by Jan Dockter
It took Carrie a few minutes to quit shaking and gather her thoughts. She realized Malcolm was talking to her. When she looked into his face, she realized he was crying. Her heart swelled with love for him. She also felt the emotional pain he was experiencing. It overwhelmed her, and she had never felt anything like it.
To calm him down, Carrie put her hands on his face and kissed him deeply. She looked into his pain-filled eyes. “It is going to be fine, my love. Please don’t cry anymore. I’m safe in your arms. You didn’t let me down. You helped save me by keeping the snake occupied so Aldain could kill it. Your plan worked. You’re my knight in shining armor—a true Dragon of Paragon. You’ve done them all proud. I’m safe in your arms where I belong. You executed the plan perfectly—you and Aldain. We’re safe and unharmed, and neither of you could have done better. I’ve never been prouder or loved you more than I do at this moment.” As she finished talking to him, she sent waves of love to him, hoping it would help lessen the pain he was feeling thinking of her loss. She noticed a perceptible lessening of tension in him. It was working.
Malcolm’s racing heart slowed and the intense emotional pain subsided. He continued to hold her close, not willing to have her leave his arms just yet.
The two things the group discussed were the deaths of the Cailleaches and Carrie, the supposedly new Chosen One. As they all walked into the living room and sat down, each man placed his mate on his lap. They needed to feel them close to them. It comforted them and helped calm their dragons. The unfortunate thing was no Cailleaches survived to reveal any answers. Dimitra also told them the ball of light that appeared wasn’t supposed to happen. She had no idea of the significance of it. This left everyone wondering why Athena showed up at a fake ceremony. It had everyone on edge. So far, Carrie felt fine and didn’t seem to be suffering any side effects.
They spent a few more minutes discussing what happened, but the activities of the day had them worn out. They decided to call it a night and discuss it more in the morning. When Malcolm and Carrie got to their room, she threw herself on the bed; she was too tired to change. She just wanted to snuggle up to Malcolm and sleep. Malcolm took off his shoes and climbed into bed, gathering Carrie in his arms and spooning his body next to hers.
“Do you feel any different since the ceremony, baby? Have you noticed any difference in your abilities?”
Carrie was half asleep when she answered him. “I don’t. The only thing I felt as the orb of light was going around my body was a tingling sensation. Everything else feels normal.” Those were the last words she muttered as she fell into an exhausted sleep.
Several weeks had gone by since the ceremony. Life seemed to be getting back to normal for everyone. Aldain and Tori were still on the island. Stavros and Dimitra had left the day after the ceremony. Dimitra had wanted to see if she could find an answer why Athena would show up at a fake ceremony. She kept in close contact with Aldain, but she still hadn’t found an answer to that question. She promised him she would keep looking.
Aldain got a cleaning crew together to clean up what was left of the huge building the ceremony had taken place in. He contemplated having it rebuilt but decided against it. There weren’t that many people on the entire island, so they didn’t need a building of that size, not to mention the bad memories it held. Carrie and Tori spent their days together on the island. Some days they shopped, and on others they packed lunches and went to a seaside park to watch the dolphins and whales swim. The antics of the dolphins made them laugh. They certainly seemed to have personalities of their own.
One night, as Aldain and Malcolm were watching what they termed a “chick flick” to keep their mates happy, Carrie looked at Tori and said, “Excuse me, what did you say? I missed it.”
Tori looked at Carrie like she had grown a second head. “I didn’t say anything, honey. Are you sure it wasn’t the television?”
Carrie stood up and walked over to Tori. “I’m positive I heard you say something. Did you nod off for a minute and maybe talk in your sleep? I know it came from you.”
Tori sat up straighter and said, “I promise I didn’t say anything!”
Malcolm and Aldain remained silent. They were curious to see where this was going.
Carrie walked and knelt in front of Tori with a confused look on her face. She closed her eyes as she put her hands on Tori’s shoulders, a look of intense concentration on her face. Carrie let out a gasp as she jerked her hands off Tori, her face pale.
