Just My Duck

Chapter 18 It Was The Worst Of Luck It Was The Best Of Luck

FUCK! FuckFuckFuck!

"Are you sure?" I ask the doctor. She nods. "What about prostate cancer? I heard women have prostates and that can cause a positive test result."

"No. Women do not have prostates if they have a uterus on a very general basis. You do not have cancer and that's only for the home tests, not blood work. You're pregnant."

"But I just... oh god. My birth control got washed away in the flood." I cover my face. "I totally didn't even think about it because there was so much going on but it was just one time without it. And I had my period a couple three four weeks ago. I'm not late yet!"

"There's no guarantee in any form of birth control, especially the rhythm method. May I ask what the father is?"

"Is that important?" I feel a bit annoyed at the question.

"Medically speaking, very. Gestational periods and nutritional needs vary and some just aren't viable and need to be taken care of immediately, such as half human half troll in a human body. There are always different birth defects to test for diseases. We'll need to find you a species specific gynecologist immediately."

"Oh, it's um, he's an incubus." The way her eyes widen is not reassuring. "Is that bad?"

"Possibly, but mostly downright miraculous. Incubi and succubi are notoriously difficult h when it comes to conception, even within their own kind. With others it's also an issue of vitality. We'll need to consult with one of their doctors immediately. And of course, your... boyfriend?"

"I'm just a donor."

"I'd suggest waiting to tell him until you know what you want to do, and if it's viable." She says gently. "You're carrying a dying race. You'll probably be under a lot of pressure to keep it."

"Oh Jesus, I can't... I'm from the outerlands. I can't have a nonhuman baby. Even human passing."

"That is a problem. I'll start an emergency medical petition for citizenship. Do you have anyone you can stay with for the duration of the pregnancy?"

"I.. I can afford a place for a year."

"No. An incubus pregnancy is very taxing if you're not a succubus and they have to double their feedings to at least twice a week. You're going to be at risk of falling or losing consciousness at random moments, maybe even the bath, that sort of thing."

"Oh. Joy."

"Here." She takes out a pamphlet and blows the dust off of it.

"You and your inhuman child's mother?"

"It's the best I have for an incubus baby." She says apologetically.

"It's okay. I'll find some more information somewhere." I hand it back.

"Fair enough, it's from the nineties so it's probably a little outdated." The Doctor, Dr. Riley tosses it in the trash.

"Will I be okay today? I'm not going to just start fainting am I?"

"Highly unlikely. And that can be prevented with proper nutrition I think. I don't remember enough from medical school and even then it was special cases and there's not too much information." That's not very reassuring. "Though you will have increasingly low vitality as beyond what a normal pregnancy would have. How much depends on what the baby inherited from each parent."

"Okay."

"Oh, and yo umight want to get rid of that curse. It's homespun but weak as it is, it can lead to falls and infections and broken limbs"