Page 35 of Carter

Giving up on sleep, I get ready to face the world. I shower, brush my teeth and make breakfast for Ash and me. The shower helps me feel refreshed, washing away the worry, pain, and hurt I felt in that moment. During my failed attempt to go to sleep, I remembered that I came to Australia for two reasons. One was to set up the firm, which I already accomplished. And two was to get artificially inseminated, which I had put aside when I fell for Carter. I had to get back on track.

Before calling the clinic to schedule an appointment. I take out my phone to check my menstrual and ovulation app. As I put my password into the app that keeps track of when my period starts and ends and when I’m supposed to ovulate, I hear Ashton entering the kitchen. “Good Morning. How are you feeling?” he says, placing a kiss on top of my head. I close the app and shut my phone off before I can even look.

“Good Morning Ash,” I say, smiling at him. “I’m feeling better, thank you. How are you doing?” He turns to me, taking a sip from his coffee. “I’m good. What time do you want me to head to the penthouse to pick up your stuff?” I swallow my breakfast while drinking my orange juice. Cleaning my lips and mouth with a napkin. “Knowing Carter, he probably thinks I went to the penthouse because I have nowhere else to go. He doesn’t know that we're close. He’s too busy entertaining his new girl, we have plenty of time to pack my shit and go.” I say, putting on a fake smile as my heart shatters thinking about him and his mate.

On our way there, I was productive as can be. I scheduled my return to the States for Friday and scheduled my appointment for the clinic this afternoon. That gives me four days to settle everything here and close this chapter of my life. Making our way to Carter’s penthouse, I can tell he’s not here. The elevator door opens and the place is silent. I go to our bedroom and head to the closet to get my suitcase and duffle bag.

Ashton takes the duffle bag from me and starts getting all my books, soaps, make-up, and small stuff. I start throwing clothes into the suitcase.

An hour and a half later, we were done packing everything I needed. Looking around the room, I see I got mostly everything. The only things I left were things Carter bought me. Picking up the picture that he has on his nightstand of the two of us from the baptism and one from when he asked me to be his girlfriend, I sit on the edge of the bed. I admire them as I feel a tear run down my left cheek.

Putting the picture back on the nightstand face down, I wipe my tears and go to the main living area, where Ashton is waiting for me. “Ready?” I say as I roll my suitcase behind me, passing Carter’s office. I stop as I notice the door is open, and I notice a canvas. Walking in, making my way towards the canvas, I face it and gasp when I realize what’s on it. It’s me completely bare.

Holy shit Carter drew me. I ran my fingers up and down the drawing taking in all the details he put into this. For a moment, I'm taken back to one of our previous conversations.

“Are they your parents?” I question. He nods as I hold the picture in my hands. “You look so much like your father, but you have your mother’s eyes and dimples,” I say, looking at him in fascination. My eyes travel down to his plump lips. I clear my throat and step away. “Back to your drawings, they are impressive. Can you draw people as well?”

Pushing off his desk, he makes his way toward me. Grabbing me by the waist, he leans down and whispers a yes. Carter’s lips hovering over mine. My face is completely flustered.

My thoughts are interrupted when I hear a knock on the door. Looking up, trying to forget the steamy sex we had here I look into Ashton’s eyes. “You okay?” I feel my face burning, unable to talk. I just nod. Ashton steps into the office, making his way toward me. I swallow hard and clear my throat before he can reach me. “Yes, I’m fine. We should go.” I say, trying to get him to stop coming any closer and see what’s on the other side of this canvas.

As we both leave the office, I close the door, and we make our way toward the elevator. I notice that Ashton already has all the bags by the elevator door. We step inside, and I can’t help but feel sadness take over me as the elevator doors shut, knowing this is the last time I will ever step foot inside this place. I say goodbye to all the memories I shared with him and all the good times we had inside these walls.

I arrive at my scheduled appointment and walk into Addam Donor Bank. The receptionist greets me and checks me in for my appointment. Finally, turning on my personal phone, I start to receive all the notifications. I check to ensure none are from my parents, sisters, or best friend. I see that I have over 80 missed calls and many messages from both Carter and Isabella. Damn, I even have a few from Liam.

“Leandra Russo.” The nurse in black scrubs calls my name. I lock the phone and make my way toward her. “Hello, Leandra. Can you please confirm your date of birth for me?” She questions, smiling at me as we approach the room. “Yes, it's April 16, 1995,” I say. She smiles at me as we make it into the examination room. She checks my vitals and weight and tells me the doctor will come in a few minutes.

There’s a soft knock at the door, and a few seconds later the door opens, and in comes Dr. Amber. “Hello, Leandra. How are you doing today?” She questions taking a seat right in front of me. “I’m doing well. Thank you. How are you?” I ask her. She smiles up at me before she answers. She’s typing something on her laptop at the same time. She looks back up from the screen. “So, you are here today so we can finish the last set of bloodwork, correct?”

