“Are you sure?” asks my husband.
Sure about what?
I blink several times. Am I asleep?
Slowly I regain my memory. Memories come flooding back and fill my head. I fainted! I’ve never had anything like that happen to me before. I’m pretty strong. I usually am.
I remember Dawson’s arms carrying me as if I weighed less than a feather, Darío’s concern...
Teresa. My sister suddenly comes to my mind.
Lucian!
Oh, no!
I try to open my eyes, but the damn things won’t cooperate.
“Hello, beautiful dragonfly.” Darío sits down next to me. The bed sinks gently under his weight. “Go easy. It’s all right.”
“Darío...” my voice is hoarse, my tongue heavy in my mouth, and I feel a haze in my throat, almost as if it’s been days since I last spoke. “What.... what happened?” I inquire, though I know my last conscious thought was the fainting, the bed, and the brothers discussing whether or not to call the emergency room.
It’s all so confusing to me.
I shudder under the sheet. I finish opening my eyes as wide as my heavy eyelids will allow.
“You’re in the clinic, love. You passed out. You scared the hell out of me. For a moment, we thought you’d fallen asleep, but when Dawson tried to wake you up... God! You nearly scared me to death.”
“I’m s-sorry, my darling,” I murmured weakly. “What happened to me?” I blink several times in a row. My body is weak. I feel it by how it shivers and shakes from the mere wind coming through the open door.
“You’re anemic,” he answers as he runs his hand through his hair. He doesn’t look at me. He doesn’t because, ultimately, he can’t see me.
I watch the door where a draft of cold air blows in. Dawson is not around, and I don’t want to bother Darío, who I know will get up and try to close it, but he doesn’t know this place. The last thing I feel like doing is making him feel useless, as he often repeats, given his condition.
“Anemia?” I’ve never been a sick woman. I have no trouble eating or taking vitamins.
“Yes, beautiful. The doctor has been kind enough to prescribe some vitamins for you to take.” But, with his tone of voice and the way he wrings his hands nervously, I get the hint that something is wrong with him.
I sit up as best I can on the bed until I manage to stick my back against the headboard. I have an IV placed in my right hand. Am I that bad that I need to be channeled?
“Darío,” I place my IV hand on his shoulder and make him turn towards my voice, “what’s wrong love? You seem thoughtful... distant.”
gesture doesn’t reach his eyes, which
things from each other, honey. Why don’t you just tell me what’s bothering you?” I think of the despair he must have felt when I fainted when
I’m serious, baby. It’s all right. Rest, that’s all you need to worry about right
I sound more
and all my willpower, I pull off the sheet that covered my body and sheltered me a little from the cold. I have socks on. I feel them when
with me. You’re the one I want by my side
really want me here? Nothing will change
body and snuggle in. Then, slowly, he brings his arms up and
he informs, his voice husky. His arms are tense, his back
I try to take in
Pregnant.
Pregnant?
I pregnant?
how many times I say it in my mind, I find it
a comment from me, but nothing comes out of my mouth. I am
Pregnant?
to be barely
been married to Darío for
What will people say?
this idiotic musing. I want to bang my head against the wall for even thinking about what people will say. Are they going to support my son? Will they
anxious. “I don’t want to pressure you... I mean... I don’t want to impose on you to... to carry my son... Shit!” he exclaims and pulls out of my embrace. He turns around and
His warmth soothes me.
slows, and he lets out a
almost gray because they are so light, crinkle,
me, so I reach up and kiss him. His lips open. I take the opportunity to insert my tongue and deepen the kiss, which becomes more passionate every second. I press my chest against his and raise my head a little to give him better access to
him kissing me like this, so sensual, so possessive, so him. His thumbs circle my cheeks; his caresses cause me
escapes my lips,
never get tired of this mouth, my dragonfly. You are beautiful.”
tired of it.” I press my
that recently bothered me. I’m wearing the same light yellow plaid dress I wore in the morning before
pregnant,” I mutter.
corrects me and lets
laughing? Really? Do you find this
pregnancy. I thought he
the delay with my period, I didn’t want to consider it, as I was afraid of how an unplanned baby
I’d see how pale you look, so scared you’re
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
The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!