Reality Bites - Wattys 2018 Shortlist

Chapter 32 - It's Just Unnatural!

"You know, there's something unnatural about being awake at this hour," Lissa whined, looking out of the house's tinted windows at the mid-morning sun with resentment. I couldn't help but roll my eyes. We'd had to operate on a human schedule when we'd run away from the Academy, and she whined about it then, too!

Dimitri and Alberta had both been up before the sun. While she was officially here as a Guardian during Lissa's 'treatment,' since that was all but done and dusted, Alberta was using the time here for a bit of R and R. Of course, for a Guardian R and R meant extra training sessions! Dimitri told me some of the Guardians had been bordering on rude when Alberta, a lady in her fifties, had come down to the gym with them to train. However after she'd laid her third young Guardian on his ass, they started taking her skills a bit more seriously.

I'd slept until 6.30 when there was a knock at the door to our room. Opening my eyes and realizing Dimitri had already left to train, I put on a bathrobe and opened the door. Mom was standing there, dressed in her training clothes.

"Get dressed and come train with me," she said. Neither a question nor an order. I didn't want to fall out of practice, so I thought I might as well.

Gesturing for her to come in, I said, "I'll just get changed."

Heading into the closet, I slipped on a sports bra, panties, lycra workout leggings and a workout singlet. Coming back out, I could see Mom taking in the room. Dimitri's Guardian shirt neatly hung over the back of a chair, his pants, boxers, boots, and socks were strewn somewhat haphazardly near the end of the bed. My jeans, top, lacy bra and panties dumped on top of them. I couldn't have made it more obvious if I'd drawn a diagram with arrows and stick figures! Studiously ignoring all items of clothing, I sat on the side of the bed, putting on my shoes and socks. We were halfway to the door when I suddenly remembered.

"Hang on Mom, I just need to take my pill."

"Do it when you get back," Mom said.

"Nah. I've just started a new prescription, and I don't want to risk falling pregnant," I shot back over my shoulder, heading to the bathroom and downing it quickly.

Coming back out to our room I found the door closed, my mother standing in front of it with a look that was truly outraged. In fact, I knew she was beyond furious because when she did talk she didn't start screaming, she spoke very quietly indeed.

"Rosemarie? I think you need to explain what you mean by that statement. Lord Ivashkov's interest in you did not escape my attention last night. If you've brought him here with the intention of pursuing some nefarious sexual affair, then I need to tell you that neither your father nor I will tolerate it. While I'm still not overjoyed that you're so openly in a relationship with Dimitri, he is a good man, and he adores you. He doesn't deserve to have you do that to him, and I won't allow it," she said, eyeing me with true disgust.

I was listening to her words, but it took a moment or two for them to sink in. When they did, my mouth almost hit the floor.

"MOM! It's not at all like that!" I said. "Baba obviously hasn't told you... When he found out I was shadow-kissed with Lissa, he hired historians and researchers to try and work out what it meant. He found out lots, which will be helpful. But one surprise he did discover is that there's more than a good chance that when Lissa healed me at the point of death, she also healed my fertility. My ability to fall pregnant to another Dhampir, I mean. I need to be careful with my pill because Dimitri and I aren't ready to have a baby."

Mom looked at me aghast.

"PREGNANT?" she managed to gasp.

"Definitely not pregnant now. But maybe one day?" I said nervously. Walking up to Mom and taking her hand in mine I told her, "Dimitri is the only man I've ever been with, Mom. Even come close to being with. I love him more than I ever knew was possible, and I don't plan to ever be with anyone else. Knowing we could have a family is one of the reasons I'm questioning my future. I know how hard it can be to juggle being a mother and being a Guardian," I finished quietly. "And please? Can you try to give me the benefit of the doubt before flying off the handle in future? I haven't always made choices you agree with, but I'm not a liar. If you ask me, I'll tell you what happened and why."