laura says and asks me to help Ana to the scale. Once I do, she looks at Ana's numbers and her frown deepens.
"You've also lost weight." She says, and now Ana has tears in her eyes.
"Is the baby going to be ok?" Ana asks, and I feel like I jerk for snapping at her.
"I'm sure the baby is going to be fine." Laura says with a sweet smile. "Why don't you remove your pants and underwear, and put on the paper robe. I'll make sure Dr. Greene comes to see you first."
"Thank you." I say, and with that, Laura leaves us alone in the examination room. I help Ana remove her clothes then put on the blue paper robe, before I help her back up on the bed. We stay quiet for a few minutes, with me running my fingers through her hair, until Dr. Greene rushes into the room, a look of apprehension on her face.
"Jesus Christ, Ana." Dr. Greene says, as she looks over the chart that she obviously took from Laura. "Why haven't you called me? Your blood pressure is 98/60, and you've lost 5 pounds!"
Ana only whimpers at hearing what the Doctor says, and I shoot her an angry look.
Bedside manners much?
"I'm sorry; I didn't mean to scare you dear." Dr. Greene says after she gives me a dirty look of her own. "I'm going to check over your baby now, and I can promise you that everything with him or her is going to be ok."
"How can you be so sure?" Ana ask, her voice barely coming out in a whisper as the tears threaten to fall from her eyes.
"I've been doing this for many years, sweetheart." Dr. Greene says as she rolls over the ultrasound device. She pulls a probe that looks like an alien tentacle, and I cringe when I realize she will be putting that inside Ana. She instructs Ana to put her feet up in the stirrups, and then she puts a condom over the device before she pushes it inside Ana.
"I know it's uncomfortable, but we'll be done in a minute." Dr. Greene says as she looks at the big screen mounted on the TV in front of the bed.
How did I not notice this before?
For a few long seconds, the room is deadly silent, then the voice of what sound like a heard of horses fills the room, and I feel my heart stop.
"Hear that?" Dr. Greene says with a big smile. "That's your baby's heartbeat, and it's as strong as they come."
"Really?" Ana asks, the tears now spilling freely down her face.
"Yes, really." Dr. Greene says, then she points at the screen. "See this here?" She asks, pointing at what looks like a small jelly-bean. "That's your baby."
"Our baby." I whisper, making Dr. Greene give me a questioning look.
"He looks like a jelly-bean." Ana says, and I can't take my eyes off the screen.
"Yes, she does." I say before I finally mange to tear my eyes away from the screen and look back at Ana. "I love you baby." I say and place a lingering kiss on her lips.
"Um, that reminds me." Dr. Greene says, and looks at me with a mix of confusion and humor on her face. "What are you doing here, Christian?"
"Ana and I are dating." I say with a smile and rub my hand over Ana's hair.
"How long?"
"A month and 9 days, but I'm not counting." I say, making Dr. Greene burst out laughing. Suddenly, she sobers up, and it seems like she's about to ask me something important, but Ana's voice cuts her off.
"Christian?" Ana asks, and when I look at her, I feel my heart sink. She looks deathly pale, and her eyes are drooping. "Christian, I'm not feeling too good."
"Ana?" I ask, but she doesn't answer me. I rub my hand against her face, but she doesn't open her eyes, making me turn to look at Dr. Greene, but she's not sitting in her spot anymore. Instead, I see her press a button on the wall underneath the screen before she rushes to Ana's side. She quickly attaches a monitor to her arm, and she shakes her head when she reads the numbers.
"Her blood pressure is too low." Dr. Greene says, and I'm in a panic I can't even form a word. Suddenly, two other nurses rush into the room and they ask me to step to the side. I reluctantly do, and I look from my spot as they work on Ana. No more than 5 minutes later, I see Ana's eyes flutter open, and I quickly rush to her side.
"What happened?" She asks, her voice coming out groggy.
"You fainted." I say as I run my fingers over her face. "Your blood pressure dropped too low."
"Oh."
"Ana, how many times a day have you been throwing up?" Dr. Greene asks as she helps Ana sit up a little bit.
