Waveborn | The Oceane Series

Ten

I woke up a few hours later, drenched in sweat, my hair wet and clinging to my forehead. I was cold despite my phone telling me it was eighty degrees outside. I sat up in bed, fumbling with the hem of Delmare's shirt, my heart heavy as I remembered the events of this morning. Rubbing my eyes, I tried to ease the grogginess that plagued me as I stood, padding slowly into the kitchen and rubbing my arms while I walked. I was sore everywhere, each step aching.

I poured a glass of water and drank, gulping the glass down in seconds before filling it again. I did this a few times, unable to quench my thirst. Setting the cup back down, I made my way into my bathroom, opening the medicine cabinet to find the thermometer so I could take my temperature. I stuck it in my mouth, taking a seat on the toilet lid as I waited. Suddenly it let out a long beep, and I took it out to read my results. 101 degrees Fahrenheit blinked back at me.

"Well, that explains a lot." I sighed, rubbing my temple. "Now I'm sick and worried about Delmare."

Turning around, I started the tub, putting it on a lukewarm temperature as I let it fill. I needed to get over this sickness soon. I wasn't sure what my coworkers were doing with Delmare and I needed to find out. I needed to save him at all costs. As the tub filled, I grabbed a handful of bath salts and threw them in, hoping they would help me get better sooner. Peeling Delmare's clothes off me, I couldn't help but take a deep breath of the clothing, remembering his scent and desperately wishing he was here. Suddenly, I felt a sharp pain in my stomach, as if I were being stabbed with a knife. Clutching my stomach, I gasped, unsure what was happening to me. I fell to my knees. I moaned, trying to concentrate on anything other than the pain. Something was wrong.

I crawled to the tub and turned the water off, wincing when the water touched my skin, the liquid feeling like ice even though I knew it wasn't that cold. Easing into the tub, I tried to relax, but my muscles still tensed as the cramps persisted. I took a deep breath and dunked my head, then let out a loud scream as I tried to cope with everything that had happened. What could I do? I was sick and couldn't go back to work until I was better, and every day I spent away was a day they spent studying Delmare. Every day I was away from Delmare, the more danger he was in, and I couldn't protect him.

Sitting up, I clutched my legs to my chest, my breasts sensitive as I hugged my legs. What was wrong with me? I had never had these symptoms before unless I was on my period, and that wasn't for another two weeks.

"Oh, God," I whispered. As the realization sunk in, I jumped out of the tub and grabbed a towel, quickly drying myself before throwing on the clothes that were laying in a pile on the floor.

Grabbing my purse from the floor in the foyer, I quickly threw on a pair of sandals and practically ran out the door, not caring about the heat outside as I drove away from my home and toward the drugstore a block away.

***

I peed on both tests, knowing that it would probably be too early to tell for a normal pregnancy, but I wasn't sure how pregnancy with a mer-child would work. I didn't want to wait until I got home to take them and made a bee line for the bathroom. But now, I wished I had waited until I was home as the questions overwhelmed me. Would the baby come out with a fin or with legs? I had been fine until this morning. Why had I started feeling sick after I left Delmare this morning? Was it because we weren't around each other anymore? No, I was never sick when I left for work each day. It had only started after we had sex this morning.

Staring at the test, I held my breath and picked one of them up. Usually, it would have a pink plus sign if you were pregnant, or a pink minus if you weren't. Where the pink line should have been, was a blue line. What the hell did that mean? Setting it down, I picked up the next one. It matched the other perfectly, I closed my eyes. What in the world was I going to do?

It's okay, I thought. I'll wait a few days and see what happens. I would get better, get Delmare out of there, and we could figure out what to do next. My stomach churned at the thought of Delmare, alone in a tank, surrounded by scientists as they ran tests on him. I needed to stop worrying, but I couldn't help it.

I stood and threw the tests in the sack, flushing the toilet as I exited the stall. Washing my hands, I looked up, staring at my reflection in the mirror. My hair was a mess, my skin was pale and blotchy, and my eyes had dark crescents underneath them as if I hadn't slept at all. Shaking my head, I made my way out of the bathroom, quietly walking past the cashier who gave me a sympathetic look as I exited the store. Making my way to my truck, I tossed the bag into the passenger seat, hopping into the driver's seat just as my phone vibrated in my pocket.

Starting my truck, I began the drive back home, letting whoever had called me leave a message on my voicemail. I didn't feel like talking to anyone right now. I arrived home, staying in my car for a few minutes until I jumped out, taking the bag with me and walked into my home. What should I do? Grabbing my phone from my pocket, I pressed the phone to my ear, letting it ring until I heard Claire speak on the other line.

"Hi Anna. What's wrong, dear?" she asked, her tone filled with concern.

"Are you busy?" I asked as I fought back a sob. "I need to talk to you."

"I'll be right over," she said before the call ended and I sat down on the couch, setting the tests on the coffee table.

I fumbled with the hem of Delmare's shirt again as I waited for what seemed like hours before Claire arrived. Turning around, I gave her a small smile as I looked at her with tired eyes.

"Oh, honey, what happened? Are you alright?" she asked as she came toward me, sitting beside me on the couch. She grabbed my hand, patting it slightly as I turned to look at her. "Where's Delmare?"

"He's at the research center." I paused, taking a deep breath as I recounted the past few days, blushing as I told her how Delmare and I had slept together the night before. "Delmare was on his way to see his family, but he must have been caught by my coworkers because they had him at the institute this morning. And then I threw up, so they let me go home. But now I have a fever and I'm sore everywhere, and my boobs hurt, and I just drank a gallon of water." I looked over at her. "Then I remembered that I'm near ovulation so I took a pregnancy test, but the lines are blue. What's happening to me? Is this normal?"

"Everything's going to be fine," Claire said. "This is normal, but usually we try to avoid this. Your baby can tell you're worried and that Delmare isn't here. So your body is reacting. Once Delmare is here, your symptoms will mellow down."

"So I'm really pregnant?"

"Symari pregnancies are different," Claire explained. "They last only four months, so the baby grows faster than a normal human child. After a week or so, it will be as if you're six weeks along. That's what happened when I was pregnant with John."

I took a deep breath, biting my lip as I tried to process everything that had happened in the last twenty-four hours. This was all too much. Suddenly, my stomach growled, begging me to eat something. I wanted—no, needed—seafood!

"I'll have my husband gather some guards and get Delmare out of there. You don't need to worry. Do you want me to pick you up something to eat? Have you started craving yet?"

"Can you get me some seafood?" I asked, hopeful.

She smiled and nodded.

"Make sure he's safe."

"He will be, dear. For now, how about you take a nap?" she suggested as she stood. "I'll be back soon."

"Thank you!" I called, feeling the heaviness of my heart lift.

Laying down on the couch, I felt my body relax, a feeling I hadn't felt all day. I just hoped that they would get Delmare out of there safely. I closed my eyes, falling into a deep sleep, no longer overwhelmed with concern about Delmare's safety.

I wondered if our baby's eyes would change colors like their father's did, or if they would be a mix of our own.