The Family Origin

Chapter Twenty: MAISIE POV

 It seemed like the nausea would never end. I was unsure how I could have gotten ill, especially since I never left the house. No one else in the home was sick. How could it be only me?

Time passed so slowly, and I spent all day trying not to vomit. Clara would check on me every few hours to give me water and try to convince me to eat some dry toast. The thought of food made my stomach twist, and I refused to eat.

I was curled on my side when I heard a door slam. The footsteps were heavy as someone rushed upstairs. It was much too loud and frantic to be Clara. I glanced at the clock to see that the men should not be inside for a few more hours.

The door burst open, and I rolled on my back to see Miles. He paused in the doorway and stared at me with wide eyes. The expression of shock was unlike Miles. I moved to push myself up, and he slammed the door shut before rushing over to the bed. He sat on the edge and ripped the blankets off my body.

"Miles-" I started to say.

My words were cut off when he placed his hands against my belly. I jumped at the contact and was hit with a wave of nausea. His hands were cold, and the nightgown was thin, causing goosebumps to break out across my skin. His eyes were still wide, but focused on my stomach and his hands. A smile crept onto his lips. I furrowed my brows and watched him attentively rub my stomach.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

Miles had barely spoken to me since the nausea started. Most of his responses were limited to a few words. His muscles tightened every time I vomited or refused to eat. The smile was nice to see, but seemed out of place.

"It's a baby," he said.

What did he say to me?

A baby?

I covered my mouth with my hand to stop myself from gagging. My heart was pounding, and my head spun.

The thought had not crossed my mind. I had forgotten that women were often sick at the start of their pregnancy. I was the youngest of my siblings, so I never watched my Mother be pregnant. My siblings escaped our nightmare family before I watched them become parents. Pregnancy was something unknown and terrifying.

I looked down at his hands as he rubbed my stomach. His smile grew wider, and his eyes softened. I focused on my breathing to push away the nausea building in my throat. Once I was confident I would no longer be sick, I lowered my hand from my mouth.

"A baby," Miles said. "You're not sick. It is just a baby."

My hand trembled as I placed it over his own. He looked up at me, and his expression brightened even more. I had never seen him this happy. His face had been softening since I came here, but this was a look of pure joy. He was ecstatic.

Could he see how scared I was at the thought of being pregnant?

I struggled to swallow past the lump in my throat, but he mistook my nervousness for nausea. He readjusted the pillows before pushing my shoulders back to force me to lie down. My hands ran across my stomach as he covered me with the blankets. The dresses had gotten tighter, but I assumed it was because I no longer had to skip meals. How much longer would these clothes fit? How big would I become?

Miles pushed himself up higher on the edge of the bed. He fussed with the pillows and blankets to make sure I was comfortable. The strong smell of smoke clung to his clothes. He had not taken off his jacket. Why did he rush into the room? How did he realize that I was pregnant?

He brushed my hair away from my face before cupping my cheeks. His hands were still cold from being outside, but his warm breath fanned against my face as he leaned forward. I closed my eyes when he pressed my forehead against mine. The nausea was still heavy in my stomach, and my mind raced.