11. Chapter 11
Chapter 11
Callie
I sat in the stiff chairs of the hospital waiting room, nervously bouncing my foot as I tried to wrap my head around the fact that, for once, I wasn’t here alone. The low hum of conversations around me, the faint smell of antiseptic—it all blurred into the background as I kept glancing over at Jace and Kane. Both of them, here, for me.
Hell, I got lucky that my OBGYN allowed two support people per visit, because if she didn’t, I was pretty sure Jace and Kane would have fist-fought. They both wanted to come that badly, and that was almost impossible for me to grasp.
I was sure the novelty of supporting me would have worn off by now. That’s how my family was after Sulien died. Everyone loved being around me, making sure I was okay until it was time for my first official doctor’s appointment in the pregnancy. From that point on, it was just me.
And I was fine with that. But, as I sat with Jace and Kane on either side of me, I realized how lonely just me was.
Kane reached over, placing his hand on my knee before holding it in place. My heart leapt to my throat as I looked up to find him watching me. His dark gaze roamed around my face, and I focused on the ornate black cross tattoo near his eye.
“Why are you fidgeting?” He asked, his voice soft but firm enough to hint that he didn’t think I should do that.
I swallowed, trying to think of an answer that didn’t sound stupid. But, just as I started to formulate a non-embarrassing way to ask Kane if he was sure he’d still like me once the thrill of having an objectively pretty girl on his arm wore off, a nurse poked her head out of the back.
“Calista Voltaris?” She read my name off of the pink clipboard in her hands.
I pushed myself up, and Jace snorted out a laugh.
“Calista?” Jace repeated, following at my heels as I made my way to the back. “Your name is Calista ?”
“You thought my parents named me Callie?” I kept my question low, not wanting the nurse to think we were fighting.
“No, I just didn’t think they named you Calista–it sounds so proper .”
“Quit while you’re ahead.” Kane warned, draping an arm over my shoulders. “We’re here to check on the baby, not bully Callie.”
“Oh–I have no intentions to bully Callie. Calista, however.”
The nurse led us down the narrow hallway, and I tried to ignore the way my cheeks burned. I’d never liked my name; that’s why I was so willing to introduce myself with the nickname I’d been using since I was a kid. Jace was right, it felt too proper, too uppity, and while I knew that was what was expected of me, I wasn't sure that was who I wanted to be.
We came upon the all-too-familiar scale just before the exam room, and my stomach bottomed out. For the last few appointments, I’d been stepping on the scale backwards and asking the doctors not to talk about my weight. I knew I had a bit of a problem, but now wasn’t the time to think about it. Unfortunately, while I could control what I saw, I couldn’t do the same for Jace and Kane.
The nurse gestured for me to step on, and I suddenly wished I’d come alone. I shot Jace a warning look, hoping he’d understand my need for him to keep his comments to himself.
As I stepped onto the scale, Jace’s eyes lingered on me. I shot him a final pleading look, hoping he’d pick up on just how vulnerable I felt right now. To my surprise, he didn’t say anything. Instead, he tilted his head slightly. It was… unexpected, to say the least.
The nurse scribbled the number onto her clipboard, and I forced myself not to look. When she finished, I stomped off the scale, my cheeks still hot with embarrassment. That feeling grew when Jace audibly smacked my ass before grabbing a tight fistful.
I yelped before shooting him a glare.
“Really?” I whispered, trying not to let the nurse hear as she walked ahead of us. “This is a doctor’s office.”
Jace leaned in close enough for me to smell his cologne. I wasn’t sure exactly what it was; the scent reminded me of rum and coffee.
“Just couldn’t resist, Calista ,” he murmured, his hand moving from my ass to the small of my back. “Besides, you look good. Really good .”
Kane let out a huff of amusement as he walked beside us. “Pretty sure that’s not how we're supposed to be supporting her right now.” Can’t say I disagree with him though .
“Guys…” I breathed, trying not to let my amusement show. “Can we not do this in public?”
“Nu-uh.” Jace’s hand once again crept higher, this time landing on my shoulder before he pulled me in to kiss the top of my head. The action caused my heart to flutter. “You’re fucking with villains now. We do what we want.”
The nurse let out an uncomfortable breath as if to remind us she was there before leading us to a small exam room. Kane helped me onto the table, the white paper crinkling as I shifted around, doing my best to get comfortable.
The nurse glanced down at her clipboard once more before forcing a small smile.
“I just need to get a few more vitals, and then I’ll leave you three alone until Dr. Fields comes in, alright?” Her tone seemed too chipper for my liking.
I did my best to ignore it, mostly because I didn’t want the boys to pick up on the fact that something might be wrong. There was no reason for them to worry, especially if they didn’t have to.
I plastered a smile on my face as the nurse took my blood pressure. It’d been low since I got pregnant, which meant it wasn’t a concern. But my heart beat a little faster when she pulled out the thermometer. My temperature hadn’t been in normal range since I got pregnant, but until recently, I’d gotten used to it. My body had adapted, and while I knew it would do it again, the idea of being given a test I was guaranteed to fail never felt good.
