Chapter 49

"Oh, Paul I ruined our anniversary," Bella sobbed while heaving over a bucket.

"No, you didn't! Baby don't say things like that. Can you imagine how fucking awesome it is that you are carrying our baby on our first wedding anniversary. It kills me to see you suffering and it is fucking unfair that it's all on you."

Paul really was having hard time watching Bella feeling sick all the fucking time. It had been like this ever since they found out she was pregnant. She was 9 weeks pregnant now. Paul had read that some women suffered throughout the whole pregnancy, he really hoped that it wouldn't be Bella's destiny.

"Us being here together, you, letting me, taking care of you is all I need, baby. You must believe that. I just hoped there was something I could do to make you feel better," Paul said feeling the very familiar feeling of helplessness from the last few weeks.

"You are making me feel better. Even though I feel sick all the time, it would be awful if you weren't with me," Bella said and gagged again. Thank fuck for that. He didn't know what would have happened if he'd still be stuck in Port fucking Angeles.

They were at the treehouse. They had arrived earlier on the day. As they'd promised on their honeymoon, they would spend their anniversary in the treehouse whenever possible. Bella had wanted to come even though she was feeling shit. She had said that change of scenery where to throw up was all what she needed. Paul knew she did this for him. And he'd let her. This really was special place for them, and it felt good to be here.

He had packed all sorts of little snacks with them. He'd put grapes on the freezer, Bella liked to eat frozen grapes with some orange slices. And crackers and nuts. The baker on their building had some cookies Bella was able to hold down, he had brought them too. And taken blender with them so he could make smoothies. They had tried many different kinds and finally found one that was making her feel little better. It was one with ginger, pineapple, kale, lemon juice and maple syrup.

Even the vitamins her doctor had given her, made her feel sick, but she took them anyway.

"Could you put that song list on?" Bella asked. They've made a list of songs, smooth slow jazz-style music they loved to listen at home.

Paul opened his phone and the bluetooth speaker and put the music on.

"Dance with me," Bella said and took his hand.

Paul took a big blanket from the couch and wrapped it around them. Bella was resting her head against his chest eyes closed. She looked so tired, dark circles framing her eyes. She was shivering.

"Are you cold?" Paul asked.

"No, it's just the weakness I guess and I'm feeling a bit dizzy," she said silently and pressed herself closer to him.

Paul tightened his arms around her. The feeling that he was holding his whole world in his arms was overwhelming. He was scared. What if there was something wrong with the pregnancy with the baby? Her doctor had said that all was as it should be at this point, and the nausea was unfortunately part of the normal pregnancy, it was unlucky Bella had it worse than most.

But he couldn't get past what had happened to Kim and Jared.

Bella was more rational about the whole pregnancy. Pregnancies that did miscarry, had a baby that wouldn't survive when born. It had been the case with Kim's and Jared's baby too. Everything had gone well with this new pregnancy and the baby would be born in a month.

Paul hoped he could be as trusting as Bella. But it was innate for him to worry, it seemed.

Bella was on Christmas break from Uni but if her nausea continued, she wouldn't be able to go back after the break. She was devastated about that. She was still finding it a bit hard to accept that she was pregnant, and he could hardly blame her. Feeling shit all the time wasn't the best way to get excited about something you hadn't planned to happen in the first place.

Paul had got the job from the restaurant Matt had a friend as a head chef and worked as a roundsman at Altura. When he had mentioned his wish to be able to have a paternity leave after the baby was born, the head chef Michael Langdon had said he would think about it giving the impression that Paul would have to show his worth first. He knew his rights, so he hadn't said anything. He wanted that job.

He enjoyed being able to go from station to station and learn about meats, fish, vegetables, salads, sauces and so one. He loved his job and so far, all had gone well. No horny bitches trying to get into his pants and other chefs seemed to be very willing to teach him everything they knew. They called him "Wonder kid" which amused Paul.

"Should we try to go to the hot tub outside?" Bella asked. "It would be so romantic to do a bit stargazing. It's clear night tonight isn't it."

"Yeah, let's do that. It is ready to go in now if you want."

"Would you make me one of those smoothies? I have a feeling that it might be something to stay inside today. And I'm so thirsty I could try that water with added vitamins," Bella said.

"Sure, baby." Paul took Bella into his arms and carried her to the couch to lay down by the fire. Paul prepared the smoothie and added a bit more ginger than he usually did.

Bella drank the smoothie and she looked less pale.

"Let's go while I'm feeling a bit better," she said smiling at him. She was so fucking beautiful even being sick.

They got undressed and wrapped into bathrobes. Paul carried Bella outside. He loved how she let him take care of her. Didn't complain him doing too much for her or any shit like that. He wanted to make everything as easy as possible for her. But whatever he did, it wasn't enough.

"You are too thin," Paul said. He skimmed his hands over her body under the hot water. He was so concerned about her weight; she had lost some and there wasn't much to lose to begin with.

"I know. I hope this won't go on too long. I miss eating your food, and so many other things," Bella said resting her back against his chest. He was unable to press down his shameless erection poking her back.

"I miss having you inside me," Bella said. She moved so she could put her hand on his dick.

"Baby, you don't have to do that," Paul said.

"I know but I want to touch you. I want to make you feel good. But I need your help," Bella said kissing his neck making him shiver.

Her touch was weak, but it felt fucking good none the less.

Bella continued kissing his neck while her hand moved on his dick. When she sucked the spot where the jaw meets neck, he let out throaty moan.

"Baby, I love you so much." His heart was bursting.

He grabbed his hand over Bella's and started to pump slowly with her.

