Chapter 19
Chapter Nineteen
Auburn
Our excitement about the coming baby was tempered by the fact that my mate was unable to keep anything down except a little water and a few crackers.
And ginger ale, of course. But I didn’t see how he could live on that long term.
We visited the local healer, Quinn, who assured us he was in perfect health, and we just had to keep him hydrated until we reached the second trimester, when he would likely get past this misery.
Still, I hated it. He woke up every morning to hang over the toilet having the dry heaves, and his voice held a harshness from all the vomiting.
I had to do something, so I went online and read about a thousand people’s experiences with moderate to severe morning sickness.
Most, like Oakley, could tolerate crackers and ginger ale, but it wasn’t good enough for my mate.
I didn’t want him to feel sick morning and night as well, often, for three solid months if I could do anything about it at all.
Ginger candies and tea were popular, but as summer dragged on and the heat never broke, as his trimester blended into the next with the nausea continuing, I had to act.
I didn’t have a lot of different skills, but I did know how to make ice cream, and I wondered if I could come up with a recipe that might help a little.
I figured I could boost the nutrition as well as using ingredients that were settling for his stomach.
My omega was not doing well with dairy, but I thought he might do better with coconut milk.
My research turned up that it had many nutrients recommended for pregnant omegas as well as being settling for the stomach and hydrating.
Bingo. I saw warnings that it could be high in calories, but that was not a problem for us right now. It was a plus.
Oakley was lounging on the sofa with a bucket by his head when I had my first batch prepared.
Not the first recipe. It had taken me a half dozen versions before I reached one that had the ingredients I wanted with the ones he’d want to eat.
I tried it myself and thought it was tasty.
Coconut-ginger with some other additions for nutrition.
He looked so pathetic, I wanted to cry. “Omega, I have a little scoop of ice cream here for you. Do you think you could eat a bite or two?”
“I’m not hungry.” He rolled to face the back of the sofa. “But thanks.”
“Love, I think you should give it a try. It’s a new flavor I’ve been working on and you know how I rely on your input.”
“Later, all right?”
But the answer didn’t change, and he was so weak and so miserable, I called Quinn and explained the situation.
“What did you say you put in the ice cream?” he asked, listening while I ran down the list. “That’s amazing. But he hasn’t tried it at all?”
“Quinn, he’s not into anything right now. Just enough fluids to stay hydrated and a few crackers. That’s why I did this. I thought we could help him but also maybe some of the others. I don’t have to tell you how many pregnant omegas there are in this town.”
“No, you don’t. And I think in this warm weather, it should really do the trick. Your omega is in good shape, he just doesn’t realize it. And he’s been so nauseated for so long, it’s hard to break that cycle.” He went silent for a minute then said, “I think I’ll stop by. Is now good?”
“Now is amazing. We’ll be waiting for you.”
Quinn had a huge patient list, and the fact that he was taking time out to visit us at home made me worry even more.
What did he think was wrong? I broke out in a sweat at all the things that could be making him so sick.
What if it was something terrible? Now, my stomach roiled.
Fortunately, Quinn didn’t take long to arrive, and he went directly to the kitchen and got a scoop of the ice cream in a small cup along with a spoon.
Then he marched into the living room, eating the ice cream.
Eating it? He wasn’t supposed to be doing that. I’d made the ice cream for my omega. But to my chagrin, the healer strolled into the living room and plopped down on the overstuffed chair. “Hi, Oakley, he said. “Auburn invited me over to try this new flavor.”
“He did?” Suspicion colored his tones. “I thought maybe he was asking you to trick me into eating when I am not hungry.”
“No.” He took a tie and licked the spoon.
“He developed this with careful research and thought it might help my patients who are having difficulty in their early pregnancy. It’s filled with nutrients and calories and everything they need.
But I told him it needed your approval before I give it to anyone else.
” He took another bite. “It’s a shame. You never struck me as selfish before. ”
He sat up. “Selfish? Because I didn’t want to eat something?”
“No, because you turned down the chance to help pregnant omegas everywhere.”
I watched from the kitchen doorway, sure this would not work. He’d already said he didn’t want to be tricked. But Quinn had hit the right note. He had touched my softhearted omega who, even in his misery would help another person.
I was sent for another serving which not only did Oakley gobble down, but Quinn approved for his patients.
After all, it was just wholesome ingredients, but tell that to the omegas who lined up every day after that for my miracle ice cream.
They all swore it helped. Maybe just because they got enough hydration and something in their stomach, but I was very glad to see Oakley start to improve, as well as the others.