“Oh, my God! I know why you’re so tired all the time!”
Tori and Aldain both stood at the same time as Tori put her hands-on Carrie’s shoulders. “Do I have some kind of illness? Is it fatal? Tell me for Pete’s sake! Don’t just stand there with that look on your face. Tell me!”
Carrie’s expression turned to one of awe. “The voice didn’t come from you, Tori. It came from your baby. It was talking to me, and I heard it.” Tori and Aldain both looked thunderstruck.
Tori was the first one to be able to speak. “Are you telling me that I’m pregnant and you can hear my baby talk to you?”
Carrie smiled. “That’s exactly what I’m telling you. That’s why you are always so tired. You’re pregnant. I can’t believe you didn’t figure it out for yourself. Congratulations! I’m so happy for you both!”
Tori’s reaction was to sit down hard on the couch. Aldain stood with his jaw dropped. He closed his mouth and sat next to his mate.
Malcolm sat back enjoying the show. He wasn’t going to say a word. He didn’t want to spoil the moment.
Aldain looked at Tori. “Is it true? Could you be pregnant?”
Tori did some quick math in her head. “Yes, she’s right. I’m extremely late, but with everything happening, I haven’t been paying attention. If I am, I would be close to four months along. I can’t believe I didn’t figure it out on my own. We’re going to have a baby, Aldain!”
Aldain got a look of awe on his face as he placed his hand over her slightly rounded belly. He brought his face close to her stomach as he whispered into it, “Welcome to the family little one. I can’t wait to welcome you. You’re well-loved and very wanted.”
Tori felt a surge of love and wellbeing course through her body. She realized they weren’t her feelings but her child’s. Aldain could feel it too.
Carrie piped up. “She says she loves you both very much and is impatient to meet you.”
Aldain and Tori looked at Carrie and at the same time said, “She?”
Carrie smiled, “Yes, you are having a little girl, and she thinks the sweetest thoughts.”
Aldain asked, “Is she actually talking to you like we do?”
Carrie shook her head. “No, I can hear her thoughts. Right now she is thinking how glad she is to know you know of her as she’s falling asleep.”
Tori felt an overwhelming sense of tiredness sweeping over her. She grabbed Aldain’s hand as they excused themselves. She wanted to take him upstairs with her. As tired as she was, there were things they needed to talk about.
Malcolm stood and shook Aldain’s hand. “Congratulations, my friend. I’m happy for you both. We’ll see you later. Carrie and I are going to visit my parents. They invited us over for dinner.”
They left as Aldain and Tori headed up the stairs.
Tori lay on the bed and crooked her finger at Aldain. He lay next to her as he ran his hand over her stomach. He kissed it then kissed her, the soon-to-be mother of his child. He didn’t think he could feel any happier than he did at this moment.
Tori put her hand over Aldain’s. “I want to have the baby here Aldain. I want her to be born where your people are. You’re their clan chief. Your children need to be born here. I don’t want to separate who they are and what they stand for hundreds of miles away in a huge castle. I want them born here among the people who love you.”
Tori’s statement brought a lump to his throat. He thanked the gods for her. “Of course, she can be born here. I’ll let the council know where
they can get in touch with me if something comes up. Until we go back to the castle, I will let them know I’m taking a lengthy vacation.”
Aldain got up from the bed, telling Tori he was going to take a bath. The reality was he didn’t want her to see the tears in his eyes. He was so overcome with emotion, and he didn’t want her to see how much her love for him could move him. He had to try to keep a semblance of being an alpha male intact. He finally understood how some women cried from happiness.
Tori and Carrie spent the next several days shopping for the nursery. Tori was in her element, but instead of buying clothes for herself, she was buying them for their baby. Aldain was positive she bought one of every outfit from every baby shop on the island. Every day they would come home with the van filled with baby clothes, baby furniture, and every kind of gadget made for babies. She stocked the extra pantries with various kinds of baby food: cereal, vegetables, and fruit for newborns to babies several months old. She bought the best furniture for the nursery. The mobile cost so much that when Tori wasn’t looking Aldain checked to see if there was gold on the decorations.
