LIMERANCE,, benedict bridgerton

xxxxii | immaculate conception

The busyness of the Christmas period had made Alexandria forget all about the possibility of being pregnant, Augusts little words still remained tucked away in the back of her head. A wave of nausea came over her in an instance, Alexandria laid a hand across her belly as if to stop the sick from coming up.

She clutched the sides of the chamberpot with a tight grip as she heaved into it, trying to make as little noise as possible to not alert Benedict. When Alexandria was positive she stopped being sick she stood up, smoothing her dress down and tried to regain her composure.

That is when it hit her. Her courses were late.

Alexandria ran over to her calendar she kept, she also tracked her courses in the calendar. The last time she bled was the fifteenth of November, which was just before her and Benedict bedded together for the second time. Which meant she was supposed to be due around the twelfth of December. Three weeks ago.

The realisation hit her like a freight train all at once.

Internally, Alexandria was panicking. Her nerves would not settle until she had confirmation from the doctor. Instead of shutting herself away from the rest of the world and dealing with this by herself, she left the toilet and into the sitting room.

Benedict was sitting at the pianoforte playing the same song on loop, none the wiser. Benedict looked up from his playing when Alexandria walked in, giving her a soft smile before resuming. She had picked up her novel that she had been reading and flipped to the page she left off on.

Alexandria found that she could not focus on the words on the pages as too many things were running through her brain at once. "Are you well?" Benedict asked, snapping Alexandria out of her own thoughts. She had not realised he stopped playing and was instead focusing on her face.

"I am well," Alexandria lied. "Why do you ask?"

"Do not lie to me Alexandria," Benedict softened making his way over to Alexandria, who swallowed. "You have been focused on that same page since you came in here."

"And how would you know that from over there?" Alexandria asked defensively. "Because I could see that you didn't turn the page once. Your eyes seemed distant." Benedict observed, placing a comforting hand on her thigh.

She snapped her eyes up to look into his. Benedict had a small smile on his face, it hadn't faltered once. "You do not seem yourself, Lex." Benedict said when a beat of silence passed between them and Alexandria failed to say anything.

"Forgive me if I seem distracted, I am just thinking of the wedding. It seems wedding planning is all I can think of!" Alexandria shrugged, trying to deflect but Benedict wasn't stupid.

"Usually you would be vocal with your thoughts. You would normally be talking my ears off and still managing to read at the same time," Benedict said affectionately, loving those parts about her. "I know you too well."

"You do know me too well." Alexandria agreed, her shoulders sagging as keeping up this act was proving to be exhausting. "So?..." Benedict encouraged looking at her deeply.

Alexandria opened her mouth trying to work up the courage, she did not know why she was so nervous to say to Benedict. "I think I am with child."

A moment of silence passed between the pair, Alexandria trying to read Benedict's indecipherable expression and Benedict processing the words that left Alexandria's mouth. "I have not bled in three weeks." She added.

Suddenly, Benedicts indecipherable expression cracked into one of joyfulness. A large smile stretched on his lips and a laugh tumbled out of him. Alexandria subtly let out a little sigh of relief, and smiled too.