Page 118 of Captured Immune

“At first it was only the people who were within a few feet of me. Later, the baby could sense people farther out. It could tell exactly where someone was by sensing what direction the emotions were coming from and how strong they were.”

“You... you’re preg—oh my god! And it’s... it’s mine!” Trey shoots off the bed and rakes his hands through his hair. It’s not in frustration, the way he typically does it. He looks more confused than anything. “But—but how is that possible? To have a half-Zordi, half-Ordi child? That’s not—wait. Who cares how it’s possible? My baby’s an Empath, just like me. Holy shit! I’m gonna be a dad!”

My eyes go wide. “Oh, Trey. Hold on.”

He doesn’t hear me. He climbs back into bed, rips the blanket off my legs, then presses his ear to my stomach.

“Trey, I?—”

His shuddering body stops me. He grips onto my legs, then lets out a cry.

I place my palms over his back as his shoulders tremble. “Are you okay?”

It takes a few heartbeats before he arches his head back, and I can finally see the tears rushing down his face. “Arella, I’m more than okay! I’m gonna be a dad! I’ve always wanted a family. I haven’t had one in so long. I’m gonna work so hard, baby. I promise you. I’m gonna work so hard to be the best dad this little baby could ever have.”

I burst into tears.Thiswas the reaction I wanted when I was scared to tell him I was pregnant.Thisis what every woman dreams of seeing from her man the second she gets that positive pregnancy test.

Trey swipes his thumb under my wet eyes. “I’m gonna teach them how to play guitar and piano. You can teach them how to bake and how to be a good person. We’ll do things like go to amusement parks. I’ve never been to one. That’s something good dads do with their kids, right? I’ll take them to baseball games and out for movies. Disney World. The zoo. Oh, god. I’ve always wanted to go to a zoo.”

“Trey...” I say through tears as I try to find the right words.

“Look, I know I don’t know anything about babies, but I’m gonna learn. I’ll take classes. I’ll read books, and do lots of Googling. I’ll take really good care of this baby. I’ll take really good care of you too, Arella. I promise.”

“Trey, stop.”

“I can’t. I’m so fucking happy right now. Fuck, I’m even crying. I don’t think I’ve ever cried from happiness before. Look at me. I’m such a goddamn sap, and I don’t even care. I’m gonna be a dad! I’m gonna be?—”

“Trey!” I finally find the strength to shout through my tears. “Listen to me!”

Ultimately, he settles, taking my hands into his. “What, baby?”

“Oh, honey. You just made it harder for me to tell you.”

“Tell me what?”

I’ve never seen anyone so wholesomely happy about being a dad before. I squeeze his hands to give him reassurance that everything will be okay. “Honey, the baby is gone.”

28

ARELLA

I expecthim to burst out with a loudWhat?but he doesn’t. Instead, he stares at me with a deadpan look like he doesn’t understand the language I’m speaking.

“I’m sorry, Trey. Maybe I should have started with that.” I didn’t because I needed him to know that I had never cheated on him. I needed him to know the baby was his. I didn’t expect him to react so strongly about being a father.

“W-what do you mean,gone?”

“As in, I’m not pregnant anymore.” I’m surprised by how well I’m keeping myself together. I wasn’t sure if I could say it out loud without crying. However, after seeing how happy Trey was just now, I think he’s going to lose it, and at least one of us has to stay strong.

He squeezes my hands tighter in his. “No! That’s... no! But—you... H-how? How do you know?”

“Because the morning after I was electrocuted, I couldn’t sense other people’s emotions anymore.”

“Electrocuted?”

“Yes. While you were in the infirmary, Victor sent me to a lab. There, a lady did a bunch of tests on me. One of them was dropping lightning balls on me to try to get me to shield myself from them. I couldn’t do it, and I’m pretty sure that’s what caused the baby to?—”

I’m right. He does lose it. He flies off the bed and heaves a hand through his hair. Nowthatis in the manner I’m used to seeing. “No! This can’t be. I—Goddammit! Victor! That fucking... There’s not even a word horrible enough to describe what I feel about him right now.”

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