Chapter 28: The Surprise
Ashley woke up to the feeling of her husband's fingers trailing along her spine, which made her smile. "I know you're awake," he quipped. She let out a small pout.
"I didn't want you to stop," she replied, making Andros smile.
Andros pulled her a little closer, but she pushed him back so she could turn to face him and moved his arm back around her waist. She kissed his lips lightly, her hand resting on his cheek. "I just want to stay here forever," she murmured, "No responsibilities, no war, just us."
"I think eventually we'll miss our son," he answered.
She groaned and buried her face into his chest. "I already am," she muttered. She tilted her head up and Andros kissed her. She kissed him back and giggled softly against his mouth as he moved on top of her.
Later, Andros had showered and dressed for the day. Ashley showered after him and was standing in the bathroom with her towel wrapped around herself. She was brushing her hair, looking in the mirror. Biting her lower lip, she went to grab her clothes when she saw her cycle products still by the sink. She bit her lower lip as she started counting and frowned. "Ash?" Andros called out, making her look up.
"I'm coming," she assured him.
Ashley got her clothes on, pinning her hair up. Exiting the fresher, she smiled at her husband. "Ready?" he asked.
"Yeah," she replied.
They held hands and left the ship.
Walking through Angel Grove, Ashley was showing her husband all of her favorite places. "I used to come to this park all the time," she commented. Andros entwined his fingers with hers when they passed the picnic tables and Ashley stopped. Andros felt her stop and looked over at her.
"What's wrong?" he asked when he saw the dazed expression on her face.
Ashley stared at the table and let out a breath. "That is where my life changed," she commented. Andros stared at her quizzically. "I celebrated my seventeenth birthday over there, that was the day I was finding out I was marrying you," she added, holding onto his hand.
She bit her lower lip, looking at him. She wrapped her arms around his waist, leaning into him. Andros wrapped his arms around her back, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.
Ashley held his hand again and smiled. "I have dreams about us now," she commented. Andros felt his heart miss a beat at her words.
"Yeah?" he asked as they walked down a hill together.
"Yeah, I dream of sunny days where we're laying in the grass in the garden. We hear Sai laughing," she replied.
"Yeah, I dream of sunny days where we're laying in the grass in the garden. We hear children laughing," she replied.
Andros kissed the side of her head. "A little brother or sister for Sai would be nice," he murmured into her hair. "In a few years of course. It's about us three right now." Ashley's steps faltered at that and Andros looked back at her in concern.
"Hey, are you okay?" he asked gently.
Ashley nodded quietly and continued walking, but Andros stopped her. "Don't lie to me, please. Is it something I said?"
Ashley looked down at her shoes and Andros sighed. "We don't have to have any more kids if you don't want to. That's things you talk about in a marriage, a decision made together."
"It's not that," she replied and he could hear the emotions in her voice.
Ashley lifted her head and he saw the tears. "Ashley…" he murmured. She let out a shaky breath as he rubbed her arms.
"I'm late," she told him, her voice shaking.
He was silent, staring at her quizzically. "You say it's about us three right now and you want to wait for more kids... But this morning... I realized... I'm late... And... Well, we haven't been able to keep our hands off each other lately."" she added. He was understanding what she was trying to tell him.
"If you are…you don't want it?" he asked.
Ashley let out a breath as she was trying not to cry. "You're not ready for more though," she replied, her hands shaking. Andros could see how terrified she was.
"I didn't say that," he replied, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "I just thought we could spend a little while enjoying our son and each other. But if our family is to grow already, I'm more than happy with that. We've come this far; I think one more challenge won't kill our marriage yet."
Ashley laughed weakly at that. Andros wiped the tears from her cheeks. "Mijn lief…you are everything to me; And if there is another life growing within you..." Andros rested his hand on her belly, "This child will be welcomed with so much love." Ashley rested her hand over his before she kissed him. Andros kissed her back, their hands resting right on her belly.
Later, the two went over to the nearest pharmacy and looked around. Ashley found the aisle that had pregnancy tests that she had read about. Andros stood beside his wife, his arm around her shoulders as she was reading over which test would be the best to try. Her hands were still shaking. "Relax," he whispered softly into her hair, "It'll be okay." Ashley let out a deep breath, holding the box in her hands.
When she found a test that could detect a pregnancy as early as two weeks, they decided to purchase it. They left the pharmacy and Ashley was holding the box in her hands. "How exactly do you do this test?" he asked.
"According to this, I have to urinate on it," she replied.
"That's…sanitary," Andros said slightly sarcastically, making her smirk.
"They're not as equipped as us about pregnancy detection, my love," she replied as she continued to read the back of the box.
Andros let out a sigh as they made their way back towards NASADA. "What is it supposed to do?" he asked.
"According to this, it should detect a pregnancy up to two weeks, but that's about it. It'll either say 'pregnant' and how far along I am or 'not pregnant'," she replied.
Andros frowned. "No gender detection?" he asked.
"I'm afraid not," she replied.
They made it back to their ship and Andros let out a breath as he sat in their quarters while Ashley went into the fresher. His leg was bouncing nervously, twisting his wedding ring around on his finger when Ashley came out. "Well?" he asked.
"We have to wait five minutes," she replied.
Andros let out a deep breath. "How do Terrans do this?" he asked.
"They have to," she replied.
She sat next to Andros, smiling as she looked at his wedding ring. She reached over, twisting the band around a little. Andros looked at her rings, the extremely gaudy engagement ring that Meranda had given her sat on her hand. "That thing looks more like a paperweight than a ring," he commented. Ashley looked at her ring.
"I hate this thing," she muttered, "She designed it; and she told me it had to be a ring fit for a future Karovan Queen."
"My great-great grandmother's engagement ring wasn't even that big," he commented, "And we have paintings of her wearing jewels that could weigh her down in an ocean."
Ashley laughed a little and she let out a deep breath.
The five minutes passed, Ashley went back into the fresher and came back out with the little white stick. "Ashley?" Andros asked. Ashley looked at him, unable to speak she just showed him the test. Andros made sure to hold it on the end that she hadn't used. It read: Pregnant '3 weeks'. Andros counted back in his head and he felt his heart start pounding in his chest. If math was right, then they had conceived their child the night she came to him during his training session. He set the test down, pulling his wife in his arms he lifted her up off the floor. Ashley wrapped her arms around his neck with a soft laugh as he swung her back and forth gently.
Andros set her down, but they continued to hold each other. They ended up on the bed and Andros suddenly moved so Ashley was underneath him. He pushed her shirt up and undid her pants. Before she could ask what he was doing, her husband settled himself between her thighs and rested his head against her belly. Ashley ran her fingers through his hair. "Andros, it's too early, you won't be able to hear anything yet," she insisted.
Andros just smiled, closing his eyes. Their baby was growing right there as they were laying in their bed together. Ashley smiled as he pressed a kiss to her belly before moving up to kiss her. Ashley kissed him back, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I love you so much," he told her, hugging her.
"I love you too," she replied.
They smiled and Andros rested his hand on her stomach. "I want us to enjoy this," he murmured. Ashley nodded her head in agreement.
"We don't have to tell everyone right away," she replied.
Andros smiled at her. "Our own little secret, we can enjoy this baby together for a while before telling someone," she commented.
"I like that idea," he answered.
They were laying down together on their bed, smiling at each other. Their own little secret.
