Page 55 of Embattled Ever After

They laughed even harder as she ducked into the fridge and pulled out a cake completely covered by icing flowers. There was a small clear area with the words ‘Happy Birthday you Sweet Thing’ scrolled across it. Surrounded by more flowers. Duncan could feel his teeth aching before he even tasted the cake. She knew how much he detested the canned icing taste of commercial cakes.

Rising from the centers of each and every flower stood a forest of tall, slim candles.

“Let me help you with that, buddy,” John said, rolling up beside him. In a blink he lit a hand-held propane torch and started lighting the candles.

“Oh, hell. I guess I deserve this,” Duncan laughed. But he wasn’t insulted by any of it. No, he was too happy being accepted again.

Later on that afternoon, Duncan rocked back in his chair, wondering what he could do to avoid going home. It just wasn’t the same there anymore. Alex had left her mark on everything he looked at. And his bed, hell… in desperation he’d gone to the bedroom she had used during her visit. That had only made things worse. He’d been dogged by dreams where they were making love. He woke hard and frustrated.

Since she’d been gone his body had struggled with withdrawal. As he walked through the house, he would catch her scent floating through the air. The pillow she had used was now his, but the tantalizing fragrance was beginning to fade under his own.

Happy Birthday, Duncan.

In shock, he stared down at the text message flashing on the screen. How had she known he was thinking of her? Picking up the phone he swiped his thumb across the face to acknowledge the message.

Thank you, Alex. I appreciate that.

Then he floundered. What were the parameters for talking to an ex he thought he was still in love with?

Are you doing okay?He tapped out.

Yes, fine, thank you. Did you like your cake? Lol

Relief flowed through him as she threw him a conversational bone.

Yes, were you in on that?

Well, Shannon said she was making it for you.

She took a picture of it when it was lit. I thought we were going to have to call the fire department to put it out.

Lol!

That topic exhausted, he wracked his brain for anything else, but everything he could think of would lead to heartache.

Well, I have to run. Remember, Duncan, you’re only as old as you think you are.

Frowning, he read that line a couple of times before responding.

Bye, Alex. Thank you for the birthday wishes.

Chapter Seventeen

Alex recovered fromthe flu for the most part, but the bone-aching tiredness persisted. When her boss found her at the nurse’s station dozing off one day, she’d ordered her to get checked out.

And now, staring at Dr. Reynolds, her general practitioner, she was glad she had. There was a very strong reason for her tiredness.

“Nope, you’re not sick. You’re pregnant.”

Alex gaped at him. “What do you mean I’m pregnant? I have an IUD in.”

Dr. Reynolds smiled, shrugging his shoulders. “An IUD doesn’t mean you can’t get pregnant, just that it’s highly unlikely. I strongly suggest you take that IUD out now.”

Alex blinked, her mind whirling. “Take it out?” she repeated dumbly.

“Well, you can’t leave it in there. You’re pregnant and if the embryo has any chance of survival, that IUD has to come out. If you leave the IUD in, you’re fifty percent more likely to miscarry. Even if you take it out though,” he cautioned, “you have a twenty-five percent higher chance of miscarrying than the average woman, just because of the trauma to the uterus. Your regular gyno will tell you all this, but I suggest you go see him or her now. Want me to have Deena call them for you and see about getting you in?”

Alex nodded and gave the smiling nurse the name of her doctor. She left the room, promising to be back as soon as possible.

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