by Jenna Payne
“We gotta get her to the hospital, she has a pulse, it just seems like she fainted,” they were saying and I stood and watched while an ambulance stretcher was brought out and Tiffany was loaded onto it. Her eyes were still closed and her chest was only moving a little.
“What hospital are you taking her to?” I asked one of the paramedics and they told me they would take her to NY Memorial. Then they rushed her out of the arena. I barely saw or heard anyone as I hurried into the locker room to get my stuff and then went to my car to speed to the hospital, still sweaty and in my uniform and all. I wondered if she had something going on with her medically and didn’t want to tell me to worry me. Maybe that’s what was wrong with her all along.
As I drove, I thought I was an idiot for not paying closer attention to her. Of course she’s been acting strangely. Sometimes I’d catch her pressing a hand to her temple or holding onto a chair after standing. She’d complained about feeling faint twice and then she’s quickly brushed it off when I asked her about it.
When I got to the hospital I quickly parked in the parking garage and ignored all the stares and people recognizing me as I followed signs through the hospital to the emergency room.
“Y—you’re Anthony Rhodes!” said the guard who sat in front of the visitor’s desk, next to an orderly. I nodded impatiently. “I was just watching you on TV man! Great game.”
I sighed and then turned my attention to the orderly who thankfully was attentive as I gave her Tiffany’s name.
“I need to see her, is there any way you can get me back there miss?” I asked. Thankfully the orderly, a short, middle-aged woman, sympathized with me. She told the guard that she was going to show me back to where Tiffany was.
“If anyone asks, just say she has no other family in the city and you are her fiancé.”
The orderly led me to a small room at the end of a corridor. The glass door was closed and the curtain drawn. The nurse slid open the door a fraction so I could step inside and when I did it took me a moment to realize what I was seeing.
Tiffany was awake and relief spread through me like cooling water. Tiffany was on the bed with her belly exposed. A female doctor was using an ultrasound scanner on Tiffany’s belly. Neither Tiffany nor the doctor had noticed I was standing there yet because they both were focused on the ultrasound monitor.
“See there? Those two little dots like little beans? Those are your babies, and they look perfectly fine.”
Babies? Tiffany was pregnant? My eyebrows furrowed and I looked at the screen again, I saw them, the two little round specks really.
“I can’t tell…” Tiffany said with a waver to her voice. There was a lot of static noise on the screen but I could make out the part that was her uterus and the two little white dots inside.
“They’re right there…” I said softly and the doctor turned just as Tiffany registered my voice and her eyes met mine.
“I am guessing…this is the father?” the doctor said and Tiffany nodded weakly while her eyes filled up with tears.
“I—I’m sorry I didn’t tell you when I found out, but I was…I was panicking and I didn’t want you to freak out and lose the game and…” I walked over to her and shook my head so she could stop speaking.
“Don’t you ever put my work or yours before something as big as this, Tiffany,” I said. She stared into my eyes while I tried to convey with a gaze how much I already loved her and that I wasn’t panicking about her being pregnant. Tiffany eventually nodded and I bent down to kiss her deeply.
“We’re having twins!” I said once I broke the kiss and then I realized the doctor was still in the room. “We’re having twins right?” I looked as the doctor to double check and she nodded with a smile.
“Yes Mr. Rhodes. In about eight months or so you’ll be the proud father of twins.”
My smile broadened and warmth flooded my chest as I imagined a family with Tiffany and two little ones running around. The doctor finished up with the ultrasound as I held onto Tiffany’s hand and she gave us a moment alone.
“I thought you’d…I thought you’d be suspicious or something,” Tiffany said and I shook my head at her.
“Of course not, I trust you. I know this wasn’t planned, but I honestly couldn’t be happier…I love you,” I said. Tiffany’s tears welled over. I guessed I would have to get used to the emotions for a while.
“I love you too Anthony,” she said and my face felt like it would crack with all the joy I was feeling. I lowered my head to hers and kissed her until we were both breathing hard.
“So we’re going all the way with this right? We’re getting married and we’re going to be a family,” I told her more than asked her and Tiffany giggled before she nodded.
“Of course,” she said and I couldn’t help but kiss her again.
THE END
Bonus Story 3 of 40
Pregnant to a Dragon Prince
“Order up!”
Kara picked up the burger and fries off the bench in front of her and lazily brought it to the customer. Three years she had worked at this dead-end waitressing job, and it was torture. By the end of her shift she collected what little tips she had earned throughout the 10 hours and started home, in the dark, towards her tiny Chicago flat.
It was mid-October already, so the weather had turned cold and a brisk wind bit at her exposed flesh. She pulled her thin, black cardigan tighter over her waitressing uniform and continued on the long walk ahead. As she strolled through the city she lost herself in her thoughts. She imagined living in the beautiful penthouse apartments she passed every day. She wished for an adventure to take hold of her and bring back some of the enjoyment of life her meaningless job had taken from her.
Half an hour passed and she finally turned down the alley only two streets from her destination. Caught up in her own world she didn’t notice the shadowy figures approaching her, and all of a sudden she was surrounded by three frightening strangers.
