Blind truths

A double take

Chop.

The log fell sideways, effectively cloven by Lucas' axe. He gathered the pieces and threw them on the pile, then he stilled to wipe sweat from his brow with his forearm. To no avail; the heat was rather intense today. His eyes travelled upwards, looking for the bottle of water he'd left on the table only to find me sitting beside it. I'd been ogling him for quite some time now, thoroughly enjoying the view.

Lucas' eyes brightened and he covered the distance easily. I handed him the water, watching, mesmerised, the curve of his lips when they moulded around the bottleneck. The slight bobble of his Adam's Apple when he swallowed, the swelling of his muscles from the exertion.

Damn, I was horny again. Pregnancy could do that do a woman. If I had my way, I'd strip Lucas naked and ... but I could hear the kids playing in the garden. Sighing, I restrained myself, and had to be kept content with admiring his form. For a forty something guy, he sure was one piece of candy. A sigh for sore eyes. And given the way he looked at me, he probably thought the same for me. My swollen belly was on display in the spandex t-shirt, awaiting a caress.

Lucas set the bottle down, and gave me a true smile. I barely had time to respond with a grin of my own that a kick caused me to start.

"Elena ?"

I rushed to reassure him, hoping to ease the worry away; Lucas was even more protective of me now that I was pregnant.

"Just a kick, love."

The tall man considered his sweaty hands for a moment, wiping them on his pants and I reached for him. I didn't care one bit about it – I was sweaty too - as along as I could get his fingers upon me. There was something in Lucas' touch that soothed me to the core. He knelt beside me, offering his beautiful face to my scrutiny as his palms landed on my expanding stomach. They were so warm, and welcoming. The response was immediate, as a series of kicks greeted his presence.

I laughed gently, amazed by the expression of wonder that infused his sharp features. There was something truly magic in the way his eyes lit up. Underneath the gentle exterior, such a powerful man lurked in the depths of his essence. Lucas had yet to discover it, though, and I felt like this new pregnancy brought him out of his shell a little more. As if he realised the importance of his presence in our life. He was the head of our family now. And he would soon be the father of quite a brood.

"Hello there", he gently said.

The same line he'd told my belly right before the doctor switched on the ultrasound machine the first time. Right before we discovered that we might have stacked on our plate more than what we had bargained for. But such were the trials of life, after all. With Lucas, everything had become possible; even having a baby when I thought I'd never bear a child again.

Two months earlier.

"Any morning sickness ?", the doctor asked, seeing my pale complexion.

"A bitch, I'm still having trouble eating."

Lucas squeezed my hand gently; he was worried, and feeling guilty that I was suffering from this pregnancy since he had requested it. So I gave him a reassuring smile; soon, those horrible symptoms would be a vague memory.

"My companion has been a dear, but I'm worried about genetic anomalies. My βhCG seems to be off chart."

And my general practitioner had agreed with me, sending me to the echograph before the fated 10 weeks to take a peek.

"Ah yes, this is why you are here a bit early. Let me check."

The doctor spread the jellified water to my lower belly, making me squirm and gasp. Warm lips landed on my temple and I melted in Lucas arms. He stayed there, his arm surrounding my shoulders, the silent support I needed.