AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Naomi,” he whispered in an awed way, pulling open her robe and cupping her belly in his hand.
“Is it… am I?” she asked, not daring to hope.
There was no mirror in the bathroom. And he had come to know her body so well in the last few days, every inch of it…
“I think so,” he told her, dropping to his knees to press his lips to her belly.
Pure joy lifted her heart, and the hope was so sweet it almost hurt.
The sound of a door clicking open barely registered with her, and she felt no shame at being half-naked in front of the doctor.
Gage rose slowly, keeping one hand curled protectively over the slightly convex shape of her belly.
“Good morning,” Dr. Pan called out softly.
“Come in,” Naomi said.
The doctor entered briskly. A hoverbed trailed her with Athena on top, resting like a queen on a litter.
“Athena,” Naomi said, rushing over to greet the one who had been willing to sacrifice herself to save them all. “I’m so glad to see you.”
Athena turned to her and butted her head against Naomi’s shoulder in greeting.
Naomi stroked the soft, cloudy fur in wonder. Were they finally friends?
“She didn’t forget that you refused to leave her,” Gage said. “You proved yourself on the battlefield, and you have her respect.”
He strode over next, and the normally regal Athena turned puppyish, wagging her tail, ears down in happy submission as they greeted each other.
“She’ll need rest and plenty of good food,” Dr. Pan said. “And she’s been spoiled a lot by the staff, so she’s expecting attention. But in a few more days, she’ll be as good as new.”
“We can do all of that,” Naomi said. “No problem. We’re so grateful to all of you for taking good care of her.”
“If I’m not mistaken, someone else here may need special care,” Dr. Pan said, her eyes twinkling. “Let’s get your vitals.”
This time, Naomi was eager for the exam.
“Where are your thoughts today?” Dr. Pan asked as she pulled up the sequence on her bracelet.
“All good things,” Naomi said, smiling over at Gage. “I’m feeling hopeful.”
“Good,” Dr. Pan said, smiling and placing the sensor.
“Temperature is normal,” Dr. Pan said. “Heart rate is normal, blood sugar normal, blood pressure normal.”
Her fingers danced in the air as the hologram shifted and flashed.
“Are you in any pain right now?” she asked.
“No, uh, unexpected pain,” Naomi said.
Dr. Pan’s eyes flicked up to hers.
“I’m just a little sore,” Naomi confided quietly. “But it’s a good sore, from consensual things.”
Dr. Pan nodded and looked like she was trying not to smile.
“I have wonderful news,” she told them at last.
