Proposition

The Fourth Check

The month leading up to the end of my fourth one had been a long and bumpy ride of emotion, the ups and downs of my internal conflict only made worse by the hormones coursing through me.

At least I was feeling more energetic these days though, that was a bonus.

My last check-up had been difficult, although I still didn't feel too bad about what had happened between me and Loki, I still didn't particularly want to face Avena.

Part of me wanted to tell all while the other wanted to act oblivious and mixing both turned my head into a mass of confusion.

Somehow, I managed to keep my cool and no one seemed to suspect a thing, but paranoia spiked and at times made me believe that they knew and simply weren't going to confront me, not yet at least.

Throughout the whole thing, Avena acted just as indignant as she always did, making demands of everyone and constantly being a distraction.

This time, she brought in a confidant to help her shape her false bump to match mine as best as they could.

He was a handsome man and much about him reminded me of Loki, his physique and the confidence he held himself with was very akin to her husband.

Though his eyes were almost a strange gold and his hair was short, spiked and a light brown, a stark contrast to Loki, this man seemed kind and gentle and had immediately welcomed me with a warm smile.

He introduced himself as Dyrius and held conversation with me throughout the check-up, I learned more about him in an hour than I had about Avena in three months.

I had hoped that he would be there at my next one.

Ezabella teased me about him when I got home, stating how I'd found my own baby daddy and would soon have an actual family of my own.

Naturally, I told her where to shove it and she laughed at me.

The next passing month before my check-up proved a lot more uneventful.

No affairs were had, Ezabella left for two weeks of well paid work, I received my first payment and set it aside for the debts we agreed to be paid off when she got back.

I spent most of my time inside, my energy levels not agreeing with the aches my bump was causing.

Truth be told, the mystery of how big it was started to get to me and took over many thoughts, so I vowed to get to the bottom of it during my next check-up, the first one of my second trimester.

So, as I sat on the edge of the bed in the infirmary, watching the healers as they set everything up, I vowed to ask the questions that had been building over the past few weeks.

Why was my fourth month bump the size of an average sixth month bump.

Were there multiple children? And if so, what would we do in that situation?

Just how big was I going to get?

Yuliah smiled at me in her typically friendly way, instantly lightening the antsy mood that I was in.

"Don't you worry, this will all go by faster than you'd think."

"That wouldn't surprise me," I said, returning her smile, "the past few months have already shot by."

"You have been so good."

"Thanks, I suppose it's a point of having to."

Yuliah nodded in silent agreement, working in setting up the screens and apparatus that she would be using on me, looking at each piece sent a strange feeling through my stomach, though that also could have been the baby moving.