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We settled back at home. I climbed into bed to take a well-deserved nap. I tried to block off my afternoons now so I could get some shuteye. Being pregnant was exhausting and I did a poor job hiding it. I didn’t mind giving it a few more days. I wasn’t in a hurry to make everyone ask me how the baby was and touch my stomach as people often do.
“Maybe we could start thinking about names,” Rick rattled on.
“Rikard, please,” I said, annoyed.
“What?” He hopped into bed next to me. “Too much?”
I nodded. “It’s wonderful to see you happy. I am relieved all is well. I remain very frightened.”
“The doctor told me?—”
“That my mother’s death was preventable, Rick,” I said. Tears welled in my eyes. “That it could have been stopped.”
Rick’s smile disappeared. He looked serious.
“I’m sorry, Lex. I didn’t think about it like that. Why did she give birth here? In Lundhavn?—”
“Your mother gave birth to you in a hospital room like everyone else?”
Rick nodded. “A public hospital. Lex, that place we went to was fucking fancy. But it is the scientific way.”
“It wasn’t done. Celeste will fight me on this. She always preferred us to have everything done at home. She would not accept my feelings on the matter.”
“She doesn’t have a say.” Rick touched my face lovingly. “She cannot have an opinion. And she won’t find out. That’s why I wanted to hide it.”
“I thought it was because I wanted to?”
“Nah. I did something. You may hate me for it.”
“Rick!” I groaned.
“Hold on. Hold on. I got the old bat to leave us.”
“What? How?”
“I implied you were a prude who was afraid to have sex if anyone impressionable could hear. I played into the fact that she was sure you’d never get pregnant.”
“What?”
“She knew about your pills. I told her I convinced you to have a child. I implied you were a frightened virgin who I was taking advantage of, more or less. It made me feel like I needed a shower. I hated it. I do not think that about you. You’re my wife, we’re doing this together, and I would never pressure you or call you a prude.”
“Of course not.”
His face softened. “So she is leaving for the countryside.”
“She used to go with Grand-Papa every year,” I said. “Maybe she is getting nostalgic?”
“She only cares about the line of succession. Really. If we can stick with this plan and hide it a few more days, we can get by.”
“What’s the catch?”
“She claims the move is temporary, but we’ve essentially evicted her. She agreed to stay away if you fell pregnant. You did, but I worry if she finds out, she’ll never leave. She’s sure we’ll never make it happen. She wasn’t certain you knew how to have sex. She asked if I taught you.”
I giggled.
“Why are you laughing? That is abhorrent!”
“Your face. You are pulling an adorable face. And it’s because you loathe the idea. You were kind to me. I love you, Rick. And also, I love that this kills you.”