Tori’s stomach was getting to the point she couldn’t see her feet. Aldain had to help her put on her shoes and help her out of the tub when she took her baths. She took at least two baths a day. She loved to soak in a tub full of scented water. She’d always talk to her baby or sing while soaking. Sometimes she would fall asleep, and Aldain would find her with her hand over her stomach sleeping in lukewarm water. He’d gently lift her up and put her on the bed. He’d cover her up to make sure she stayed warm. Sometimes he would pull up a chair and watch her sleep. She had a glow about her he never got tired of seeing.
Chapter Thirteen
One morning as Carrie fixed breakfast for everyone, she jumped, accidentally dropping the spatula. All eyes looked her way, her face was a shade of red. Malcolm walked over to her quickly.
“What’s wrong love, what happened?” Carrie stood a minute to compose herself. “Um, the baby wants me to give Aldain and Tory a message.” Aldain and Tory looked worried.
Carrie quickly assured them the message was nothing to worry about. As they looked at her questioningly, waiting for her to give them the message, Carrie took a deep breath. “She said she isn’t sure what kind of game you two are playing but asked if you could not play so rough. Your thrashing around keeps waking her up. She’s tired of waking up with her head hitting her mother’s rib cage!”
Aldain’s face, as well as Tori’s, turned beacon red. Malcolm mumbled that he had to go outside to check on something. He got as far as the back of the house before everyone heard his deep, loud laughter. They looked out the window and saw him holding his sides, then he fell to his knees, howling with mirth. Tears streamed down his face as he struggled to catch his breath between bouts of laughter. He was losing the battle trying to get control of himself.
Aldain and Tori were at a loss as to what to say. “Um, tell her we are sorry and will try not to play so rough.”
Carrie snorted. “I’ll give her the message. Is there anything else you want me to tell her?” Tori told her if she thought of anything else she’d let her know. She made a hasty retreat to her room, telling everyone she was going to soak in the tub for a while.
Aldain stood, watching Malcolm turning purple from lack of oxygen. He went from a kneeling position to rolling on the ground. Aldain decided he should help his friend. He seemed to be in need of rescue. Before Carrie could stop him, he walked out the door, picked Malcolm off the ground by the scruff of his shirt, and started thumping him on the back, hard. This had the desired affect Aldain was hoping for.
Malcolm at once stopped laughing as Aldain beat on him. Malcolm knew he deserved it, but he hoped Aldain would stop beating on his back soon. It was starting to hurt.
Aldain finally stopped and dropped Malcolm to the ground. He scowled at him and before walking away said. “I’m glad you’re breathing again. I was afraid you might die for lack of oxygen. I don’t know how I would have explained that to your parents!” Aldain stomped away and slammed the back door. Malcolm wanted to apologize but Aldain never gave him the chance.
Malcolm walked to the back door where Carrie was waiting for him. She had a furious look on her face, Malcolm could tell from her expression he was in deep trouble. That night Carrie slept in one of the extra guest rooms.
The next morning, Aldain and Tory decided to go out for breakfast. Carrie was in the kitchen fixing breakfast. Malcolm had spent a lonely night in their room. He missed Carrie. She sat down with her bacon and eggs, not saying a word to him, staring daggers at him. She finished her breakfast, put her plate in the sink and left him there alone. She hadn’t fixed anything for him so he grabbed a box of cereal and milk. He hoped she wouldn’t stay mad long. He had to find a way to fix things—he just wasn’t sure how.
A few days went by, and Carrie still wasn’t talking to him. Aldain and Tori noticed the tension between them but stayed silent. Tori and Carrie decided they wanted to check out the baby shops again. Tori wanted to see if any new outfits came in.
When they left, Malcolm cleared his throat and looked at Aldain. “Hey, I just want to apologize for my behavior a few days ago. This is the first time we’ve been alone. You’ve been keeping yourself scarce or I would have apologized sooner. I was out of line. I’m sorry.”
