When We Were Young

Sixty-eight:

Sixty-eight:

It was already a few weeks into term, and Alina hadn't even been able to get up to go to class. She'd been staying away from Aleksander because she was sick, and she didn't want to get him sick too. She'd had some intense stomach nausea. So bad that she couldn't get up to go to class. Aleksander had kept her set up, with seven up, chicken soup, and saltine crackers. He came by dutifully every other day after class to fill up her stuff.

One afternoon, when he came back and Alina was over the toilet, Aleksander said, "Are you sure it's the flu? The flu isn't supposed to last that long."

"It's obviously the flu," Alina insisted, "there's nothing else that it could possibly be."

Aleksander was sitting on her bed on the side. "Sweetheart, um, I hate to bring this up, because the idea kind of terrifies me too, but is it possible that you are pregnant, Lina?"

Alina looked up from the toilet. "Aleks, are you trying to make me throw up now? On you?"

Aleksander sighed. "No, sweetheart. I'm not. But this bug has lasted for a while, you are a woman, and a woman that has been getting freshly fucked on the reg. I know you've been on birth control, and I've been using condoms, but neither one of them are one hundred percent effective, and there's always the chance that something could happen. Like, for instance, a baby Morozova."

Alina frowned. "Don't name something that doesn't exist. There is no baby Mor---" she made a face "---there is no ba-----" she put up a finger, and then she was throwing up in the toilet again. Alina glanced back at him. "Morozova, if you got me pregnant, I swear that I am going to----" she threw up again.

Aleksander got up and walked over to where she was bent over the toilet. He rubbed circles on her back lightly. "It's okay, sweetheart. Let it all out and then you can kill me later. I promise." Alina threw up again, and then she flipped him off, making Aleksander chuckle at her wryly.

Alina stopped puking long enough to sit up and talk with him. "Aleks, I can't be pregnant. I'm barely out of school. You're just graduating. We've only been dating for a few weeks. We're not ready to be kids?"

"Why not?" Aleksander said. "I mean, it might be happening a little faster then was intended, but I think you're my happy ending, Alina Starkov. Do you think that you're my happy ending?"

Alina smiled. "Yeah, I think that you are my happy ending, Aleksander Morozova."

"Good. You've got an OBGYN?" Aleksander said.

Alina sighed. "Yeah. Of course, I am. I'm on birth control, although I guess that didn't really work."

"Make an appointment. I'll go with you, and I'll pay for it."

"Aleks----"

"Hey, it's baby Morozova. I've got to take care of what's mine, right?" Aleksander said. He kissed her on the forehead. "And you are mine, and so is the baby."

Alina sighed. "Okay, fine. But how about we be a little bit more progressive and call it baby Starkov-Morozova?"

"That's a mouthful. I like it. Baby Starkov-Morozova." He kissed her. "Your mouth tastes like trash."

Alina laughed. "Well, whose fault is that?" Alina said.

"Mine," said Aleksander, "and I will happily admit to that. Oh, you're going to look beautiful pregnant, sweetheart. I can't wait to see you round with our baby. And I bet your breasts are going to look marvelous."

Alina sighed and shook her head. "How can you not be freaking out about this more?"

He took her hand and squeezed it. "Because, I have faith in us. I have faith in you. And I think we can handle anything that life throws at us, including this baby. Yeah, maybe baby Starkov-Morozova is a little unexpected this soon but were Aleksander and Alina. We can do anything that we set our minds too, including take care of the baby."

"You really think so?" Alina said.

"I know so," he told her. "Come on. Why don't I help you up and put you in bed? Unless, of course, there's more for you to throw up."

Alina shook her head. "No, I don't think there is anything left."

"Good," said Aleksander. He took her by the hand, and then he picked her up, carrying her bridal style over to her bed. The two of them crawled inside, and Aleksander wrapped his arms around her.

"A baby," Alina whispered.

"Yeah," said Aleksander, "a baby."