Chapter 11 The Pregnancy Scare
Fear
Evan tried to pretend that nothing had changed after Richard left.
He knew that was impossible.
The confrontation had followed him through the rest of the day, settling into his thoughts whenever the house became quiet. His father's anger had hurt more than he wanted to admit, and the fact that Nathaniel had been standing there while Richard accused him made everything more complicated.
Still, pregnancy didn't pause because a family argument had happened.
His body continued changing.
The baby continued growing.
Appointments continued.
Life continued.
So Evan decided that he would continue with it.
The next morning, he woke early, showered, dressed, and went downstairs for breakfast.
Nathaniel was already there.
Their eyes met.
Neither mentioned Richard.
Nathaniel simply placed a plate in front of him.
"Eat."
Evan looked at the food.
"You really only have one line before breakfast."
Nathaniel gave him a faint smile.
"You're still making jokes."
"I'm trying."
"I know."
Evan sat down.
For a few minutes, everything felt almost normal.
They talked about work.
They talked about the next medical appointment.
Nathaniel reminded him to take his vitamins.
Evan complained about being reminded.
It was ordinary.
That was what he needed.
But later that morning, while Evan was working upstairs, something felt wrong.
At first, it was only a dull ache.
He stopped typing and placed a hand against his stomach.
The discomfort wasn't severe.
He waited.
After several minutes, it eased.
Evan leaned back in his chair.
Probably nothing.
Pregnancy came with aches and strange sensations.
The doctor had warned him that his body would change.
He didn't want to panic every time something felt different.
So he returned to work.
An hour later, the discomfort returned.
This time it was sharper.
Evan stood and walked around the room.
He breathed slowly.
"Okay."
He told himself it was fine.
He drank some water.
He sat down again.
The pain eased.
Evan looked at the clock.
He had a meeting in less than an hour.
He considered canceling it.
Then he shook his head.
He wasn't going to become someone who stopped living because he was afraid of every symptom.
He tried to focus.
But another wave of discomfort came before the meeting began.
Evan pressed his hand against his stomach.
Something about it felt different.
Not necessarily dangerous.
Just wrong enough to make him uneasy.
He picked up his phone.
He almost called Nathaniel.
Then he stopped.
Nathaniel had been through enough.
Richard's confrontation had already shaken him.
Evan didn't want to turn every uncomfortable moment into another reason for Nathaniel to worry.
He could handle it.
At least, that's what he told himself.
He went downstairs.
Nathaniel was in the study.
He looked up immediately.
"You're pale."
"I'm fine."
Nathaniel stood.
"You don't look fine."
"I'm just tired."
Nathaniel came closer.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing."
"Evan."
The tone was enough to make Evan sigh.
"I've had some discomfort."
Nathaniel's expression changed.
"Where?"
"My stomach."
"How long?"
"A few hours."
Nathaniel reached for his phone.
"I'm calling the doctor."
"No."
"Evan."
"It's not that bad."
"You've been uncomfortable for hours."
"It comes and goes."
Nathaniel looked at him.
"How much pain?"
"Not much."
Nathaniel clearly didn't believe him.
Evan understood why.
After everything they had been through, Nathaniel had become extremely alert to anything involving the pregnancy.
"I'll call the clinic myself," Evan said.
Nathaniel nodded.
"Good."
Evan called.
The nurse asked several questions.
Evan answered them.
The advice was to rest, hydrate, and monitor the symptoms, but because the discomfort had persisted and Evan was concerned, they recommended that he come in for an assessment if it continued or became worse.
Evan ended the call.
"They said to monitor it."
Nathaniel's expression remained serious.
"Then we're monitoring it."
"I'm capable of monitoring myself."
"I know."
Nathaniel paused.
"I'm not trying to control you."
Evan softened.
"I know."
For the next hour, Evan rested.
The discomfort seemed to ease again.
He began to relax.
Maybe it really was nothing.
Maybe he had been frightened by the combination of stress and pregnancy.
He closed his eyes.
Nathaniel sat nearby, working quietly.
Every few minutes, Evan noticed Nathaniel looking toward him.
"You can stop checking."
"I'm not checking."
"You are."
Nathaniel smiled faintly.
"Fine."
Evan closed his eyes again.
For a while, everything remained calm.
Then the pain returned.
Stronger.
Evan sat up sharply.
Nathaniel immediately put down his laptop.
"Evan?"
Evan pressed both hands against his stomach.
"I don't know."
"What?"
"I don't know what's happening."
Nathaniel was beside him within seconds.
"Tell me where it hurts."
Evan struggled to breathe normally.
"It's worse."
Nathaniel crouched in front of him.
"Look at me."
Evan looked at him.
"Can you stand?"
"I think so."
Nathaniel helped him carefully to his feet.
Evan took one step.
Then another wave of pain made him stop.
