The Apprehension (Unexpected Circumstances 6)

“Dizzy,” I replied softly.

“I saw her just as she was beginning to fall,” Branford said. “I barely caught her in time.”

“Alexandra? Have you eaten since this morning?”

“I do not think so,” I whispered. I could hear Sunniva’s questions, and I could answer her though my voice sounded strange in my own ears.

“Ida, fetch some water and fruit,” Sunniva said.

“Of course,” Ida said, and she scurried off toward the table.

“Branford,” Sunniva spoke softly, “do you know where Alexandra’s cloak is?”

“At the table, on her chair,” he replied.

“Fetch it for me, please.”

“I’m not leaving her!” Branford snapped. “Send someone else.”

I heard Sunniva’s sigh and felt Branford’s arms tense around me.

“Get the cloak, Branford.”

Branford growled under his breath, and I did not have to open my eyes to know what expression went with his exacerbated sigh. He stood and slowly turned to set me down in the chair before he brushed his lips over my forehead.

“I will return shortly,” he stated as he walked off.

“Alexandra,” Sunniva said as she reached out and took one of my hands in hers. “How long have you felt like this?”

“Just a few minutes,” I answered.

Ida came back with a cup of water and a small bowl of apples and pears. She held the cup to me as I took a drink, and then I bit into one of the pears. I did begin to feel better almost immediately.

“What about yesterday?” Sunniva asked. “Did you feel ill then?”

I narrowed my eyes in confusion.

“I did,” I admitted, “but only for a moment.”

“And did your stomach empty itself?”

“No,” I replied with a shake of my head.

“Did it feel as though it would?”

I bit into my lip for a moment before I nodded.

“But I did not get sick,” I said, emphasizing the words.

“Alexandra?” Ida asked softly. She laid her hand on the top of my shoulder, and I turned my head to her. There was a slight smile on her face. “When were you last in the Women’s Room?”

I looked down to the ground because in the back of my head, I knew it had been longer than normal, but I had refused to speculate on the reason. If I thought about it, and it ended up being not true…Well, I could not handle any additional disappointments when it came to that subject.

“It has been…a while,” I finally whispered back.

Branford gasped and then dropped to his knees in front of me.

“Alexandra?” he said softly, his bright green eyes staring into mine.