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Annie’s voice, soft and steady, washed over Sara like a soothing balm. She hoped all the tests came back negative.
“I’m going to need to take some blood also. I hope that’s okay?” said the gentle healer.
“Yes, I’m fine with that,” Sara replied.
“That’s great. Obviously, you won’t get the blood results back right away.” Annie fiddled around with the tests as she spoke, then turned to them with the pee stick lookalike. “Well, you were right,” she said with a smile. “You are definitely pregnant.”
Her eyes collided with Xavier’s, and twin smiles danced across their faces, mirroring the happiness that radiated within her. Her heart skipped a beat as she observed the way his eyes crinkled at the corners, a telltale sign of the genuine happiness he felt too.
After Annie had taken the blood tests, she asked Xavier to leave the room while she performed an examination. It was a bit uncomfortable, but Annie was as gentle as she could be. “Everything looks fine,” she said. “You can get dressed.”
Sara was overjoyed. She had been given a clean bill of health from the doctor. Then came another wave of morning sickness. “Is there anything I can take for this nausea I keep feeling?” Sara asked. She’d had enough already.
Annie gave a little chuckle. “That’s the age-old question of pregnant mothers everywhere,” she said. “How do you feel about ginger? Do you like it?”
“Yes, I love it. Why?” said Sara.
“That’s very lucky for you, then. It’s the best thing you can take for morning sickness. Ginger tea, ginger cookies, ginger ice cream. From now on, ginger is your best friend,” Annie answered. As the doctor spoke, she tidied the area. “If it gets too bad, I can medicate you, but for now, using a natural remedy is the best thing for both you and the baby.”
Sara felt as if she were in the kitchen of an old friend. She half expected Annie to offer her a drink or get a pie out of the oven. She liked the older healer immensely. She was very glad Annie would be guiding her through this pregnancy.
Annie called Xavier back into the room and explained to them the best practices for a healthy pregnancy. “Exercise is fine,” she said, “as long as you get plenty of rest as well and try not to get too stressed with everything happening in your life right now. Stress is the worst thing for your health and the babies.”
“Is there anything, in particular, I should eat? Apart from ginger, that is,” she asked. Xavier gave her a questioning look. “Ginger’s great for morning sickness, apparently,” she told him.
“Ugh, rather you than me,” he said, then frowned as the two women exchanged a laugh.
“It’s lucky you’re not the pregnant one, then,” Annie told him. “You can eat pretty much anything, really,” she went on. “Make sure fish and poultry are well cooked. You don’t want to get food poisoning. Eat plenty of protein and fresh fruit and vegetables. I’ll give you a leaflet. Don’t feel like you’ve got to remember all this.”
By the time their meeting concluded and they stepped out of the office, a palpable sense of reassurance enveloped Sara. The discussions had been illuminating, addressing their concerns and providing a roadmap for the journey ahead.
A renewed confidence infused her step as she and Xavier walked side by side. Her nervousness was evident, yet beneath the veneer of apprehension, there burned an unyielding determination. The challenges of pregnancy lay before them like an uncharted terrain, but they were united by a common resolve to conquer it with grace and diligence.
She would face it with her new partner, drawing strength from their bond and a shared commitment to getting it right.
It sounded good, anyway.
SIX
XAVIER
Xavier stood in the doctor’s office exam room for a moment, frozen by disbelief and elation, his heart pounding. The words reverberated through his mind, echoing with a resonance he could scarcely comprehend.
His fated mate, the one whose presence had ignited a unique warmth within him, was now carrying the most profound proof of their connection … a precious life created by them.
On their drive home, a wave of pure joy washed over him, an emotion so powerful that it seemed to lift him from the ground. His eyes, usually so composed, shimmered with unshed tears as he stared out the windshield, his heart bursting with an overwhelming mix of emotions.
The weight of responsibility and wonder settled on his shoulders, and a tender smile played on his lips. He felt a deep sense of gratitude for the universe’s alignment, for bringing them together in a way that defied logic and embraced the realm of the extraordinary.
As he reached out to touch her hand, a surge of emotion coursed through him. He marveled at how fate had led them to this juncture, where their souls were intertwined in a bond that now extended to the life growing within her.
Xavier’s overjoyed heart swelled with a sense of purpose, a determination to cherish and protect both the woman he loved and the tiny, miraculous being that was a testament to their burgeoning love story.
Both he and Sara agreed they should tell their nearest and dearest first, but after that, they really didn’t care who knew about it. They were both so happy that they wanted to sing the news from the rooftops.
So as soon as they reached home from the healer, Xavier called his closest friends and colleagues, and Sara called her folks. He wished his parents were alive to hear the news. His mom would have been delighted.
All the calls were made by lunchtime, and Xavier decided they should go out for a celebratory meal. “Where do you want to eat?” he asked.