"Between 12 to 15 times." Ana admits, and I feel my eyes grow wide.
What the flying fuck!
I hear Dr. Greene let out a loud sigh and shake her head.
"What triggers it?"
"Anything and everything." I now answer. "She can't keep anything down, Doctor. She even throws up water sometimes."
"I'm going to run a few tests, but it seems like you have Hyperemesis Gravidarum." Dr. Greene says. "Sever morning sickness." She explains when Ana and I give her blank expressions.
"How do we deal with it?" I ask, making Dr. Greene smile at me.
"I'll prescribe you something that is safe for the baby. However, I have to keep you here for a few hours to monitor your blood pressure. You're also extremely dehydrated. I need to put you on an IV of fluids."
"We're supposed to go to Montesano to spend Christmas Eve with my dad." Ana says, and I already have the wheels turning in my head.
We are not leaving Seattle today, even if my life depended on it.
"I'm sorry to tell you this dear, but you're not going anywhere today." Dr. Greene says with a sympathetic smile. "Even when I discharge you in a few hours, you need to rest, and going anywhere today then coming back here tomorrow is not resting."
Ana doesn't say anything, but I can see the unshed tears in her eyes, and I know that I will move heaven and earth to have her spend Christmas with her father.
"We're going to move you to a private room for more comfort and privacy. I will check on you in a couple of hours to see how you're doing."
"Ok." Ana says, but doesn't say much else as I help her put her clothes on. Soon, a nurse comes back with a wheel chair and takes Ana to a private room, with me following behind. As soon as we make it inside the room, Ana is hooked up to an IV line, and before I can even run my idea pass her, she's out cold.
I start to panic when I see her fall asleep so quickly, but the nurse assures me that they gave her a mild medicine, safe for both her and the baby, so that she can rest enough for her blood pressure to return to normal.
Seeing that Ana is fast asleep, I pull out my phone and call Jose, setting my plan in motion.
Ana POV
I wake up feeling groggy and disoriented, but when I look around the room, I remember where I am, and I can't stop the tears from falling uncontrollably from my eyes.
I can't believe I've allowed my condition to get this bad. I knew in my gut that something was wrong, but I never imagined it was that wrong. I never had any friends who were pregnant to ask them questions, and it's not like I could call my mom and ask her.
Yeah, that would go well.
Now, I'm hooked up to this IV line, and I'm going to miss out on spending Christmas Eve with my dad.
That thought alone makes me cry harder. I was so looking forward to it, to Christian meeting my dad. I've wanted the two most important men in my life to meet since before Christian went to London, but then everything happened and here I am today.
"Baby, what's wrong? Are you ok?" I hear Christian's panicked voice as soon as he comes into my room, and before I can mutter up a response, he's pressing a button by my bed. "Does anything hurt?"
"No." I whimper between my tears. "I'm sorry. I didn't know things were this bad."
"Sssh, it's ok sweetie." Christian says as he wraps his arms around me and rests my head on his chest. "There's nothing to be sorry about. You didn't know."
"How could I be so reckless?" I hiccup my answer between sobs, and I know that I must look a mess. My makeup must be running down my face and I dread looking at myself in the mirror. "I knew something was wrong, but I didn't want to believe my gut. I thought I was being too emotional and hormonal."
"Now you know to trust your instincts more, right?" Christian asks and looks at me with a warm smile on his face. "The important thing is that the baby is ok, and once you start on the meds, you'll be ok as well."
"Yes, you're right." I say and take a deep breath. "I need to call dad and tell him that we won't be coming today."
"Why don't you call him when we get home?" Christian asks as he busies himself making sure I'm sitting comfortably.
"When will that be?"
"Dr. Greene should be stopping by in a bit. You've been sleeping for two hours."
"Ok." I say and lay back on the bed, briefly closing my eyes.
I guess I will have to tell my dad about the pregnancy over the phone. I really wanted to tell him face-to-face; I wanted to see his reaction to the news that he's going to become a grandfather, but I guess that won't be happening today.
