Dark Fall

Chapter 41 - New Life

Snoozing under a crumpled blanket, Terra woke up to the sizzle and distinctive meaty aroma of bacon. Normally, she savored those sensory inputs, but this morning her stomach churned. She staggered into the kitchen to find Will cooking eggs in the bacon grease. Freshly cooked bacon, hot and crispy, laid stacked on a pottery plate.

Will greeted her with a smile as he turned an egg in the cast-iron skillet, over-medium, the way she liked them. "Good morning, lover." His eyes widened as Terra put on a strained pale expression and grasped her gut. "You don't look so good. You okay?"

Terra's cheeks bowed as a wave of nausea hit her. "My stomach hurts. Must have eaten too much last night."

"Maybe it was that seductive popsicle?" Terra merely groaned and Will's expression turned to concern. "You really are feeling bad. Do you want anything to eat?"

"Just some toast." She gulped. "And please stop cooking bacon."

By late morning, the nausea abated and her hunger returned. She assured Will that she would be fine, so he left to tend to some town water treatment issues.

The nausea came back next morning, though not as bad. Again, she brushed off Will's concern, reasoning the discomfort was because of a mild stomach virus or minor food poisoning.

"My stomach must still be sensitive from whatever hit it yesterday," she said.

After Will left for work, Terra took a walk, thinking fresh air would make her feel better. Passing the school, she sat on a bench and watched the children play. Their joyous shouts and activity caused an unusual swell in her emotions. Tears swelled, leaking down her cheeks.

What is wrong with me? I shouldn't be crying. And this morning nausea...

Terra's breath halted and her eyes grew wide as a likely explanation came to her.

Oh, no. No, no, no!

She grasped her belly, and after a deep breath, went into the aura. Her mind's eye passed down through her abdomen and searched within her womb, tentatively at first, afraid she might find what she suspected.

There it is. So tiny.

More tears traced her cheeks.

How can I bring new life into this world now? It complicates everything.

Old fears came back.

My father left my mother when she became pregnant with me. Men do that all the time. Would Will leave me?

I could easily detach it from the womb wall. No one would know. Spontaneous abortions happen all the time at this early stage.

Terra gently stroked her belly and cast her eyes down. Within the aura, she peered closer at the tiny life within her, encircling it with her mind, mentally caressing it. Shrinking to the micro limits of her aura resolution, Terra examined the chromosomes within the fetus' cells.

A daughter! My daughter. Will's daughter.

Terra pulled out of the aura, breathing deeply. There, alone on the bench while the school children played before her, swirling thoughts of the potential life changes invoked a shudder. Terra closed her eyes and took a deep breath to calm herself.

A stillness enveloped her, calming a racing heart. And with it, a resolve. Do not regret love.

That evening, Will entered their cottage to find Terra's eyes moist with tears. She leaped up to embrace him, burrowing her face in the crook of his neck. He pulled back with his hands on her shoulders, while concern painted his face. "Terra, what's wrong?"