Confirmed and crazy….
The first light of dawn crept through the curtains, and I knew it was time. My heart pounded as I slipped out of bed, careful not to wake George. I took the pregnancy test from the nightstand, where I had placed it the night before, and made my way to the bathroom.
The moments that followed were agonizingly slow. I followed the physician’s instructions, then waited, staring at the test in my hand. My breath caught in my throat as a faint line began to appear, quickly followed by another. Two lines.
My hands trembled, and I sank to the floor, staring at the test in disbelief. It was true-I was pregnant. The realization hit me like a tidal wave, and I felt tears welling up in my eyes, a mixture of fear, anger, and confusion swirling within me.
I couldn’t stay in the bathroom forever. Eventually, I forced myself to stand, wiping away the tears that had begun to fall. I had to tell George, though I wasn’t sure how. My mind was racing, trying to figure out what to say and how to explain something I could barely comprehend myself.
As I stepped out of the bathroom, George was already awake, standing by the window, gazing out at the early morning light. He turned as I approached, and the concern in his eyes deepened when he saw my face.
“Ashley,” he began, but I cut him off, holding out the test for him to see.
His eyes flickered to the test and then back to my face. He didn’t say anything for a moment, his expression unreadable, but I could see the wheels turning in his mind.
“So, it’s true,” he finally said, his voice calm but laced with something I couldn’t quite place. “You’re pregnant.”
I nodded, unable to speak. The words caught in my throat, strangled by the overwhelming emotions I was battling.
George took a deep breath, closing the distance between us. He took my hand, gently pulling me toward the bed where we both sat down.
“We’ll figure this out,” he said softly, his grip tightening slightly as if to emphasize his commitment. “But first, we need to understand what this means for you-and for us.”
“I don’t know what to do, George,” I admitted, my voice trembling. “This wasn’t supposed to happen. I thought I had left all of that behind.”
“I know,” he replied, his voice steady and reassuring. “But you’re not alone. We’ll face whatever comes together, and we’ll make sure you’re safe, no matter what.”
His words were a balm to my chaotic thoughts, but the reality of the situation still loomed large. There were so many unknowns, so many risks. If anyone from the mansion found out, especially Simon or Lucas, it could spell disaster.
“What if they find out?” I whispered, voicing my deepest fear.
“They won’t,” George said firmly. “I’ll make sure of it. But we need to be smart about this, Ashley. We can’t take any chances.”
I nodded again, though the fear still clung to me like a second skin. “What do we do now?”
“First, we need to confirm everything with the physician,” George replied, his mind clearly already working through the next steps. “Then we’ll figure out our plan. We’ll keep this quiet until we know exactly what we’re dealing with.”
The day passed in a blur. The physician returned as promised, and after more tests, it was confirmed-there was no doubt. I was indeed pregnant. She gave me careful instructions on how to care for myself and the child, but I barely heard her; my mind was still reeling.
After the physician left, George and I sat in the quiet of the room, the reality settling in. There was no escaping it now. This was happening, and we would have to face it head-on.
“We’ll be careful,” George said, breaking the silence. “And we’ll find a way to protect you. But for now, we have to stay calm and keep this between us.”
I nodded, the weight of the situation pressing down on me. Despite the fear, there was also a small flicker of resolve growing within me. I had survived so much already-perhaps, somehow, I could survive this too.
And as the sun set on that fateful day, I knew that whatever lay ahead, I would have to find the strength to face it. For myself, and for the life that now depends on me.
On a fateful day, I was seated on the rooftop in the evening with George by my side. The lounge chair there was wide enough to accommodate both of us, so we sat quite close to each other, my head resting on his chest as we both sat in silence, enjoying the cool breeze of the evening and the view of the moon. Since we were both sitting in silence, intrusive thoughts had the chance to invade my mind. The physician had done the necessary tests that she had to do the day she came after the confirmation of my pregnancy. We discovered that my pregnancy was about three months old already, meaning it wasn’t something that just happened within the three-month span since I was brought here by George.
Thinking back, I could easily trace the passionate night that had brought about this pregnancy. That night is one I can never forget because it was completely out of this world. The way Simon and Lucas basically worshiped my body, not leaving a single place untouched, was just breathtaking. They took me on one heck of a ride, one I didn’t want to end, but now here I am, bearing the consequences of that night. With the situation as it is, however, I didn’t have the luxury of remembering that night with fondness. Now, it seemed more like a bitter aftertaste of a once sweet and relishing treat.
So what is going to happen now? Would I let myself and my world just come crashing down simply because of this? Obviously not! Just as George had mentioned before, I really can’t keep running away from things; it’s finally time for me to fight for myself. However, this time I was even more determined, given that I was no longer going to be fighting for just myself but also for the life that had already started growing in me.
“George,”
“Hmm?”
“What do you think the people are going to say?” I asked, shutting my eyes tightly as I awaited his response. George, however, didn’t say anything, and I was starting to get curious as to why. I opened my eyes only to be met with his questioning gaze directed at me.
