“I’m feeling fine. Large, but fine. Is it normal for mort pregnancies to progress so quickly?” When I’d woken up from cryosleep, I’d been in such shock, I didn’t pay too much attention to the actual pregnancy. There were so many things I had to wrap my head around, I guess I assumed I had plenty of time to deal with the eventuality of birth. So why do I feel like I might pop at any moment?
As though to punctuate the point, the little one inside me moves and my stomach tightens around them. I suck in a breath.
“What is it?” Avrell asks.
“I don’t know, maybe the baby wanted me to eat my words. It felt like a muscle cramp, but all over my stomach. Everything is okay, isn’t it?”
“We know mort-alien pregnancies progress at a more rapid pace. Because the process is fairly new, we don’t know everything. I estimate you’re around seven months now, based on your date of insemination for a human pregnancy, for a mort pregnancy, you’re nearing full-term.”
Was I mistaken, or was he blushing? Good. Maybe that means he feels a little remorse for what he did. I don’t feel as angry about it anymore. If I’m being honest with myself, what Avrell did brought me to Sayer and Jareth, so it’s hard to hold a grudge.
“At a more rapid pace, meaning I could go into labor at any point? Lovely.” For such an uncertain person, I hate dealing with uncertainties.
“I wish I had more answers for you, but what I can tell you is I’m going to do my best to ensure both you and the mortling make it through the birthing process safely. I’d bet my life on it.”
“You wouldn’t happen to have epidurals, would you?” I ask.
Avrell’s eyes furrow as he scans me again with what he’s told me is called a wegloscan. “Are those a food?”
“I guess that was a little too much to hope for. Epidurals are pain medication humans use on Earth II for childbirth,” I explain.
“Unfortunately, our medications are limited to emergencies. We do have something we can use for pain, if the situation calls for it.”
“I figured as much. I’m sure it will be fine,” I say with a bit more bravery than I feel. Avrell is quiet as he packs up his tools and I sit up on the examination table. “Is everything okay?”
He sighs, then takes a seat in front of me. His shoulders are slumped, and he can’t quite look me in the eye. “I never should have put my own desires ahead of yours. It wasn’t my right to inseminate you after our commander decreed against it. I took away your choices and that makes me a Kevin.”
Before Molly stopped talking to me, she’d explained more in depth the morts’ distaste for Kevin’s namesake. I put a hand on his shoulder. “You aren’t a Kevin, Avrell, because a Kevin wouldn’t feel remorse for his mistakes. As long as you know not to ever repeat them, then I hope you’ll accept my forgiveness.”
His eyes shine when he meets mine. “I don’t deserve it, but if you’re kind enough to offer it, I will accept.”
Another cramp wraps around my stomach, but I push the sensation to the back of my mind. Forgiving Avrell has released a ton of the tension I’d been carrying around. I still don’t know what I’m going to do, but it feels much better not to have that anger on my back. I may not have chosen this life, but this is what I’ve been given, and I’d rather make the most of it than hang on to resentment for the rest of it.
After a quiet moment, Avrell pulls away. After straightening his shirt, he gets to his feet. “The cramps may be your body preparing for the baby’s arrival. If your fluids rush or if the cramps become stronger or closer together, please come see me immediately.”
I don’t take offense to his brusque tone. I’m starting to realize he and I have more in common than I originally thought. We both like to push our emotions away when they get too intense.
Feeling much more confident about dealing with those emotions, I pat his shoulder. “Do you happen to know where Molly is?” I ask.
Still looking away from me, Avrell says, “She’s either with the rogcow, Eileen, or she’s with Draven.”
“Thank you, Av.”
I never thought I’d say this, but I hope she’s with the cow-thing. The last thing I want to do is have this conversation with Molly’s intimidating mate Draven in tow. She’s told me not to be intimidated by him, but that’s nearly impossible when you’ve got this towering, scarred male staring at you. The only time I’ve ever seen him even remotely soften is when he’s around Molly.
Of course, when I find Molly in the pen they’re keeping the rogcow in, Draven is hovering nearby. Swallowing my fears and apprehension, I cross to her. She’s nearly as pregnant as I am, but it seems to come so much more naturally to her. Which only makes me feel worse about keeping information that would help her find her other child away from her.