She stopped dead in her tracks. She had been lucky enough to avoid the drug-riddled men who lived throughout this end of town, until this point. All three wore tattered, dirty clothes, their hair was unkempt and they smelled horrific. Kara found herself completely unprepared for the situation that was about to unfold.
“Where are you heading, sweetheart?” asked the man directly to her right. She opened her mouth to respond but her fear had gotten the better of her and she found herself speechless. The men began to come closer grabbing at her. She tried to dodge their advances but suddenly the glint of silver caught her eye as one of the men pulled out a small knife. All hope she had of escaping vanished. Before she knew it they had both her arms restrained and she felt overwhelmed and helpless.
The man facing her laughed menacingly, but her gaze was drawn to a bright light behind. As the blinding light neared the men softened their grip enough for her to break free, but in the confusion she ran straight into the arms of one of the strangers. This time he grabbed her around the neck, choking her. As she struggled for breath she couldn’t believe what she saw. It appeared to be a... dragon.
A dragon towered above the men. Surely this was her imagination. But an inferno that engulfed two of her attackers quickly confirmed her vision. They screamed and ran, completely alight, down the alleyway in the direction from which they came. The orange-red flames trailed behind them as they sped away. Kara could not believe her eyes.
The last man, who still had Kara by the throat, threw her forcefully to the ground and sped off in the other direction. Kara hit her head on the pavement. She lifted herself up put a hand to her head, where it had hit the ground. Forgetting about the mythical creature standing right before her, she brought her hand back down. It was covered in blood. She was hurt badly. She looked up and remembered. The scaly, purple beast made its way towards her as she blacked out, falling back down onto the cool concrete below.
*****
When she awoke she immediately realized this was not her bed, nor her room or anywh
ere that she had ever been before. It took her a moment, but feeling the bandages atop her head she remembered the events that had unfolded. Had she really seen a dragon?
Regardless, she was relieved she had not been mugged, or worse. But who, or what, had saved her? This still remained a mystery. It could not have been a dragon. She pulled down the soft, woolen sheets of the bed and lowered her feet to the dirt floor; the room she found herself in was quite old and very simple. The walls were covered in peeling, floral wallpaper while the cracked wooden door was situated only feet from the end of the single bed. She saw that her clothes from the day before folded over the bed head. Whoever had brought her here had also given her a change of clothes; an old fashioned cotton night gown, one befitting her grandmother.
One of her many questions was answered seconds later when she heard a knock at the bedroom door.
“Come in,” she called cautiously, and a tall, handsome man peeked his head around through the door frame,
“How are you feeling?” he questioned.
Confused, Kara replied to whom could only be her rescuer, “I feel a little faint, but other than that I’m fine.”
“May I ask who you are? And what happened?” she blurted, eager to find out more about this handsome stranger before her.
“My name is Blaine, I was heading home and saw those men attacking you. I couldn’t just walk by, I had to do something...” he trailed off.
“I really can’t thank you enough, I don’t know what would have happened if you hadn’t been there,” she gushed. He took a few steps toward her and sat down on the bed,
“I couldn’t let those horrible guys hurt such a beautiful young woman,” he said, smiling. She put her hands to her face, attempting to hide her blushing cheeks, embarrassed by his unexpected compliment.
“Thank you again,” she muttered. “But where am I?”
He looked a little uneasy and thought for a minute before wording his reply.
“Since you passed out before I got to you I couldn’t take you home, so I thought the safest thing to do was bring you back here. This is where I live with my... family.”
“Your family?” she inquired,
“Yes,” he replied. His abruptness alerted her that she should not push the subject any further, at least not yet. She didn’t know what it was but something about him drew her to him. She couldn’t explain it but it was as if their meeting did not occur by chance at all; as if it was destiny.
“You can’t stay here long, but I can take you back into the city with me tonight,” he said. His voice shook Kara from entering the impending daydream state she found her slipping into, while staring into his mesmerizing hazel eyes. She was a little disappointed that their encounter would be cut so short, but she suddenly realized she would need to be back for work the following day. If she showed up even a minute late again she would surely be fired. Begrudgingly she accepted the offer and just hours later they left the room and began their journey back to Chicago.
It seemed strange to her that they had to hurry off in the dead of night,
“Please, try to be quiet as we leave. I really don’t want to wake anyone,” Blaine said. Why was he so afraid of someone seeing them? She had not seen a single person other than him all day, was she even allowed to be here?
She was suddenly ushered through a door into what appeared to be a garage. Inside was one lonely, rusted Corvette, it looked to be about 40 years old and the years had not been kind to it. Like a true gentleman, Blaine strode ahead, clearing a path to the car before opening the door for her to climb in.
Kara stepped gingerly into the passenger seat and once positioned the door clicked shut to her left. As they both strapped in, the car struggled to start, but after several turns of the key they were motoring down the dirt road that led away from Blaine’s home. She peered back over her shoulder to take her first look at the place from the outside.
