He nods slowly as if not seeing where I’m going with this.
“Well maybe we could have the doctor that looks after Juliet, like, I don’t know, do a checkup on me. To make sure all my parts are in order and working.”
I eye Ezo over the top of my coffee mug, intently watching his reaction.
He looks surprised by the idea. “You wouldn’t mind having an alien doctor…how do you say, probe you?”
“Oh my God, I’m going to regret ever introducing you to Mercury in Retro, aren’t I?” The past week, in between sexcapades, I turned Ezo on to my favorite TV show about time traveling aliens who get stuck in the 1990s and can’t get back home. They make a lot of jokes about probing on the show.
But he doesn’t laugh and he’s right, this is serious. I sit up straighter. “I mean it. I want to get checked out and not just by some Earth doctor who doesn’t know what we’re up against. We’re a team now and your mission is my mission. If there’s something we could be doing that might help, then—”
“I have told you that I don’t care whether or not you can bear offspring. I meant it. All I need is you and—”
I roll my eyes. “That’s nice and all, but we can’t ignore the bigger picture. Maybe there’s nothing to worry about and I’ve just been overreacting for nothing. It might take several months or a year to get pregnant and everything is normal but I just want to make sure that I’m not starting out with defective machinery.”
I should have gone to a doctor before I ever showed up at that air hangar. But I was so afraid of this very thing. And I didn’t have insurance and— It was just a lot easier to turn a blind eye to all the reasons I shouldn’t have done what I did and blunder ahead like an idiot.
But there are real consequences. Real stakes. And I can’t just fuck around with Ezo’s future. I won’t. I’ll fight to stay in it, but I will fight just as hard to help him achieve his goals.
Alien probes be damned.
Chapter Sixteen
Ana
Of course, when the next morning rolls around and it’s actually time to see the doctor?
I admit, I’m nervous. More than nervous. I’m freaking the fuck out, actually, but Ezo doesn’t need to see or deal with that.
We have to go to Shak and Juliet’s mansion/compound for the scan. That’s what Ezo keeps calling it. Just a scan.
I remind myself of that for the thousandth time as the gates to their compound open and we drive inside and park.
“Ana, what is wrong? You are breathing at an accelerated rate.”
Dammit, Ezo’s too observant. I blow out a long, steady breath, then turn to him with a smile. “I’m fine.
“Fine. You keep using this word.” He glowers at me.
“It means I’m okay. That you don’t have to worry—”
“How can I not worry when my mate is so anxious she can barely breathe?”
I roll my eyes. “That’s a little bit of an exaggeration. I’m breathing just fine.”
And before he can say anything else, I push open my door and head for the house.
Shak comes out of the door to greet us and I crane my neck to look behind him, but Juliet is nowhere in sight. And Shak looks ragged. “Is she okay?” I rush up to him. “How’s the baby?”
Shak runs a hand through his hair. “The doctor says her time is very near. Tomorrow or the next day.”
“Oh my God.” Juliet must be so scared and excited and—
And that might never be you.
I shake off the thought. “Can I see her?”
“No,” Shak says sternly. “She had difficulty sleeping last night and is finally at rest.”
“Of course.” I love how protective he is of her. It reminds me of somebody else I know. Speaking of, Ezo joins my side and his hand slips into mine. I’ve noticed that he does this. Whenever we aren’t at home, he still likes to have contact with me in some way. I squeeze his hand back.
“The doctor is waiting. I’ll show you to him.” Shak doesn’t bother saying more, obviously distracted and concerned for Juliet. He just turns and heads back into the house.
Ezo and I follow. But before we can enter, Shak turns and lifts a finger to his mouth, hissing, “Shhhhh.”
I nod. I get it. I saw how big Juliet was the last time we were here and that was a week and a half ago. I can’t imagine what my best friend must be going through right now. God, what was I thinking, asking to see the doctor when all attention needs to be on her?
But Ezo is dragging me forwards by my hand and I’m already here. If she’s not going to have the baby for another day or two, I might as well catch a few minutes of the doctor’s time.