Ten weeks later
Iwas in a garden chair in the shade of the trees, close to the vegetable garden where I could watch Dom fiddle with the outdoor lights.I had my daily cup of oolong sitting on the armrest next to me.One cup was totally okay, Ell had said.That was probably a good thing.I’d have lost it if I’d had to go cold turkey on the oolong.
I still had to do my PT arm exercises for the day.The cast had come off last week—and not a day too soon.The skin on my left arm was almost pure white, downright immaculate, and I was still reeling from the shock of seeing the slightly sun-browned skin on my right as the evidence that I had spent more time in nature.What had the world come to.
Ell had booked me for the ultrasound to get my prostate checked only yesterday.At least, that was what it said on the chart.The technician had known what was going on, although apparently no onereallyknew the ins and outs of my condition on account of “my type of human” not really being a thing for a few generations now.
I looked at the print from the ultrasound.I had no idea why people kept these, because honestly, it was just a blob.
I put a hand on my belly.That still felt strange.I’d gained a little bit of weight, but my clothes still fit.Maybe it would stay that way.Apparently, an omega’s kids were pretty small.Yeah, there was some more roundness there than before, but you really couldn’t tell.
I knew though.
“Should I call you Blob?Little Blob?Blob-blob?Blobitty-blob?”
Dom stopped his cable and hammer wrangling and came over, grinning wildly.
“Are you telling the baby nonsense already?”
I put the photo in my lap and picked up my tea.The trick was to really enjoy that one cup I got each day.“I was just spitballing ideas.”
He brushed his locks out of his face.“I’ve been thinking about names.Can I just float some by you?To get an idea of what you like.”
I sipped my tea, letting it linger on my tongue like the richest wine.“Okay, but I’m not committing to anything.”
“Understood.Oscar?”
“Nah.”
“Thought so.How about Elias?”
I nearly chortled into my oolong.“That sounds like an insufferable brat.”
“Whoa, judgy today, are we?Some Eliases are probably just…like a strong cup of oolong, you know?Not for everyone, but just the thing for the right kind of snob.But okay.Blaine.”
I wrinkled my nose.“Not that either.I’m going to stick with Blob now.”
“Wow, that’s cruel, but okay.You good here?I have to run inside to grab my crimping pliers.”
“Is that a real thing people ply with?”
He pursed his lips.“You know, you’re the writer, but I don’t think that’s the right word.”
I leaned back.“Prove me wrong, then.”
“Hmm.Some other time.I’m leaving the door open.You just shout if you need anything, and I’ll come running.”
I sighed.“Yeah, yeah.Get your pliers, Dom.”
He brushed a quick kiss to my cheek.“Love you, Little Red.”
He jogged inside.With the broken arm, one of them looking after me all the damn time had been a bit of a nuisance at times, not dissimilar to how itchy the cast had gotten.I’d reassert my independence any day now, but there was still the issue of me wanting naps and being tired a lot.
I put a hand on my belly again.“The napping is your doing, isn’t it, Blob?I suggest you keep up with that and don’t do what I have heard the straight people talk about when it comes to babies not sleeping all damn night.”I picked up the sonogram again.“Great.Now I’m talking to a blob as if it can actually hear me.”
I savored another sip of my tea, but turned when I heard some rustling leaves from the direction of the forest.
That spiked my adrenaline right away.The pack people had set me up with an online therapist, like, that fast, but things just were scary these days.Less so when Linc, Dom, and Ell were around.