“Ashley, please don’t tell me this is about your pregnancy and the people not accepting it.” I pursed my lips, taking a deep breath as I looked down in shame.
“Oh my goodness,” he exclaimed, raising my face to meet his. “Look at me, there’s absolutely nothing for you to worry about.”
“But-”
“No buts, Ashley. Why are you even thinking about this? I have everything under control, and besides, the people would do whatever I say without asking any questions.”
“But that wouldn’t stop the murmurs and rumors from spreading around; the people would talk once they found out the truth about everything.”
“Then let them talk; that’s what people do, isn’t it?” He let out a sigh, noticing that I was still not convinced.
“You really shouldn’t worry about these things, Ashley. You will affect the baby, don’t you know? The people know you as their Luna, and so when it’s time to announce the pregnancy, of course they will all believe it’s mine. Look, I wasn’t just saying it for nothing when I said that I will always be here to protect you. Now, I am telling you as a matter of fact that I will protect you and this child. As long as I am alive, I will always love this child and take it as my own, okay?” I nodded, convinced to a good extent; after all, what could I possibly do to protect my name at this point? I just had no other choice.
We remained silent, taking in the beautiful ambience and the volume of our own silence. The night ended with me in a good mood; after so long, I could finally lay back with hope in my heart, contrary to how tense and full of worry I would always be about not having control over my own life.
As time passed, I slowly started getting used to the routine prescribed by the physician for the duration of my pregnancy. Along the way, I also got a personal maid to help attend to my needs, and George would even often join me on the walks I was prescribed to go on in the evening, and sometimes in the mornings as well if he wasn’t too occupied with work. In essence, the pregnancy journey progressively got harder with every passing month, but it was, on the other hand, just so easy to scale through having all these and more by my side throughout.
Just as George had assured me, the people did believe that he was the father of my child, and so things moved more smoothly than I had expected. I had some of the craziest cravings one could think of, and one thing George never stopped assuring me of was that he was never tired of me. Obviously, the pregnancy hormones kicked in, and I would often have emotional episodes, crying that George would one day get sick of my disturbance and probably just throw me out once he was finally fed up with taking care of me and my child. However, he never made me feel like a disturbance or a burden in any way; rather, he never missed a chance to reassure me that he cared before, still cares now, and will always care about me whether or not I am in an okay mood or throwing a tantrum.
I can’t forget the day he actually traveled to a town about three towns away from ours. I had requested a fruit that was grown only in that pack town, so he went there himself to get a couple of them for me, only to return and find that my craving had already changed. It was a hilarious moment that I can’t help but reminisce about.
After George returned from his long journey, he walked into the house with a small bag filled with the exotic fruit I had been craving. His face, though tired from the trip, lit up with a proud smile as he handed the bag to me.
“I got them,” he said, his voice filled with satisfaction. “It took a bit of effort, but I found the perfect ones.”
I looked at the bag, and then back at George, my heart swelling with affection. But as I opened the bag and caught a whiff of the fruit’s scent, my stomach turned. The craving that had been so intense just a few hours ago was now completely gone, replaced by a sudden aversion to the fruit.
“George, I’m so sorry,” I said, guilt washing over me. “But I don’t think I can eat this now.”
He blinked, clearly surprised. “You don’t want it anymore?”
I shook my head, feeling a bit ridiculous. “I know it sounds crazy, but my cravings changed while you were gone. I’m really sorry, especially after you went through so much trouble.”
For a moment, I feared he might be upset, or at least disappointed, but then George burst into laughter, the kind that was infectious and filled the room with warmth. His laughter eased the tension I hadn’t even realized I was holding.
“Well,” he chuckled, “I guess that’s what I get for trying to keep up with pregnancy cravings. They’re more unpredictable than I thought!”
I couldn’t help but laugh along with him. The whole situation was so absurd, yet it highlighted just how much George was willing to do for me-and for the baby… our baby. His dedication, even when it meant driving miles to satisfy a craving, touched me deeply.
“Thank you, George,” I said softly, placing a hand on his arm. “Even if I don’t want it now, I really appreciate what you did. It means more than you know.”
He leaned in and kissed my forehead, an act that clearly took me by surprise. “You’re worth it, Ashley. Every bit of it. And who knows? Maybe tomorrow, you’ll want these again, and we’ll be prepared.”
We both laughed again, but the moment also held a deeper connection between us. Despite the unpredictability of our situation and the challenges we faced, we were in this together. George’s small act of kindness reminded me of that, giving me strength and reassurance in a time when everything else felt so uncertain.
As the days passed, George and I kept the fruit in the kitchen, just in case my craving returned. And though that particular craving never did come back, every time I walked by and saw the bag, I couldn’t help but smile, thinking of George’s dedication and the laughter we shared that day. It was a small, sweet reminder that even amidst the chaos, there was still love, humor, and a bond that was growing stronger each day.