Page 31 of Temporary Omega
He hadn’t planned his baby, but he or she was turning out to be the best thing, even though he wasn’t sure how he would provide for them. But he would find a way. Somehow.
But what if he didn’t?
His child wasn’t even born and he was failing. He’d ignored all the symptoms and the possibility of pregnancy for as long as possible. He’d gotten so good at pretending, he hadn’t considered what his run-down condition meant to the baby. He’d failed.
Luca began praying to all the gods he could think of, begging than his poor choices hadn’t harmed his baby.
He was good at failing it seemed, but if it killed him, he wouldn’t let down his child.
His muddled thoughts were interrupted by the doctor, “Are we ready to meet your little one?”
Luca smiled at the “we.” Lincoln had explained telling everyone that Luca was his fiancé to make sure they weren’t separated. And although he’d laughed along with Lincoln when he told the story, Luca had felt a pang, for a moment he’d imagined it being true. Having a man like Lincoln be the father of his child, his partner. He imagined what it would be like if it wasn’t all pretend.
He glanced up and met Lincoln’s eyes where he stood to the left of him, on the opposite side of the bed from the doctor. Lincoln had asked him if he wanted privacy for the ultrasound but Luca didn’t want him to leave. And if the sparkle in Lincoln’s eyes and encouraging smile he’d received was anything to go by, then Lincoln wanted to be there too.
The doctor spread some cold gel on the slight swell of Luca’s belly, and picked up the handheld wand device and began to run it over the baby bump while he watched the static-filled screen on the ultrasound display screen. Luca gasped as the rapid beating of his child’s heartbeat filled the room via the speakers on the ultrasound unit.
In a single instant, love filled him to overflowing, full tears flooded his eyes, he forgot every moment of denial, regretted every thought of taking the easy way out, as joy and wonder replaced every doubt and fear.
He looked up and met Linc’s eyes and saw what looked suspiciously like tears. Without thinking about it he reached over and threaded his fingers through Lincoln’s, joining them together in this beautiful life changing moment.
A sense of rightness, deeper than any he’d ever known, filled him. And Luca knew that an unbreakable bond between him and his baby had just been formed and clicked into place. Silently, he vowed never to let his child down.
“There you are, guys. He’s small for fourteen weeks. But nothing to worry about quite yet, you do need to get those calories in and drink enough water so we don’t see you back here for dehydration and it should help with the cramping too.”
He moved the wand around again. “Hmm, it’s a little early to tell the sex,” the doctor with the kind face and white beard that reminded him a little of Santa said. “But at your new ultrasound, which you should book with your OB—” the doctor met his eye and the chastising look in them was hard to miss. The doc held his gaze making sure his point was heard. Apparently getting to fourteen weeks with no proper care got you a lecture.
“I promise I’ll make sure it’s booked and he makes it,” Lincoln spoke up, and the doctor’s attention left Luca and fell on Linc, the disapproval in them clear as day.
“As you should, seeing as you’re his alpha,” the doc sniffed, his lips pressed tight, his disapproval towards Lincoln clear.
“It’s not his fault,” Luca began, his need to defend Lincoln clear. But a squeeze to his shoulder had him pausing and looking up at Lincoln. Lincoln shook his head in the universal gesture for no. Luca raised an eyebrow and murmured low enough for Lincoln to hear and no one else, “Are you sure?”
Lincoln simply nodded, his gaze steady on Luca, never breaking eye contact. Luca could tell from the firm set of his jaw the alpha was determined. So he nodded his agreement.
“I dropped the ball there doc, I promise I’ll make sure my omega gets the best care possible.”
“You do that,” the doctor replied not even bothering to look at Lincoln.
If Luca was on his feet he would have swooned at Lincoln calling him “his omega,” he knew it was just for show but his traitorous heart seemed to be getting ideas his head knew better than to entertain. At least he thought his head knew better.
The doctor finally wiped the gel off his stomach after printing out a couple of copies of the ultrasound at their request. When Luca took over wiping the goop, the doctor leveled a stern gaze on him that made him feel two feet tall. It was even worse when he leveled the same stare to Lincoln who was innocent of any choices or mistakes Luca had made.
“If you want to keep this baby, you need to make some changes. My recommendation is a day of bed rest, followed by a month of light activities and healthy meals, rich in nutrients.”
“A month,” Luca gasped. “I can’t take that time off work.”
The doctor ignored him like he hadn’t spoken, “Get lots of rest, eat regular meals. I’m prescribing prenatal vitamins and iron. And drink lots of water.”
He scribbled on a pad as he spoke then handed him the paper, which Lincoln promptly took out of his hands. The doctor stood, and tucked the pad and pen in his pocket.
“I hope I don’t see you here again unless it’s time for that baby to come out.”
He nodded at both of them and exited the room.
Luca stared into space, thinking of his options. He’d planned to save as much as he could while at Linc’s, hopefully enough to get a place for himself and figure out his next course of action.
“Are you okay?” Lincoln asked.