The Child of Surprise

Reality Bites

The next morning, Geralt had a text message waiting for him from Jaskier that simply read Sorry with a sad face emoji. Geralt replied, assuring him that it was fine, but if Jaskier wanted to talk in the future he'd rather he did it when he was sober. They exchanged a couple of texts throughout the week, mostly Jaskier checking in on Geralt to see how he was feeling or if he needed anything, which Geralt told him he didn't.

Geralt woke the morning of the first ultrasound feeling apprehensive. He hoped that going for his morning run and lifting some weights would help put his mind at ease, but it didn't seem to be working today. Instead, he found himself pacing the flat and checking his watch every couple of minutes. Despite Jaskier's assurances that he would be there, Geralt still had a niggling doubt that he would actually turn up today. But just after ten o'clock, the front door buzzer rang. Still trying not to get his hopes up—it could be the postman buzzing to get into the building—he pressed the answer button.

"Hello?"

"Hey, it's Jaskier."

Relief swept over Geralt then. "Hey. I'll be down in a sec, I just need to put on my shoes."

"Actually, do you mind if I come up for a minute before we head out?"

Geralt frowned. "Uh, sure."

He buzzed Jaskier in and left the front door open for him. A minute later, there was a polite knock at the door and Jaskier stood with his hands behind his back wearing an adorable sheepish expression.

"Morning," he said nervously. "How're you feeling?"

"Like I'm bursting for a piss. I got told that I needed to drink a pint of water an hour before the appointment," he groused. "I see that you decided to wear a coat today."

Jaskier looked down at his navy blue puffer jacket and smiled. "Yeah, I was thinking with my brain this morning."

"That makes a nice change," Geralt quipped.

Jaskier rolled his eyes. "Oh, ha ha. Well, you look nice today. I mean—you always look nice, obviously."

Geralt smirked and pulled on his own winter coat. "You wanted to talk to me about something?"

"Oh. Yeah. Well, I wanted to give you something." Jaskier thrust the something, which turned out to be a bouquet of red roses, towards Geralt. "Here you go."

Geralt stared. "What are those?"

"Flowers."

"I can see that. What are they for?"

"They're for you, of course," Jaskier laughed nervously. "Consider it an apology for my phone call last week. And...well, I just wanted to get them for you—to be nice."

Surprised at the gesture, Geralt took the proffered flowers from Jaskier and turned them over in his hand. Nobody had ever bought him flowers before, so he wasn't entirely sure what to do with them. He sat them on the table by the door and stepped past Jaskier. "We better get a move on or we'll be late."

The Harley Street GP that Geralt had made an appointment with was only a twenty minute walk from the flat, so even though they stopped so Jaskier could grab a coffee, they still arrived in plenty of time. That suited Geralt just fine because he preferred to arrive early for appointments and social events so that he could get the lay of the land. When they arrived outside the handsome whitewash townhouse, Jaskier paused.

"Whoa, we're going in there?" he asked.

"Yes," said Geralt climbing the marble steps. "Why, what's wrong with it?"