SIXTY-ONE
**-Indy’s POV-**
“So. Tell me. How are you feeling?” Autumn asks me.
I chuckle. “You can’t help yourself, are you?” I ask her.
“Nope.” Autumn shrugs and keeps eating her fruit salad.
“Well, I do feel good. Sort of. I don’t have much pregnancy symptoms, yet. But I worry about baby number two, to be honest.” It’s like I’m lowering my voice with every word, as if it makes it less ‘real’. I sigh.
“Hey, look at me.” I hear Autumn’s voice. “I understand your worries, but understand that you can’t help it. It’s nature. We can just pray for the best but nothing more, but keep it mind that it’s never your fault when it goes wrong, understand?”
Her voice is firm and she’s staring in my eyes as if she wants to imprint her words. I smile, happy I found a friend like her. “Thanks, Autumn. I understand, I do. But my heart is sometimes telling differently, you know?”
She nods. “Yeah, that’s the hard part, isn’t it? That bloody heart…”
I laugh out loud and grab some cherry tomatoes with mozzarella and herbs. I eat one and moan. “Ohhh, Autumn. This is delicious! Those herbs make it taste amazing.”
“Thanks, a lot of these are my father’s recipes. He likes to cook, but his favourite is making small dishes, like this. Some call it snacks, but trust me: if you eat this all afternoon, you don’t need any diner.”
I bet! I watch the table and there’s all kinds of food. Fruit, vegetables, crackers and cheese, olives, little pieces of meat I don’t recognize immediately and even some spring rolls! “Well, I’m not leaving until it’s all gone, so…” And I put a new cherry tomato in my mouth.
“By the way, do you know if I can shift during my pregnancy?” I ask Autumn, thinking about the past days.
Autumn shakes her head. “No, although: before the second month it’s pretty safe, because the uterus is still pretty much in the same place and not affected by the shifting bones during a shift. But most pregnant women don’t shift at all anymore, when they find out they’re pregnant. In your case: I’m not sure, because you’re pregnant with twins and, well, your specific situation.”
I nod. Makes sense. *Do you hear that, Buwan?*
*I do.*
I decide not to talk about the pregnancy or any other personal issues and enjoy this me-time with Autumn. We talk, laugh and just have a great afternoon. Maddy and Archie decided to dress up and are playing on the other side of the living room. “They’re cute, I’m surprised Archie is playing this nicely with his little sister, though.”
Autumn follows my gaze and smiles. “Yes, they’re completely different, but very close together. Archie is always protecting Maddy. The calm but curious nature of Maddy fits pretty well with Archie’s wild and over-enthusiastic gestures.”
I nip my tea and feel my eyes getting heavy. “You’re tired, aren’t you?” I hear Autumn’s voice next to me. “That’s fine, you can have a nap. I’m going to walk with the children for a while. We’ll be back in an hour, OK?”
I nod and smile at her. “Thanks, Autumn. I can’t tell you how lucky I feel to have a friend like you. Really.”
“It’s fine, I feel the same. Here…” She throws a blanket to me. “...as I said: I’m back in an hour. I’ll tell Storm that you’re in here, so he can keep an eye on you.”
I want to protest but she signs to me that I don’t have to try. “King Ryan will kill him when he isn’t. You know that.”
True. I laugh and make myself comfortable on the couch. I close my eyes and I feel myself drifting off soon.
---
*I’m dreaming right? I look around me and I immediately recognize the place. This is the cave Fiona and I hide in during the last mating season! I walk around, feeling weird. It feels like I’m dreaming, but at the same time it feels super real. I recognize the little stream and even the open spot where we put on our little tent! I decide to walk deeper into the cave and I’m amazed by the beauty of nature here. It’s all the same, the temperature, the spring-feeling I have over here. It’s like time stands still here.*
*Indy? Come closer…*
*I’m surprised by the voice I hear, but not feared. It’s reminding me of someone. “Who is that?” I ask, while I keep walking to where the sound of the voice was coming from.*
*Just follow my voice.. Keep walking.*
*I feel a pull and keep walking. I pass all kinds of streams, grass fields and trees.*
*Yes, you’re almost here.*
*I walk into a little but dense forest and keep walking past the trees. I push the branches and leaves out of my face and suddenly I’m standing in an open area. I feel the grass under my toes and stare at the beauty in front of me. There’s a little pond with a small waterfall and a woman is standing in the midst of it. I can’t believe my eyes.*
*Indy, daughter. Finally…*
*“Asul?” I ask surprised at the woman who just called me ‘daughter’. I’m pretty sure this is Asul Ginto.*
*I’ve watched from above, my dear. I’m so sorry I couldn’t be there when you grew up.*
*”Asul, you’re even more beautiful than the pictures! Why am I here? Where is ‘here’, actually?”*
*I wanted to see you, daughter. I wanted to warn you.*
*I notice I don’t see her mouth moving. That’s freaking me out a bit. “Warn me?”*
*Yes, my dear. You have to know that life can be cruel and doesn’t always go the way you want.*
*“Everyone knows that, Asul. Why are you saying this?”*
*Asul is stepping closer, her hands touching the water. I watch her walk out of the water, her white dress partly wet. She’s floating, and stands still in front of me, only a few steps away. Gosh, she’s stunning!*
*You’ve experienced it yourself already, his name was Khal, right?*
*I stare down at my feet - why are my legs and feet bare, by the way? Why am I wearing a short white dress? - and I’m not able to talk. Why is she mentioning this?*
*But I did too, that’s partly the reason I’m here. I died too early, daughter. I died here, to be specific. But you’re the reason our blood keeps flowing, daughter. I gave my life for you and I’m very glad I could.*
*I lift my head and stare into Asul’s face, not sure what to say. I have so many questions, but it’s like my mouth can’t move. Asul lifts her hand and touches my cheek. I’m surprised with her warm touch. I hold my hand on the cheek she just touched and keep staring at her.*
*I just wanted you to know that we don’t have the answers on everything in life, daughter. And that we don’t have to know. Count your blessings and believe. Have faith. I love you, my daughter.*
*I see her fade and yell: “Wait! I have so many questions, what are you talking about? ASUL!” But before I know it, she’s gone and the cave starts to fade as well. “What the hell is going on…? I whisper, mostly talking to myself.*
*It was that moment, I realized something was wrong. I stare down my, still bare, feet and see blood dripping along my legs. “No, NO NO!” I start yelling, feeling the ‘dream’ fading and me getting into the real world. I cry. “Not my baby, please not my baby… “ I whisper, holding my belly and thinking about baby number two.*
---
“Indy, INDY! Wake up!” I hear a male voice coming from far.
No, NO! I don’t want to wake up. Please let this all be a dream, please. But deep down I know it’s not. My chest is heavy but I feel I’m pulled back into the real world already. I open my eyes and stare into Storm’s.
“Autumn, mindlink the Alpha and King and ask them to go to the hospital. She’s bleeding, I’m carrying her myself.” Storm says firmly and I feel how he lifts me like I weigh nothing.
I stare down at my legs and I feel the sticky and warm feeling of blood between my legs. It’s real. I watch over Storm’s shoulder and my eyes meet Autumn’s. Her eyes say enough. I’m completely in shock and stunned at what happened. My head can’t keep up with the information and slowly I see my view narrowing before it goes black.
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Author's note: *Thanks for reading, everybody! x-B.*
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