There's A Fine Line Between Coincidence & Fate ✓

Chapter 35

I get better with each passing day, and about two and a half weeks after Ardeth left, I'm back on my feet again. The doctor assured me that our child was fine and I was slowly able to feel him move. I sigh in relief every time I feel his little foot run across my stomach.

Late one afternoon, as the sun is beginning to set over the hills to the west of the oasis that's our home, I hear a commotion from the gate. Taking off like a bat out of hell, as my mother would say, I make it to the gate with the rest of the village, eager to see what has caused such a ruckus. There in the middle of the crowd, are the men. And just dismounting his horse, was Ardeth.

Forgetting about decorum, and custom, I run at him, launching myself into his arms where he's got barely a moment to catch me. I feel his arms come around my middle and he holds onto me as tightly as I'm holding him. He can feel my tears running down my cheeks. "It's ok ya amar. I'm alright."

"I thought I would never see you again. What happened?"

"Not here. We have much to discuss with the elders. But first, I'd like a bath." I nod and we make our way back to the tent where his mother is already waiting for us. "Umi, must we do this now? I'm tired and there is still many things that need to be done before I'm allowed to rest."

"You both had me in such a state! Do you really think I'm going to give you a moments' rest when you haven't granted me that since the day you were born?"

"Umi." He all but whines.

"No, I don't want to hear it. Your leaving almost killed your wife and unborn child, and if anything should have happened to the three of you, I would be truly alone in this world." She says, laying the guilt on extra thick. As I watch him beg his mother for forgiveness, I realized I had much to learn.

*5 Months Later*

"Peggy, you have to push! He's coming." The midwife says as I do my hardest to make this the quickest labor in history. This pain was unimaginable. How the hell had my mother done this 9 times?

I let out a painful scream as another contraction racks my body and I feel his head come out. "He's almost here. Just a little longer." They tell me. When the next contraction hits, I do my best to push as hard as I can. I can't take much more of this. With one final push, I feel him completely leave my body as his tiny screams fill the tent. "It is a son." They inform me.

"Someone must go and tell the chieftain." I inform them, exhaustion causing me to slur my words and my eyes to droop. I listen as the curtains rustle as one of the nurses go running to get Ardeth. "Can I see him?" I ask quietly.

"Of course." They say before handing me my son. He's already a full head of his father's wavy brown hair and I'm sure if his eyes were open, they'd be the exact same intense shade of brown.

"He's here?" Ardeth asks as he enters the healers' tent.

"He's here, and he's perfect." I whisper to Ardeth. "He just needs a name. And I can think of only one clear choice. Asir, after your father." My husband quickly turns away, trying to hide the true extent of his emotions.

"It is perfect. You did perfect ya amar." And we sat there for the rest of the afternoon, in perfect bliss.