Still, I parted my lips and allowed her to slip it under my tongue, snaring her gaze in mine so I could hear her thoughts loud and clear. I wanted to be prepared when Dr. Fields came in.
The thermometer beeped, and the corners of the nurse’s mouth flicked down for a second.
110.4 … Should I take it again?
My heart skipped, and I regretted rifling through her thoughts. My temperature had rested between 103 and 105 for the last ten weeks, and I assumed that was as bad as it could get. My palms started to sweat, and I balled my fists to prevent the boys from seeing it.
The nurse kept her eyes anchored on the thermometer, her lips parting as she swallowed hard. Her inner monologue was a jumbled mix of protocol and nerves. All of it boiled down to I can’t alarm the patient–Dr. Fields will handle it when she gets in.
After a beat, the shock wore off, and she jotted the number on the clipboard before fleeing from the room. Jace and Kane looked at her like she was crazy, and that became just another thing I ignored.
“Hey, Jace?” I mumbled.
His gaze shifted to me. “Hmmm?”
“You’re a hemomancer… When Sulien was here, he’d do this thing where he pulled the extra heat out of my body… Can you do something like that?” I knew it was a long shot, but it didn’t hurt to ask.
“Uh, no?” Jace snorted. “Sul could siphon heat and use it to power his flames. I… well, I don’t do that.”
“Why do you need him to do that? You feel hot again?” Kane asked before he stood and reached out to put his palm on my forehead.
I swatted him away. The last thing I needed was for him to confirm what I already knew.
“Just in case!” I panicked through the words. “I know Sulien’s mom died during labor because she got too hot–I just. I want to be prepared.”
Kane allowed his hand to drop.
“Don’t worry about her. She wasn’t a super–Plus, we won’t let that happen.” His words were confident, but his thoughts betrayed him.
They ran wild with the same fears I’d been trying to keep at bay. Fleeting worries about how they wouldn’t be able to care for me if I got too sick, or what would happen to the baby if I died. I forced myself to ignore the uneasy flutter in my stomach, electing to focus on Jace’s hand as it gently brushed over mine.
I looked down, hoping Jace would break the tension with a joke. Instead, he brushed a kiss to my knuckles. Normally, that action would have been a little swoon-worthy, but I didn’t like seeing that from Jace .
A knock on the door shattered the silence in the room. We all sat a little straighter as Dr. Fields walked in. She quickly verified my birthday before washing her hands and settling onto the rolling stool in the corner. Her woody gaze flicked between the two men I’d brought with me.
“Which of you is dad?” She asked calmly.
Jace and Kane exchanged a look, one that told me they were as surprised by the question as I was. I assumed that the entire universe knew Sulien had gotten me pregnant.
“It uh, it depends on the day.” Jace laughed, grabbing my hand a little tighter.
Dr. Fields raised an eyebrow as she studied Jace. “I was hoping one of you could tell me a bit more about the father’s medical history… Well, that and his mother’s.”
The mention of Sulien’s mom caused me to shirk in on myself as I immediately feared the worst.
“The kid's dad was a pyromancer, a powerful one too.” Kane said calmly, crossing his arms as he spoke. “His mom… She died, but she wasn’t a super. Callie is. That means nothing is going to happen to her. Got it?”
If I didn’t know better, I’d have thought Kane was threatening the doctor. If he was, it didn’t seem to phase her.
“Thank you,” she said plainly before focusing on me. “Are you still taking the ten milligrams of Neutralixa each day?”
I nodded slowly, silently praying neither of the boys knew what that was.
Dr. Fields nervously clicked the pen in her hand. Her mind was alive with a million different options, none of them ones I liked. But, after a minute, she spoke.
“Given the increase in your temperature, we need to consider upping the dosage to twenty-five milligrams.” She said cautiously, looking more at Kane than me as she spoke. “And, given the strain that the baby's extra heat is putting on your body, I’m also going to recommend you stay at home and rest until the baby’s born.”
My stomach dropped. “What? I have school. The semester just started!”
“I know it’s not ideal, Calista. But right now, we need to think about what’s best for both of you. Plus, the higher dosage of Neutralixa is likely to make you drowsy, and with the existing strain from your fever, bed rest is the safest approach.”
My chest burned, not from the fever but from embarrassment. “I can’t just drop out, I’ve worked–”
Kane clamped a hand over my mouth.
“Rest and medicine it is,” he said firmly. "Thank you, Doctor."
“You can’t just decide that for me!” I protested, my voice muffled by his palm. “This isn’t about you." He growled, his eyes narrowed into a glare. "It’s about your health and the baby. I’m not letting you dig yourself an early grave.” His words were barbed, and I could tell by the way his expression shifted that he regretted his tone.
But, the damage was done.