Page 36 of Dante
Banner smiled. “Dr. King, not to change the subject or anything, but I’ve not been feeling the best this morning. Does this mean I’m going to get really sick?”
Dr. King’s face turned serious. “I would expect that you will have a more difficult pregnancy since it’s most likely going to be a shorter one. We just don’t know how short yet. I have a take-home bag for the two of you. In it is a book about pregnancy and omegas and what to expect during. There is also tea. Both of them. The tea in the blue tin is the regular ‘you’re sick sometimes’ tea. The tea in the orange tin will make you sleepy. You drink it if you are throwing up all the time or even with the other tea. Make sure you drink it first thing in the mornings, and if meals upset your stomach, drink tea at least ten minutes before eating.”
Banner looked up at me, and it appeared as if he was ready to cry. I reached for my mate and started rubbing up and down his back. “It’s all right. We’ll make everything work.”
Banner nodded before he leaned toward me. I wrapped my arm around his shoulder and held him against my chest.
“Thanks for seeing us,” I told Dr. King.
“You are most welcome. Do either of you have any questions?” Dr. King looked between me and Banner, waiting.
“Not really. I just want my stomach to not hurt, but now I’m a little terrified that I have only a month left before I’ll have to take care of a baby.” Banner looked up at me. “I like kids. Really.But I’ve never been around one. Especially not one that I have to take care of all of the time.”
Dr. King chuckled. “It’s quite all right. I’m almost certain it won’t be a month. We are going to try to get in touch with the goddess again and see if she has a gestational time for us. For whatever reason, she decided that those mated to hellhounds were going to have a different gestation than what their species normally would.”
I stared down at Banner, who was, of course, worried. I didn’t blame him even a little. It was a lot to take in, learning that you were pregnant one moment, and the very real possibility of you giving birth was only a month away.
“How do fox shifters do it?” Banner asked. “I mean, they have short gestations, right?”
Dr. King chuckled again. “They do. It’s a bit longer than six weeks though. They at least get ten weeks. That ended up being a blessing for Phineas during his last pregnancy. He had a little gargoyle, and although they are known for being difficult pregnancies, Phineas did quite well. I’m not sure how a longer pregnancy would have been on him though.” Dr. King glanced to me and then back down at Banner. “Anything else either of you wish to discuss?”
“Not really,” Banner said. He glanced up at me. “We have a lot to do, and it’s already stressing me out, and I know you’re not going to like that.”
I tried to quickly come up with a solution for all of it, but I didn’t know what to do or say to make things better for him. I couldn’t recall if we’d ever talked about the incredibly short hellhound carrier pregnancies or not. It would be wonderful if we knew what we should expect, but the goddess didn’t really like to help as much as she probably could.
“I know you’re stressed, but please try not to be,” I told him before quickly adding, “I also realize saying that is pointless. Butwe will be all right. We have a wonderful group here that always helps out others, and I know that it will be no different for us.”
Banner looked up at me, and after a long moment, he nodded before he turned back to Dr. King. “Is it possible to get some of that tea? And maybe some more crackers or something? I’m really not feeling the best, and crackers and regular tea are all I’ve had.”
Dr. King nodded but suddenly looked concerned. I could understand. Banner hadn’t been out but a few moments, not even a minute. But Dr. King’s hand had done that green-glow thing, and he’d said it would help take away the nausea. Was Banner going to be one that was incredibly sick during pregnancy, or was this just everything overwhelming him all at once?
“Of course you can,” Dr. King said as he held out his hand. In it was a much more delicate-looking mug than what I had.
“Thank you,” Banner said. A bag of crackers appeared, and he took those as well.
“You are most welcome.” He watched as Banner took a drink and then focused his attention on me. “I would like to see him again in two weeks.” Dr. King glanced back at Banner. “I’m being overly cautious for now. But of course, come back before then if you have any issues.”
Banner nodded while taking another drink of tea.
“Is there anything I need to do for him?” I asked.
Dr. King offered a smile. “Just take care of him. Try to make him as comfortable as you can.”
“I will.”
“The council already knows that this pregnancy will be different. I am not them though, so I do not know what you should expect for assignments. You might want to get in contact with your pack alpha and see what it is that you should do next.”
I nodded. “I have a few messages from Master Edison. We usually go to him with things, but he’s already mentioned housing and extended time off.”
Banner looked up at me. “He has?” Then he shook his head. “Yeah, he has. Ugh.” Banner looked over at Dr. King. “Is pregnancy memory loss a thing? Would I have it already?”
Dr. King chuckled. “It can be. That will also be in the book. Please read it, but still feel free to ask any questions you might have.”
“We’ll make a list,” Banner said. I chuckled, and he stared up at me while shoving another cracker in his mouth. “What?” he asked around his treat. “I know I’m going to have all kinds of questions.”
I could only smile at my mate. How could he be so adorable? “I have no issues with that,” I said in response. We would make all of the lists. That wasn’t going to be a problem for me even a little. I was going to reach out to Warwick and get a list of things we were going to absolutely need versus what we might want. But I was going to go into becoming a parent with as much information as I could in hopes of making it as amazing an experience for my mate as I possibly could.
“Let me get you scheduled for your next appointment, and then I’ll let you two get back to your matemoon,” Dr. King said.
