Page 128 of Savage King

"I love you, too."

We returnto the hospital for my doctor’s appointment about an hour later. Both of us break out into chuckles off and on during the car ride.

"Out, out, out," Antonio mocks me.

I roll my eyes and try not to sink too deep into the cushions in embarrassment. There is nothing else for me to do but fess up. "In college, for my degree, I had to take several biology classes. During one, meant more for the med students, we analyzed urine…" I take a deep breath, aware of Antonio's amused gaze on me. “So, one of the girls volunteered hers…"

"And?" He prompts when I break off.

The embarrassment I felt for that girl is still fresh in my mind. Maybe it’s a little bit of mine too, because I laughed likethe others, after first one person, and then another cried out,There's something swimming in the pee. I saw it too, under the microscope, just like the others.

It's urine, Mister Helm, the professor corrected. But that wasn't the problem; the problem was all those little sperm, most still very much alive, swimming in the urine like they were training for the Olympics.

The professor moved the closest student out of the way and looked through the microscope, coming up, almost in awe, saying,that ladies and gentlemen, is a very good example of how resilient sperm are, even hours after…whatever he said next was lost as the entire class of over forty people broke out in loud laughter, me included, I'm afraid. My laughter, however, died the moment the girl whose urine we were scrutinizing let out a sob and ran for the door. I never saw her again, never had a chance to apologize, but her humiliation is still branded deep inside me.

"So you worried the nurses would see my sperm in your urine?" Antonio concluded.

"Stupid, I know," I agree, but that's the story.

"I love you," he says, putting his hand behind my head and pulling me in for a kiss.

"I love you, too," I say, slapping his arm, but some of my initial embarrassment slowly burns away.

Antonio gets out of the car first, like he always does. I wait inside while he looks up and down the street, and up at the buildings surrounding us, before he deems it safe for me. His hand comes into view, and I take it, allowing him to help me out of the SUV. Four bodyguards trail us as we make our way back into thehospital for the OBGYN appointment. Where, just as I feared, Antonio inspects the chair the medical assistant left us with after she took my vitals and instructed me to put on a gown, which, I notice, is not paper here.

"There's no fucking way I'm allowing my wife to sit on that fucking contraption, spreading her legs," Antonio curses the moment Doctor Vandercamp walks in.

"Mr. DeLuna, I assure you?—"

"No fucking way."

"Antonio?" I place a palm on his arm, "I think it's better if you leave for a few minutes."

"Leave?" He nearly yells. "Leave you and this man alone? In here? With you wearing that? Fuck no."

"Would you feel more comfortable if I found a female doctor?" Doctor Vandercamp offers reasonably.

"I don't think—" I start, but Antonio interrupts.

"Yes, that would make mefeel better. It'll be better for your health, too." He narrows a glare at the man, leaving him visibly shaken.

"Of course, of course, give me just a second." Vandercamp mumbles and rushes out of the room.

"Antonio," I shake my head at him, "that was so uncalled for."

He pushes against the stirrups and lets out another string of profanities. "You women have to do this a lot?"

I try to keep down the giggle rising in my throat, but it’s hard. I do manage a nod. "Yes."

"You better pray we only have boys."

Oh shit, that is a complication I haven't considered yet. As protective as he is of Gigi and me, I hate to think what might happen if we have a daughter.

After a short knock, an older lady with greying hair walks in. Her face is round and wrinkled, and she has a grandmotherly persona about her that instantly puts me at ease.

"Mr. and Mrs. DeLuna. I'm Doctor Gupta. I heard you might prefer a woman doctor," she greets.

"Nice to meet you, doctor. Yes, yes, we do," Antonio says, pulling out all his charms, but she mostly ignores him.

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