I would Skype call him, but my dad's sentiments towards technology could rival my sentiments towards my mother. He simply hates it, and I'm lucky that he even agrees to carry a cell-phone.
"Hello there, beautiful mommy." I hear Dr. Greene's voice, making me open my eyes and sit up in bed, with Christian's assistance, even though I feel so much better now. "How are you feeling now?"
"Much better." I say with an appreciative smile.
"That's good to hear." She says, and the nurse who has come with her takes my blood pressure quickly. "Everything looks back to normal." She says when she sees the results on the monitor herself. "I already gave Christian a prescription for something to help with the constant nausea. However, I need you to contact me the minute you feel dizzy or out of sorts in any way. We will have to monitor your blood pressure closely for the next few weeks. You need to get a home device and measure it 3 times a day for the next two weeks. I'm going to give you a chart to write the results on, with an indicator of what's normal and what's not. If, at any time, your results come out too high or too low, you contact me immediately, no matter what time it is. Do you understand me?"
"Yes." I say, my voice coming out small, much like that of a scolded child, while the nurse removes the IV line from my arm.
"Excellent. I'm going to get your discharge papers ready, and you can be on your way." Dr. Greene says and gives me a sweet smile. "Merry Christmas."
"Merry Christmas." Both Christian and I say. He gives me a quick kiss on the head before he mutters that he'll be right back, then he quickly follows the doctor out of my room.
I slowly move up and put my feet on the floor, not wanting to get dizzy by any sudden move. Once I realize that I feel fine, I stand up and stretch, feeling like I had been sleeping for days. I make my way to the bathroom, and wince when I see my face in the mirror. Just like I had predicted, I have panda-eyes from the mascara and eyeliner smudged on my face, and my lipstick is all but gone, not to mention that my hair is sticking out in all directions.
I quickly use the bathroom then attempt to wash my face as best as I can. Then I remember that I have some wet-wipes in my purse, so I go back to the room and retrieve them, before cleaning the makeup off my face completely.
No make-up before doctor visits anymore.
"Ana? Where are you?" I hear Christian's voice calling from the room, and I can hear the panic in it.
"In here!" I quickly call back, making him swing the door open. Once he sees me standing up straight, he lets out a sigh of relief.
"Why didn't you wait for me to help you?"
"I'm ok." I say and place a quick kiss on his lips. "I feel so much better now. I'm not dizzy or nauseous anymore."
"That's great to hear." He says with a beaming smile, and I smile back at him weakly. I wish I could let go of the disappointment I'm feeling at missing Christmas with dad, but I can't.
"Taylor has your discharge papers ready, and he's waiting in the car out front."
"Oh my God!" I gasp in horror, making Christian raise his eyebrows at me. "Please don't tell me that he was waiting outside this whole time."
"No, of course not." He says with a sweet smile. "I had a few things for him to do."
"Things like what?"
"It's a surprise." Christian says, and that one small sentence suddenly makes me feel a little better.
I just love surprises!
"Shall we?" Christian asks, and I simply nod at him. I can't wait to get home so I can shower. I hate sleeping in my regular clothes.
Wait a minute! Did I just refer to Escala as home?
What the hell?
"I need to ask Dr. Greene on where I can get one of those home devices she was talking about." I say as I grab my purse. "I think I'll get two. One for my place and one for yours for when I stay over."
"I already had Taylor get them." Christian says, but I can tell by the sudden tense in his body that he wants to say something else.
"Thank you." I say and quickly kiss his cheek, making him smile again.
We spend the ride back to Escala in silence. I'm enjoying the fact that I can look out the window without feeling sick, but as I watch the Christmas decorations on the streets, I can't help but feel sadness fill my heart.
Before I get the chance to dwell more on my Christmas blues, I feel the car come to a stop at the underground garage, filling one of the many spots kept for Christian. We quickly make our way to the elevator, with Christian insisting on carrying me of course, and I can't help but nuzzle my head against his chest as the elevator rides up to the penthouse.
"I'm sorry we couldn't go to Montesano." He whispers as he places a quick kiss on the top of my head, and I only nod against his strong muscles because I fear I might break down in tears again if I say anything.
