Chapter 17
ADRIAN
We stayed in the vacation house for a while longer after that.
Tyrel and I didn't leave my room for most of the time.
The doctor dropped in again to hand me some pills which were supposed to give me a better shot at attaining pregnancy, and slowly, I was starting to feel hopeful again.
Almost as if all of this could really turn out for the best.
On the second day, while Tyrel was out with his mother, Michael came by my room to say goodbye.
"They're sending us all home," he said. "He really chose you, huh?"
"Yeah, I guess." I rubbed the back of my neck because, between all the sex, there really was no guessing about it.
Tyrel wanted it all the time. Like he'd somehow made it his life's goal to see me pregnant.
Not that I was complaining about suffering multiple mind-blowing orgasms at his hands each day.
Yeah, I was really suffering.
"I'm glad it worked out that way," Michael said.
"Yeah, me too. But I'm sorry you came here for nothing."
He shook his head. "It wasn't nothing. I still got to take a close look at some dragons. Wish I could go to their island, though. They're taking you, right?"
"Tyrel's working on the permit. We might have to wait until we can confirm the pregnancy."
"I hope that's soon."
"Oh God yes, me too." I couldn't wait to know for sure.
Then all the worrying could end. Tyrel assured me every day that things were going to be fine, but my mind was never truly at ease.
I couldn't even come live with him on his island if I couldn't give him a child.
Policies were strict. They really didn't want any more humans than necessary over there, it seemed.
"How long do you have to wait?"
"Around seven more days for an early test." To me, that sounded like forever away.
"That's not too long."
I made myself nod. "I'll manage. Thank you for stopping by."
He smiled. "Keep in touch, okay? I want to know all about the dragons you'll meet."
I grinned back at him. "Maybe I can set you up with one."
He blushed furiously, which made my grin widen.
"That's not what I wanted to say," he muttered.
"So you don't want me to keep an eye out for you?"
He bit his lower lip. "I didn't say that either."
God, he could be cute. Not my type, of course, but it wouldn't be hard to find someone to snatch him up. "I'll call you," I said.
"Thank you." He looked to the ground.
"No problem."
"Alright then." He extended his hand to me. "Take care."
I shook it. "You, too."
He turned to leave, then he paused, looked at me again. "Does Tyrel's mother know about your, uh, ability yet?"
"She doesn't. And if it's up to Tyrel, she never will." But at the same time that I said it, I doubted I could keep the secret forever.
It didn't help that Michael looked like he thought the same thing.
As much as I'd wanted for a week to pass so I could finally see whether I was pregnant or not… When Tyrel finally entered my room with one of those pregnancy test sticks, all I could feel was dread.
"What's wrong?" Tyrel asked, approaching me. "You look pale."
"I don't…" I gestured at the test. "I hate those."
"Really? You've been waiting for this day all week."
"I know, but…" I sighed. "They've always been negative in the past." I couldn't stand getting another negative result.
Not now. I had a feeling this time it would hurt even worse than before.
If that test was negative, Tyrel would finally see that he was wasting his time with me, that I would never give him an heir.
"You're worrying again. Stop that. It'll be fine."
How often had he said those words over the past few days?
"I'd take it for you," Tyrel said. "But I'm afraid that's not possible."
I reached out for the test and he handed it to me. I stared at it. It looked so innocent in my hands. Taking a deep breath, I walked out of the room and into the bathroom.
Tyrel tried to follow after me, but I shut the door in his face, needing to be alone for this. I had no doubt at all that he would take it in stride if this test turned out negative. It was my own reaction I feared.
He knocked on the door. I ignored him.
Open up.
He sent the thought to me. It was still weird in a way, to hear him in my head.
At first, he'd only been able to do it while we had eye contact, but now it seemed that wasn't required anymore.
I was getting better and better at resisting his orders, too.
I felt the pull, but I never had to give in to it if I didn't want to, and he knew that.
And I knew he liked it that way, so I didn't feel bad about not doing what he told me to.
"I'm going to do this now," I announced out loud so I couldn't go back on my word even as my hand shook, holding the test stick. Carefully I peeled it out of its packaging and followed the instructions. I had done this so many times it had almost become an automated process.
It'll be fine, I heard Tyrel's voice in my head, not sure whether it was memory or him actually talking to me.
When I was done, I zipped my pants back up and waited, afraid to look at the stick.
This past week, we'd talked so much about our future together, about the child we imagined we'd have… It could all come undone.
I closed my eyes and counted to ten, focused on my breathing because I felt dangerously close to a panic attack.
Waving the stick in my hand, I finally opened my eyes again. A positive test was supposed to show a pink line.
And there it was.
I almost dropped the stick, but there it fucking was!
I wiped my eyes and looked again. Could it really be?
Could I be…?
I took a deep breath, and then I felt tears well up in my eyes.
I was pregnant.
I was going to have a baby!
Finally!
I laid a hand on my belly as if to greet my little one as years of anxiety washed off me in a flood of tears.
This was really going to happen.
"Adrian?" Tyrel knocked on the door. "Are you okay?"
Okay? I was more than okay. "I'm pregnant!" I announced.
"I knew it!" Tyrel sounded about as victorious as I felt.
I went to the door and opened it for him, and he swept me up in his arms before I could say another word.
He was as happy about this as I was, and I loved him for it.
"I'll make an appointment with the doctor and then we can get that permit and I'll show you my island.
" He kissed me and I leaned into him. I couldn't wait for our real life to start.