Aldain looked at him. “You were howling so loud I wouldn’t have been surprised if someone mistook you for a wolf and shot your sorry ass.”
Malcolm smiled, “Yeah, but I would have preferred that instead of sleeping alone these past few days.”
Aldain started, he didn’t realize Malcolm had been sleeping alone.
Malcolm looked sadly at him. “I don’t know how to fix this. She hasn’t talked to me since. I miss her so much. I don’t know what to do.”
His look was so forlorn that Aldain felt sorry for him. “I will tell you how to fix this, but if you ever tell anyone I said any of this, I will banish you,” he said with a twinkle in his eyes.
Malcolm listened to every word he said. When he was done, Aldain shook Malcolm’s hand and wished him luck.
The women arrived as the sun was setting. They had eaten supper in town. Tori had found more “adorable” outfits for the baby. She remarked how glad she was they were having a girl; there weren’t nearly as many outfits for little boys. As Tori brought her purchases upstairs, Carrie noticed there was no sign of Malcolm.
She asked Aldain, “Where’s Malcolm?”
Aldain shrugged, “I’m not really sure. He left here shortly after you did. He had packed some things. He said he was leaving—he didn’t say for how long. He said he had some things to take care of, so I didn’t question him.”
Carrie’s eyes widened, “He left with some of his things? He’s gone, and you don’t know where he went?”
Aldain replied, “He is my second in command, Carrie. I don’t usually question him if he says he has something to do. I can always reach him in case of an emergency, and since I’m here, he is free to leave and take care of any business he may have. Is there some kind of emergency I need to contact him about?” Carrie shook her head. She went upstairs to the room they shared. Many of his belongings were gone.
She sat on the bed and cried. She should have told him she forgave him after the first night. God, had he left her for good? She wouldn’t blame him if he had. She had to find him and tell him how very much she loved him and how sorry she was for acting the way she had. She hoped he would forgive her. She prayed if she spread her energy out toward him, she could find him.
She put on her boots and coat, as the nights sometimes got cold on the island, and headed out the back door. She told Aldain and Tori she was going for a walk. She reached out to Malcolm, trying to feel him. She couldn’t feel anything. It was like he had shut himself off from her. She spent hours looking for him, trying to feel his energy force. She wasn’t even sure he was still on the island. She finally gave up when the moon was high in t
he sky. Dejectedly, she headed home, knowing the man she loved wasn’t going to be there.
Carrie went on her nightly walks for a week—each night hoping that she would find Malcolm. Aldain knew what she was doing, but Tori couldn’t help wondering why she’d suddenly decided to start walking at night. She knew that Malcolm was gone on business, according to Aldain.
One day Carrie and Tori came back from another baby clothes run to find Malcolm sitting in the house. Carrie’s eyes widened at the sight of him. He stood up and she ran into his arms, tears streaming down her face, kissing him all over.
“Malcolm, I’m so glad you’re back. I love you so much! I’m so sorry for the way I acted. Please forgive me.” She started sobbing as he held her in his arms.
Aldain quickly had Tori go with him to put the baby things in the nursery. Tori had no idea what was going on. She thought Malcolm was away on business.
Aldain would let her know when they got upstairs. Malcolm and Carrie needed to be alone. He looked over his shoulder as they headed for the stairs and winked at Malcolm. Malcolm winked back.
Malcolm was so happy to feel Carrie in his arms again. He had missed her so much. It seemed she’d also missed him. “Shh, love, I’m back, and of course I forgive you. I have missed you so very much. You were so mad at me, I didn’t bother telling you I was leaving for a while. I didn’t think you’d care.”
Carrie cupped his face with her hands. “Not a day of my life will pass where I won’t care or love you, Malcolm. I would rather die than not have you in my life. While you were gone, I felt like I was dying. Please don’t ever leave like that again. I promise to never leave you alone again, no matter how mad I might get.”