Soon, the ding of the elevator indicates that we have arrived, and I close my eyes as Christian walks inside the apartment with me still in his arms.
"Annie!"
My head snaps up at the voice I hear, and a loud gasp leaves my mouth as I see my dad and Sandra standing in front of the large Christmas tree.
"Daddy?" I ask, not daring to believe that he's actually here.
"Are you ok, baby girl?" He asks as he takes quick steps towards us, making Christian gently put me down on the floor. As soon as dad is within arm's reach, I throw myself at him, and he quickly wraps his arms around me as I sob against his shoulder.
My dad gently rubs his hand against my back as he lets me cry in his arms, and after a few minutes, once I'm sure my tears are all dried out, I push myself away from him and just look at him with wonder.
"What are you doing here?" I ask, still finding it hard to believe that he's actually here.
"You boyfriend flew me and Sandra down here to spend Christmas Eve with you, but he wouldn't tell me why you guys were not coming anymore. He just asked me to trust him." Dad says and throws Christian a glare.
"Oh my God, I haven't properly introduced you to him yet." I say and look back at Christian, who is standing back with his hands in his pockets and fidgeting from one foot to the other.
Oh my God, he's actually nervous.
"Dad, this is my boyfriend, Christian Grey." I say as Christian approaches us and holds his hand out for my dad to shake. "Christian, this is my father, Raymond Steele, and over there is his girlfriend, Sandra."
"It's an honor to meet you, Mr. Steele." Christian says, and I can see him switch into his CEO mode, not wanting to show my dad that's he's actually intimidated by him.
"Same here." My dad responds, and I see the two of them firmly shake hands, keeping eye contact as they do.
"Dad, don't scare him. I want to keep this one around." I joke as I wrap my arm around Christian's, and a small smile adorns my face when he looks at me with a raised eyebrow.
"I'll get back to you on that, Annie." Dad says, his eyes not leaving Christian even as we make our way to the couches by the Christmas tree. I quickly move to Sandra and give her a hug, then pull her to sit beside my dad.
"Now that the introductions are over, would one of you tell me why Sandra and I are here instead of you two being in Montesano?" Dad asks, and it's obvious by the way he's glaring at Christian that he's not entirely happy with the fact that he doesn't have all the details.
"Um, well…" I begin, and suddenly I feel nervous about telling him my news. Christian quickly reaches for my hand, and it amazes me how that one simple touch instantly calms me down. "I had a doctor's appointment earlier today, and she told me that I should be resting and not doing a lot of travelling."
"Are you ok?" Sandra quickly asks, because by the looks of it, my Dad is too shocked to say anything, and judging by his deathly pale face, none of the scenarios going through his head are good.
"Yes, I'm ok." I say and jump to sit beside my Dad before I quickly hold his hand. "Daddy, I'm fine. I promise."
"Then why did the doctor say that you need to rest?" Dad asks me, his voice barely coming out.
I've never seen him so scared in my life before!
"Because your grandbaby is kicking my behind making me throw up every chance they get."
The room goes silent as Dad and Sandra look at me with wide eyes, before Sandra's face breaks into a huge grin and she wraps her arms around me.
"Oh my God! Congratulations!" She says and hold me at arm's length to look me over. "I knew something was different about you the minute you came through that door! How far along are you? Is the morning sickness that bad? I know just the perfect recipe to make things easier for you! Oh my God, I'm so excited!"
"I'm only 4 or 5 weeks along, but yes, the morning sickness is that bad. I've been throwing up constantly and when we went to our first prenatal exam today, I had a very low blood pressure and I was extremely dehydrated." I say and quickly look at my dad, who is now shooting daggers at Christian with his eyes, making Christian fidget on the couch. "Daddy, why are you looking at Christian like that?"
"He knocked you up!" Dad yells and jumps to his feet. "How long have you two known each other, huh? And to even think that I thought you were a good man! I expect you to make an honest woman out of her before that baby is born! I will not have my grandchild born a bastard!"
For a long minute, Christian and I sit there in utter and complete shock, not knowing what to say or how to respond to my Dad's outburst.