Nathaniel's face changed.
"We're going to the hospital."
"I can wait."
"No."
"Nathaniel—"
"No."
His voice wasn't angry.
It was frightened.
Evan saw it.
That scared him more than the pain.
"Okay," Evan whispered.
Nathaniel immediately grabbed the keys.
He helped Evan into the car.
The drive felt endless.
Evan sat with one hand against his stomach.
Nathaniel drove faster than usual, though still carefully enough to remain safe.
"Talk to me," Nathaniel said.
"I'm here."
"How bad is it?"
"Better."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
Nathaniel glanced at him.
"I need you to tell me if it gets worse."
"I will."
Evan looked out the window.
The city moved past them.
People walked along sidewalks.
Cars stopped at lights.
Everything looked completely normal.
That felt cruel.
His entire world was suddenly uncertain, yet everyone else seemed to be continuing as though nothing had happened.
Evan looked down at his stomach.
His fear became sharper.
What if something was wrong?
What if the baby wasn't okay?
What if all the plans they had begun making were suddenly taken away?
He thought about Nathaniel.
Their breakfasts.
Their late-night conversations.
The way Nathaniel held his hand during the first appointment.
The way he had touched Evan's growing bump and called him beautiful.
Their first real kiss.
The promise that they would choose each other.
Evan's eyes filled with tears.
He wiped them quickly.
Nathaniel noticed.
"Hey."
Evan looked at him.
"It's going to be okay."
"You don't know that."
"No."
Nathaniel reached across the console and took his hand briefly.
"But we're going to find out."
Evan squeezed his fingers.
"I don't want to lose the baby."
Nathaniel's jaw tightened.
"You won't."
"You don't know."
"I know."
"Nathaniel."
He looked at Evan.
"I can't promise something I can't control."
Evan's eyes filled again.
Nathaniel continued.
"But I can promise you won't face this alone."
Evan nodded.
They reached the medical center.
Nathaniel parked and immediately helped Evan inside.
The staff took Evan back for assessment.
Nathaniel tried to follow.
A nurse stopped him.
"Sir, we'll let you know when you can come in."
Nathaniel nodded.
Evan looked back at him.
"Stay."
Nathaniel's expression broke slightly.
"I will."
The doors closed.
Evan was taken into an examination room.
Questions followed.
The discomfort.
The timing.
The pregnancy.
His symptoms.
He answered everything as calmly as possible.
But inside, he was terrified.
A medical professional examined him and began monitoring the pregnancy.
Evan stared at the ceiling.
He had never felt so helpless.
His body, which had always belonged entirely to him, suddenly felt like a place where something could go wrong without his permission.
He placed one hand against his stomach.
"Please," he whispered.
He wasn't sure whether he was talking to the baby or himself.
Maybe both.
He thought about Richard.
He thought about Nathaniel.
He thought about how much had changed in such a short time.
He had been afraid of people discovering the pregnancy.
Now he would have given anything for that problem to be the only thing he had to worry about.
The examination continued.
Evan waited.
And waited.
Every minute seemed longer than the last.
Then the doctor entered.
Evan searched her expression.
"How is the baby?"
The doctor remained calm.
"We're still checking everything, but we're seeing signs that are reassuring."
Evan's eyes closed.
Relief came so quickly that he almost cried.
"Reassuring?"
"Yes. We want to monitor you for a little while longer."
Evan nodded.
He breathed slowly.
Not safe yet.
Not completely.
But not lost.
A little later, the door opened again.
Nathaniel appeared.
His face was pale.
Evan reached for him.
Nathaniel took his hand immediately.
"Are you okay?"
Evan nodded.
"They're monitoring me."
"And the baby?"
"They said there are reassuring signs."
Nathaniel closed his eyes briefly.
Evan felt his fingers tighten around his.
For the first time since the pain began, Evan allowed himself to cry.
Nathaniel sat beside him.
He didn't ask him to stop.
He simply held his hand.
Evan looked at him through tears.
"I was scared."
"I know."
"I thought—"
"I know."
Evan squeezed his hand.
"I thought everything could disappear."
Nathaniel looked at him.
"The baby. You. Us."
Nathaniel's expression softened.
"None of us are going anywhere right now."
Evan gave a shaky laugh.
"Right now?"
Nathaniel smiled faintly.
"One moment at a time."
Evan rested his head against his shoulder.
The fear hadn't completely disappeared.
They still didn't know exactly what had caused the symptoms.
They still needed monitoring.
But the baby was still there.
Nathaniel was still beside him.
And the future they had begun imagining had not vanished.
Not yet.
Evan closed his eyes.
For the first time, he understood how fragile hope could feel.
And how fiercely he wanted to hold on to it.
Don't Leave Me
Nathaniel had spent his entire adult life learning how to remain calm when other people weren't.