“Yes.” I nod as well. “Okay, perfect, let me ask you a few questions. Have you been sexually active recently?”

“Yes.”

“Okay, any chance you are or can become pregnant?” I shake my head.

“No, we used protection, and when we didn’t I wasn’t ovulating.” Dr. Amber types something into her computer. She asks me another question about my cycle and when I plan to have the procedure done. “Okay, I want to do a quick pregnancy test just in case, and I will also make sure that the bloodwork checks to see if you have any HCG hormone present. I want to make sure you aren’t pregnant before we continue the process.” She says as she opens the cabinet and pulls out a cup for me to pee in.

I take the cup and head for the restroom down the hall. I can’t be pregnant. For God's sake, I had my period and the only time we had unprotected sex, I knew I wasn’t in the fertile stage of my cycle. I sigh as I open the restroom door locking the door behind me. Taking a deep breath in and out, I pee into the cup, placing it inside the dispenser for the nurse to get. I wash my hands and head back into the examination room.

The doctor enters the room five minutes later, holding a piece of paper. I smile at her, but once we make eye contact, something in my gut tells me she's about to change my life forever. “Miss. Russo. Congratulations, you're pregnant!” She says, handing me the paper confirming what she had just told me. Right there in black bold letters, I read the word pregnant. My mind is a mess. There is no way this can be happening to me. I took test after test, and they were all negative. I got my fucking period, for God's sake.

The blood drains from my body. Currently, I’m in denial about this. “This can’t be possible. You’re wrong!” I say a little too loud. “Dr. Amber, I had my period. I took a pregnancy test, and they all came out negative. Are you sure?” I ask. Begging her to tell me this isn’t true. “Those store-bought tests can sometimes be wrong. We checked your urine twice and the same results appeared. I’ll send you to the lab so they can take some blood, and we can confirm that way. I can also do an ultrasound and see if we can see anything. Though, it could still be too early.” She says calmly as if she’s trying to calm me down.

My eyes fill with tears. I don’t want an ultrasound done on me because if I'm pregnant, seeing that tiny dot on the machine will be confirmation that this is real. Wiping some of the tears that have escaped, I take a deep breath in and out. “Blood work should be fine. Thank you.” Dr. Amber takes hold of my hand and squeezes it. “Everything is going to be okay. Listen to me, Leandra. You will be an excellent mother.” She smiles at me, giving my hand one last squeeze.

“Go ahead and head to the lab, and I will send the order in. I will expedite the results for you. We should get them in the next twenty-four hours.” I nod and head down to the lab. As I go to the lab, I can’t stop thinking about what I’ll do if this is true, which I'm somehow starting to believe it is.

I’m pregnant with Carter’s baby. My hand automatically goes to my flat stomach making a vow to make my baby happy. Regardless of what happens, my baby will never feel fatherless. At that very moment, I decided to tell Carter that he would be a father.

The phlebotomist confirms my date of birth and proceeds to tie the blue tourniquet around my upper right arm. She fills the tubes as I stare at the wall, but my mind fills with thoughts of what Carter will say. Will he be happy? I laugh inside. How can he be happy with the news that he will be a father when he just found his mate, with whom he shares this incredible bond? He deserves to know no matter what, but in the end, it will be his choice if he wants to be present.

After leaving the clinic, I visit the nearest store for several pregnancy tests. Now I’m waiting for my phone's timer to go off. Thirty seconds left. I breathe out, hearing the timer go off, getting up off the ground. I stand and head for the counter, where five pregnancy tests are laid out. Taking one, I turn it over to read the result. Positive. Two red lines are proudly displayed on more than one test. I clutch the pregnancy test against my chest. I knew Dr. Amber was right. My gut told me she was, but I wanted to see it for myself and sure enough, I have five tests proving to me and the world that I’m pregnant.

I hear Ashton calling my name and I hurry to get all the tests from the counter, disposing of them except for the one in my hands. I save that one inside my purse and wash my hands before going to where Ashton is. “Hey, Ash,” I say, hoping he can’t see that I’ve been crying. If he does, he doesn’t say anything. Instead, we sit and have dinner as he tells me about the first applicants who have applied to the internship we offer.

We finish dinner and I excuse myself as I start to feel nauseous. Making a run for the guest room, I close the door and head for the toilet, where I empty the contents of tonight's dinner.

“Leandra. Lea. Are you okay? Do you need some water?” I can hear Ashton calling from the door, and I can also hear the concern in his voice. I don’t want to tell him yet, but I probably won’t be able to hide this if I’m already showing signs. “I’m okay, Ash. Yes, please, I’ll take some water.” I say so that he can leave while I finish emptying my stomach. As I hear a knock on the door, I go to unlock it and head straight back into the en suite, where I finish brushing my teeth. I notice him follow me all the way to the en suite, where I know he's seen the empty pregnancy boxes.

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