Then suddenly, my Dad breaks down laughing, closely followed by Sandra.
"Too much?" Dad asks Sandra, who only shakes her head because she can't stop laughing.
"Oh my God!" I screech and jump up before I smack my dad's arm. "You scared the hell out of me!"
"I couldn't pass the chance to scare the poor boy's pants off!" Dad says and we all look at Christian, who is still looking at us with wide eyes.
"I'm so sorry, baby." I say and move to hold Christian's hand. "I should've warned you. My dad has a sick sense of humor."
"I can see that." Christian finally manages to say, but he keeps looking at my dad with almost scared eyes.
"Welcome to the family, Son." Dad says as he now approaches Christian with a warm smile on his face, making Christian stand up from his spot and smile at my dad in return. "You better take care of them. You now care for the two of the most important beings in my life, and if anything happens to them, I will hold you responsible."
"You don't have to worry, Sir." Christian says before he looks at me with a look that I can only describe as loving.
"Call me Ray." Dad says, making Christian only nod at him with a smile.
Right at that moment, Gail comes into the living room, carrying a tray of refreshments to pass around.
"Thank you, Gail." I say as I take the glass of orange juice that she offers me.
"Is everything prepared for dinner?" Christian asks, and my eyes grow in horror.
Holy shit I totally forgot about that!
"Yes, Sir." Gail says before she leaves the room. I take a quick sip from my juice and stand up, making everyone give me questioning looks.
"I'm sorry guys, but I need to go help Gail in the kitchen. I can't let her prepare a full Christmas dinner on her own, on such a short notice." I explain.
"Sit down." Dad command in that military tone of his, and I automatically sit my ass on the couch without a second thought. "You're supposed to be resting, not cooking. I'm sure Gail will manage."
"But…"
"No buts." Christian now says. "Besides, everything is being catered tonight. I won't have Gail spending her Christmas Eve in the kitchen cooking and cleaning."
Hearing that, I settle back on the couch and rest my head on Christian's shoulders, as he, my Dad and Sandra exchange small talk about the nature of his work.
I start to feel my eyes getting heaving after a few minutes, the ruminants of the medicine still evident in my body apparently.
"Sweetie, why don't you go lay down for a little bit?" Dad asks, and I shake my head at him.
"I want to spend as much time with you as possible." I say even as a yawn manages to escape.
"We're not going anywhere, honey. Christian has kindly invited us to Christmas dinner tomorrow with his family."
"Really?" I say, suddenly more energetic, slightly, and look at Christian with a wide smile. "Thank you!"
"You're welcome, baby." Christian whispers as he kisses my cheek softly. "So, why don't you go check your blood pressure and rest for a bit? I'll keep Ray and Sandra company until you wake up."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
"I actually need to rest a bit as well." Sandra says and stands up as well. "Why don't you let me take your blood pressure first, then I can go take a nap."
"That would be great." I say with a smile before I place a quick kiss on Christian's cheek, then move to my dad to hug him. "It's really great having you here, dad. I love you."
"I love you too, baby girl." Dad says and places a quick kiss on my forehead.
Sandra and I make our way to Christian's room, and I find one of the home-devices sitting on top of bedside tables.
"I didn't want to push for questions with your dad in the room, but how are you really feeling?" Sandra asks as I sit on the bed and lift up my arm for her.
Sandra worked as a registered nurse for a private maternity practice for 15 years before she moved to Montesano, and I find myself able to relax around her as she asks me that.
"Right now, I'm really feeling better. The meds that Dr. Greene gave me are really helping, and I haven't thrown up once since I took them."
"I could tell that you've lost weight, but I didn't want to bring it up and worry Ray more than he needs to." She points out as she fastens the strap of the device on my wrist, the rests my arm on top of a pillow that she had placed on my lap. "How much weight have you lost?"
"5 pounds." I say with a small sigh.
"I see." Sandra says, her tone emotionless, much like that of a nurse. "Why didn't you call your doctor before things got that bad?"
