Page 35 of His to Mate

“Okay, I’ll send down for it. Want anything?”

“Chocolate cake, pineapple upside down cake, cheese danishes?” Skye smiled but looked at Ann with new concern when Ann’s pocket yelped. “What is that?”

“That,” Ann said as she reached down and pulled Katy out of her pocket, “is apparently the health scanner I asked for. Rager sent me a message while I was being sick. Said I asked for a health scanner because the dog was pregnant when he came home one night. He took that to mean I wanted a puppy. I named her Katy.”

“Oh, my word, she is precious!” Skye cooed over the puppy, who pulled her head back and inspected the woman. Skye held Katy on her chest and close to her face. “I think you’re just adorable.”

Katy jerked her head in the direction of Ann and yipped. “I think you’re also attached to your mommy already.”

Skye handed Katy back to Ann and the puppy wiggled with frantic joy. “It looks like you’re right, Skye.”

“You have a stalker for life now,” Skye laughed. “Puppies are almost like having babies. Only they never grow up. Not really. They stalk you forever.”

“I’ve never had a pet. Mom and Dad were always too busy with work, and I was too busy with school. I’m not sure what to do with her.”

“You’ll have to get them to build you a staircase so you can let her outside when she wants to go.” Skye pointed at the other end of the balcony. “That’ll make life easier on both of you.”

“That’s not a bad idea. I’ll suggest it to the men later. For today, she’s been using the flower bed. I imagine the gardener is going to love her.”

They both laughed at that, and Ann looked around. “My mom is pregnant, did I tell you?”

“No, but Meg did.” Skye looked at her with a little guilt on her face. “It wasn’t breaking patient confidentiality, not when we’ll both be caring for her.”

“It’s okay, I’m just excited about it for her. Twins. My dad will go insane!”

“From what I’ve read, it can happen later in life, and your mom is in her 40s. So, it isn’t out of the realm of possibilities.”

“I suppose not. I’m just glad it’s her. I’d die.”

“No, you wouldn’t. You’d cope, the same as she will. Women are always so afraid with new babies, but you soon settle into it. Don’t get me wrong, some don’t and weren’t very good at it, but that was an exception to the rule. It wasn’t the norm.”

“You’ve learned a lot the last few weeks.”

“Some of it I knew before, and I did do a lot of reading in that basement. I’m full of useless knowledge, but it comes in handy every now and then.” She closed her eyes and put her hand over her forehead. “I have a headache, sorry.”

“It’s alright. Do you want some aspirin?”

“I’ve had some, it’s just this heat. And I heard there’d been fires, so maybe it’s smoke too?”

“Could be, and yes, there have been, to the north of us, in the forests. There’s been a fire department formed, and they’re up there trying to put it out.” Ann had heard that from her mother too, who seemed to have far more information than Ann lately.

One day, Rager was going to have to take a day off. One day, she’d have a definitive answer. One day, she’d get to spend some time with him. She just knew it. She missed him, even if she filled her day with duties, and people, and now a puppy. She missed talking to him and being with him. Most of all, she missed his touch. Damn, she craved his touch so very much it hurt sometimes.

Maybe tonight she could stay awake…

“Earth to Ann, come in, Ann?” Skye snapped her fingers and Ann shook her head.

“Sorry, think I drifted off there. I’m finding it very hard to stay awake anymore.”

“I noticed. It should get better for a little while, and then as you progress, you’ll want to sleep but won’t be able to get comfortable… and…”

“Yes, stop there. I thought this whole thing was glorious, and you glowed prettily, and took sweet photographs holding your bump, and maybe peed yourself once or twice, and then ‘boom’, a sweet bundle of joy appeared in your arms.”

“Not quite, even though I know you’re joking.” Skye winked at her and pulled up her bag. “I brought that book I mentioned. When you can stand to eat, you need to eat really well, okay? Get lots of nutrition in your body. And make sure you’re getting food with folic acid.”

“I will.” Ann took the book and looked it over. It had a woman in a rocking chair on the front, a giant bump cradled in her hand. “All nine months are covered, huh?”

“Yep, and you’ll want to read every page. You won’t be so surprised by stuff that comes along, or happens, or whatever…” Skye waved her hand. “I have to go, I need to check on one of the other wives. She’s not doing well with her pregnancy.”

“Oh no, what’s wrong?” Ann asked but then shook her head. “You can’t tell me, it’s okay. Thanks for the books and the company.”

“No problem. Let me know when you get that scanner, alright? We’ll figure out how to use it together.”

“Sure. Have a good day, and don’t work too hard.” Ann waved her friend off and looked down at her pocket. “Now miss, I think we need to find a way for you to get outside when you need to go potty. Let’s go talk to the gardener and see what he can do.”

Ann spent the rest of the day arranging the business of stairs for Katy, and asleep. Katy woke her up more than once to play or cuddle, and Ann did her best, but she was struggling to stay awake. It wasn’t easy, but she did manage to see Rager for about five minutes before she passed out later that night.

She was certain she asked for a scanner properly this time and went to sleep happy. He came to bed, kissed her with a passion she’d missed dearly, and then she fell back against her pillows, too exhausted to stay awake. She felt two presences as she slept now, one was her husband curled up behind her, and the other was Katy, curled into her stomach. Warm, safe, and loved.