10
Flint
The time passedboth slowly and quickly, like we were living in a fairy tale. Each day was filled with joy and happiness. With no sign of Hector anywhere, Charlie’s anxiety about Scarlet Ridge faded. Casey was getting bigger and stronger every day. She joined us on every hunt, now - the guys were all totally impressed by her hunting and tracking abilities for such a young pup. She could hunt plenty of small game completely by herself, and for bigger game the guys were always willing to help herout.
Speaking of getting bigger, Charlie’s belly had swollen considerably. He started to get cravings for strange foods, too - like rightnow.
I returned home with a bag full of food. “Hello?” I called as I steppedinside.
Casey rushed up to me with a look of concern on her face. “Daddy, quick!” she cried, grabbing my sleeve. “Daddy doesn’t feelwell.”
I frowned and dropped the bag on the floor, rushing to Charlie. He was sitting on the bathroom tile floor, lookingmiserable.
“Don’t look at me,” he mumbled. “I’mgross.”
“Never,” I growled, kneeling down. I put a hand on his back and rubbed comforting circles. “Are you feeling betternow?”
“A little,” he admitted. “I can’t wait for this to be over,though.”
“It will be soon,” I soothed. “Just think about what’s awaiting us at the end.” I smiled at him. “Think of our pup growing insideyou.”
With my other hand, I reached down to gently rub his belly. It was swollen now, since he was about three-quarters through with histerm.
He sighed with a tired smile. “I know. I guess I should get used to the sickness, since we were planning on more pupsanyway.”
“I heard it gets better with each pregnancy,” I told him. “Is it better this time compared to when you were pregnant withCasey?”
He leaned against the bathroom wall. “I think so. To be honest, I think I blocked most of that time out of my memory, because of thecircumstances…”
I frowned and held hishands.
“I’m okay, don’t worry,” he said, smiling. “I have younow.”
I nodded. “Always.”
* * *
The worst ofhis sickness lasted a week, and after that he was completely ravenous. He ate everything he could get his hands on. I kept having to run out and grab the weirdest things from thestore.
As the cashier rang me up for pickles, carrot cake, and mint ice cream, she asked with a smile, “Pregnantomega?”
I sighed. “You gotit.”
I returned home to find Charlie raiding the fridge. He had half a wild turkey drumstick in his mouth. He blushed as he saw me walk in on him in such a state. I justlaughed.
“Go ahead and eat, you and the baby need it,” Isaid.
He grinned sheepishly and continued to stuff his face. While he ate, I placed the food I just bought on the table. Casey came over to see what Ipurchased.
“Ooh, ice cream!” she said. “Can I have some,too?”
“Well, I bought it for your daddy, but if he says it’sokay…”
Casey turned to Charlie with big puppy eyes. He chuckled and said, “Of course,honey.”
For dinner, I made a huge seasoned venison roast with potatoes and squash from our garden. Before the late stages of Charlie’s pregnancy hit, he had begun a garden in the yard. It wasn’t huge; just a nurturing hobby for him, and a source of food for us. It was late in the season, so this was likely the last harvest before winter gripped the garden in its cold clutches untilspring.
“These veggies are awesome,” I told Charlie. “You really did a good job raisingthem.”