It was derelict, with vines covering almost every entrance to the building. The house was not huge, but appeared to have at least two stories, made up of crumbling red brick walls and half-tiled roof. It had not been the most luxurious of accommodation, though Kara could not have anticipated the dilapidated state of the exterior. Quickly she turned back and focused on the road ahead.
She slept for the majority of the journey, but she was awoken by the car coming to an abrupt halt outside her apartment block. Still slightly drowsy, Kara began her goodbyes.
“Thank you for everything,” she started. But would they see each other again? She longed to ask. Blaine came around to her side of the door and, taking her hand in his, helped her from the car to the asphalt below. They made their way over to the sidewalk, outside the door to the lobby of her building. Blaine still had hold of her hand as they stood for a moment, each waiting for the other to break the lengthening silence. Finally he spoke,
“I guess this is goodbye,” he said. She couldn’t help but sense the sadness in his voice. Quickly his tone changed to one that was a little more upbeat and cheerful as he continued,
“It was lovely to meet you Kara, I really enjoyed your company today. It’s been so long since I’ve been able to talk to anyone outside the family, and I couldn’t have asked for someone more beautiful than you,” he gushed.
She was touched again by his kind words, it had been so long since any man had given her this kind of attention, and she was flattered. She had to find out if they would again meet.
“Will I see you again?” she asked, unable to hold it in any longer. She had to find out if their paths would cross once more.
“Perhaps,” he smiled.
And with that he hastily jumped back into the car and was gone.
*****
Each night for the next few months Kara experienced the same recurring dream, and it began in the alley where she had been rescued from attack that fateful night. In the dream, every time she found herself walking alone, but instead of the men emerging from the shadows ahead she found herself face to face with the dragon she thought she had seen. Close up she could see the individual purple scales that shone crimson as they moved into the moonlight. Its eyes were earthy and danced between shades of green and brown. She couldn’t help feeling that, looking at the creature close up, it seemed familiar somehow. The nostrils of the beast flared as it breathed deeply, taking in her scent, analyzing her almost. She stared back, unmoving, with the dragon’s face just inches from her own. Without any fear, she reached forward and caressed the creature before her. Its scales were surprisingly warm to the touch, and as smooth as silk. It moved further forward until their faces were touching. She closed her eyes for a moment as she lost herself in the claws of a dragon.
But just as quickly as their meeting had begun, the dragon pushed her back and began to run in the opposite direction.
“Wait!” she called. Its tail lashed around, trailing behind like a snake, slithering through the alley. The dragon beckoned for her to join it as its gigantic wings spread wide, catching the wind beneath them. Looking back towards her, the dragon lifted from the pavement and took off across the Chicago skyline.
Kara continued to run along behind, arms reaching for him, wanting so badly for this majestic being to whisk her away; wherever it was going she wanted to go too. Slowly the dragon grew smaller and smaller until it was lost in the night sky. She was left alone again in the dank alley, wondering what could have been. Just as she felt that all was lost, a weight suddenly pushed down from around her neck. Upon looking down she saw one of the most exquisite pieces of jewelry she could have imagined. Attached to a delicate golden chain a pendant shimmered, with a purple gem the size of a golf ball. As she lost herself in the gem’s haunting beauty, she saw that it too shone with a crimson glow in the moonlight, mimicking the scales of the dragon.
At this point in the dream she always awoke; startled she peered down at her chest to find it bare, the necklace she had dreamt was just that, a dream. She shook herself awake and began getting ready for the day,
pulling one of her waitressing uniforms out of her wardrobe. She pulled the blue, knee length dress over her head and tied her mustard yellow apron around her waist.
For the entire walk to work her head seemed to be filled with thoughts of dragons and her mysterious dream. It was on this particular morning, caught up in her own world, she walked straight into a familiar young man. She was pushed to the ground by the force of his shoulder and as she looked up she recognized him as Blaine.
“I’m so sorry, Kara,” he apologized, extending a friendly hand to help her from the ground where she sat, stunned at his sudden appearance. She had been sure after that fateful day that they would not meet again, yet here he was, holding her hand firmly to pull her up from the pavement.
“How have you been?” she asked. Generic pleasantries were all she could muster in her current state of minor shock.
“Fine,” he replied. He looked down toward her unflattering outfit beneath the huge winter coat she wore. “Are you heading to work?”
“Yes actually. It has been so long since I saw you. What brings you back to Chicago?” Hopefully he would be in town long enough to for them to get together one night.
“Just...business. What are you up to after your shift? Could I possibly buy you a drink?”
Kara quickly thought over the offer in her head before answering.
“I’d love to,” she said.
“Here.” He pulled out a crumpled piece of paper and ball point pen, scribbling hastily an address across it. “This is the bar I’ll be at tonight; I can’t wait to see you there. It will nice to be able to catch up, especially after I rescued you and all.” He laughed at his apparent sarcasm.
“I will definitely be there,” she said as she grabbed the paper from his hand.
“I’ll see you tonight then.” He winked at her and with that he continued down the street.