"I really didn't think that things were that bad." I say and look down at the devices as it beeps, indicating that the results are in, and by Sandra's smile, I relax, knowing that my blood pressure is within the normal range for now. "Besides, it's not like I could ask anyone for their advice. My mother would have a coronary if she found out that I'm pregnant, and my best friend is a gay man. I don't know anyone who has been pregnant before."
"Well, next time you need to talk to anyone about anything, pregnancy related or otherwise, I want you to call me." Sandra says and gives me a motherly smile. "I was pregnant before, and I worked around pregnant women most of my life."
"Thank you."
"So, how does Christian feel about becoming a father?" Sandra asks, and sits on the bed, waiting for my answer like a teenager waiting for the latest piece of gossip, making me giggle.
"Well, he's really excited, even in light of how this pregnancy came to be."
"What do you mean?" She asks, and gives me a confused look.
"Dad didn't tell you?" I ask, equally confused. I assumed that Dad would tell her about how I was trying to get pregnant.
Don't all couples share stories?
"Tell me what?"
"My IUI."
"Oh sweetie, I didn't know you had trouble conceiving." She says and reaches to hold my hand.
"I don't." I say, making her eyebrows reach her hairline, and making me give out a sigh in result. I then take a deep breath before I explain everything; every single detail, including how Christian reacted when I first told him and how he feels about things now, and by the time I finish, I feel relaxed and better.
That's when I realize that I've trusted Sandra with more information about my life than I have ever trusted my own mother with.
When I finish, I look at Sandra and I see tears in her eyes.
"My poor girl." She says before she throws her arms around me and pulls me in for a strong hug. "I'm so sorry you had to go through so much in your young life."
"It's ok, I guess." I say with a small shrug.
"No it's not. You're an amazing person, and to have so much happen to you breaks my heart."
"I have Christian now, and this little jelly-bean." I say with a small smile as I rest my hand on my still flat stomach.
"Yes you do." She says with a smile, then looks at me with questioning eyes.
"I can hear the wheels turning in your head, Sandra." I say with a giggle.
"Can I ask you something personal?" She asks, and I only nod at her. "How soon after your procedure did you and Christian have sex again?"
It's now my turn to have my eyebrows reach my hairline, and I just look at her with wide eyes.
That's too personal!
"Um, why do you ask?" I ask, feeling my face flush with embarrassment.
I've only ever talked to Jose about my sex life, and it feels totally different to talk to Sandra about this.
"Humor me."
"Five days, I think." I say, the blush deepening to reach my neck.
"And you said you were undergoing hormonal treatment for the IUI, right?"
"Yes." I say, wondering where she's going with her line of questioning.
"Did you use the same donor for all your three attempts?"
"Yes." I answer again, making her give out a small sigh.
"Well, I don't want to get your hopes up or anything, but there's a chance that the baby you're carrying could really be Christian's."
That shocks me into silence, and for a few long minutes, I just stare at Sandra with my mouth hanging open.
"What?" I finally manage to ask, making her hold my hand again.
"It's almost always impossible to know the exact date/time of conception for pregnancies. Even for cases of IUI, doctors usually advice the couple to have sex more than once after the treatment, because that's when the woman is most fertile, and any of those times could be the one that leads to conception." She says and holds my hand a little more tightly. "The fact that you're a healthy young woman, and that you used the same donor on all of your three attempts but still had two fail could indicate that your body simply rejected the donor sample, which makes it seem unlikely that it would take on the third time. The fact that you were receiving treatment to make you more fertile usually means that you produced more than one egg at the time of ovulation, and each could mature at a different stage." She says, and I look at her with confused eyes, not really comprehending what she's saying.
"What I'm trying to say is: there is a chance that you are pregnant through the IUI, but there is also a chance that you might be pregnant with Christian's baby. We know for a fact that one of the eggs produced during ovulation got fertilized, but we can't know for sure which one and when the fertilization happened until you either have a prenatal DNA test or wait to have one when you deliver."
I sit still in my spot for the longest time, trying to wrap my head around what she just told me.
The baby might actually be Christian's.
Biologically.
Fuck!
He's going to hate me!
That's the last thought that goes through my head before everything goes blank.