"I love you too."

Bella's other hand moved to his balls, she rolled them in her hand her hot mouth making his skin tinkle.

"That feels so fucking good baby."

"I want you to come," Bella breathed into his ear and kissed him. She tasted like toothpaste. He had grown to love that taste.

Bella tightened her grip on his dick, and they pumped together. The feeling was incredible, and his hips started to thrust into their joined hands and soon he felt his balls tightening.

"Ah baby..."

Bella's mouth on his neck and on his lips felt so incredibly good and the warm water made him feel so relaxed and he came.

But his high didn't last long.

"Sorry baby, I'm feeling sick again," Bella said and moved quickly away from the hot tub and threw up behind the building.

Paul got up from the tub and wrapped his bathrobe around him and went to help Bella.

"Hey, let me help you with this bathrobe. You get cold." Paul helped his wife to get something warm on her and rubbed her back feeling shit.

"Please don't feel bad, baby. This is something we can't help and it's not your fault," Bella said and threw up again.

"I can't help how I feel. Let me help you inside." Paul lifted her slim body to his arms and carried her in the cottage. She weighted nothing.

Paul hoped above anything that Bella would soon start feeling better. He was really worried. He placed Bella on the couch, and she fell asleep right away.

This wasn't normal. This could not be normal.

Paul took his phone and started to google her symptoms prolonged vomiting, dehydration, wight loss, dizziness, low blood pressure...

"I need to take you to the hospital," Paul said and tried not to panic. He went to Bella and woke her up.

"Baby we need to go to the hospital. Your symptoms require hospital treatment," he told her trying to sound less terrified than he felt.

"What? No, I hate hospitals," Bella mumbled. She was very disoriented and paler than he'd ever seen her before.

"I know but we have to go. Come one. There is hospital close by. It takes about 30 minutes for us to get there."

Paul took Bella's jacket and helped her to put it on and then carried her to the car.

"Take the bucket or plastic bag. I don't want to throw up into the car."

"There's still some bags in the glove box. Let's go."

The drive to the hospital was fast. Thank fucking God for that.

They arrived at the Emergency and a nurse came to see them almost immediately.

"My wife is pregnant, in week 9, and I think she has hyperemesis gravidarum. She's been vomiting all the time, food won't stay in, she has headaches, she is thirsty all the time and feels dizzy."

"That really sounds like HG," the nurse said. "Go sit over there and I'll get you someone to take her in."

They went to sit down. Paul took Bella into his lap. She seemed so weak she wasn't able to sit on her own.

It didn't take long that someone came with wheelchair to get Bella. He had been prepared to make some noise if someone wouldn't have come soon.

"I take your wife for the tests and to have some fluids. You go and fill the forms. We'll come back soon to tell you how she is."

Paul felt terrible to let her go without him, but he needed to do the paperwork.

"I'm going to be fine, Paul," Bella said and tried to give him a reassuring smile, failing.

He blinked back the tears he felt forming into his eyes and kissed her forehead.

"I'll see you soon. You are going to get better now."

He watched as Bella was wheeled away and took the papers handed to him and started to fill in the forms.

Waiting was agonizing and it felt like forever before anybody came to talk to him.

"Are you Paul Lahote, husband of Isabella Lahote?"

"Yes," Paul got up heart hammering in his chest. "Is my wife, okay? Is everything okay with the baby?"

"She will be better, and everything is well with the baby. We are treating your wife with intravenous fluids and after the treatment we inject some anti-nausea medication. Everything is safe for the baby. After she starts to feel better you can leave but she needs to see her doctor as soon as possible so they can make her a schedule for the treatments in the hospital and to get to see a prenatal nutritionist. These severe cases normally ease around week 20. I'm so sorry your wife has to go through this. It is very important that you talk about this and maybe have some counselling. HG has the high risk to cause anxiety and depression."

Paul was overwhelmed. Relieved that all was going to be good with Bella but all this talk about going to hospital for regular treatments and possible depression scared the hell out of him. He felt like a failure not being able to take care of his wife and unborn child.

"Hey, there isn't anything you could have done," the doctor said like he'd read his mind. "These things happen, and we don't even know what causes it. Don't blame yourself, if anything it was very good choice to bring her here. She is going to feel better, and it is thanks to you."

Paul nodded. Shit this was going to be a long nine months.

"Can I see her now?"

"She's sleeping but sure, go to be with her. I would say it's another four hours and after that you are able to leave unless you prefer staying over the night. It is already nine pm."

Paul followed the doctor to the room where Bella was getting the treatment. Paul gasped. She looked so fragile in the bed with tubes attached to her arm and heart monitor beeping by the bed.

"The heart monitor is a standard procedure in cases like this. We don't expect anything to happen to her, but we have to monitor her heartbeat. She is going to be better soon. I'll come to see you around eleven. If you need something to eat or drink, there is a cafeteria on the second floor. You need to take care of yourself, so you have strength to take care of your family. Don't punish yourself because she is feeling sick. Allright?" the doctor said smiling and left.

Paul took a chair to sit next to Bella. He stroked Bella's forehead and leaned to kiss it gently. Bella stirred lightly but didn't wake up. He fore sure hadn't expect anything like this to happen when they've found out Bella being pregnant. He hoped to God that all would go well.

AN:

This was a bit shorter than my usual chapters are. Not necessarily a bad thing, right? ;) Poor Bella is so sick. Let's hope it won't last through the whole pregnancy.

Twin68, I was very happy to read your comment, I've missed them. And big virtual hug to you. Life's a b***ch.