“How is she?” Yulian asks. “Is she alright? What happened?”
The doctor, a middle-aged man with thick glasses and graying hair, shoots his faded blue eyes over to me.
“Perhaps we should discuss your daughter’s condition in private?” he asks.
“I’m not going anywhere, doctor. Now tell us what the hell happened,” I demand.
Yulian throws a surprised glance at me, but then nods toward the doctor.
“Yes, doctor, tell us. It’s fine. He’s family,” Yulian insists as the others gather around us.
The good doctor gives me another wary look, but nods.
“Well, it’s not that terrible. Your daughter was severely dehydrated and we’re fixing that with an IV bag. And the rest of her symptoms are normal.”
“What do you mean normal?” I demand before Yulian can speak. “What symptoms?”
“I mean congratulations are in order,” the doctor states. “She’s pregnant!”
It’s rare that I'm ever shocked, but Annika has now made me speechless for the second time.
Pregnant?
“How far along is she?” I ask.
Behind me, Pyotr lets out a vicious laugh.
“Pregnant? Deal’s off! No way I’m marrying ashlyukhacarrying someone else’s bastard!”
I spin on my heel and cold-cock my brother in the face before I even realize what I’m doing, sending him flying backwards into the chairs.
“What the hell, Kirill!” Pyotr roars.
“Get him out of here, Edik,” I snarl. “Get him out of here now! I’ll deal with his disrespectful ass later.”
Edik makes no move to help Pyotr up from the floor, but as soon as he is on his feet, Edik snatches his arm in a vice grip and begins leading him away.
“Get your fucking hands off me,” Pyotr snarls, blood flecking from his busted lip.
Edik ignores him, and drags the enraged man out of the emergency room.
“Apologies, doctor, Yulian,” I offer calmly, nodding to them both. “Now please, go on?”
The flustered doctor quickly lifts his clipboard and ruffles through the pages.
“Umm, she- she’s about eight weeks along, almost to the day,” the doctor stammers.
I feel the breath sweep out of his lungs. For a moment I’m sure my heart stops beating. Two months. It has been exactly two months since we’d met. Since I went up to her room with her and…
There is no doubt in my mind. The child is mine.
“That…that’s impossible,” Yulian says, his voice hollow. “My Annika is a good girl. She barely leaves the house. She dedicates all her time to her art. She can’t…she can’t be…”
The doctor gives him a sympathetic look.
“I understand this news is a shock, sir. But the truth is right here. Sheispregnant.”
Then as if understanding we need a moment, the doctor adds, “I’m going to walk over to the nurse’s station. Just come get me when you’re ready to see her.”
