Page 107 of Bloom
“Who’s the Father?”
Aleric pointed at Jaime. “Why do you think I brought him along?”
“I-” Jaime stared before Lord Monet interrupted him.
“Don’t the cramps happen at the one-month point?”
Aleric nodded. “Yeah. I’m four weeks along.”
Father narrowed his eyes at Jaime. “He brought you here barely a month ago. You fucked my son on the first night?”
Jaime flushed. “Er, no. That's not exactly-”
“Bullshit! No herbs? You didn’t even pull out? What were you two thinking?”
“They’re not foolproof,” said Aleric. “I have herbs, and I thought they’d be good. She said they’re too old.”
It hadn’t helped that he’d taken two. They’d made him hurry for the privy later, and the wise woman said that taking two would likely hurt a person’s stomach and cause them to pass it instead of properly absorbing. More isn’t always better for certain medicines. That, and they were too old.
“When I said they’d last for ages, I figured you’d use them within a year at most.”
Aleric had wanted to smack his head into a wall after hearing that. He’d stupidly thought they’d be good for years and yearssince they were dried. Plenty of medicines lasted. He might have gotten up to bang his head on the wall if Foofy hadn’t been clinging to his waist and rubbing his stomach.
According to Delphine, Foofy was usually able to sense when a person was pregnant, and he’d get affectionate. He also liked it anytime a woman brought a baby by so he could chirp and pet it. In the way people look at small animals and think they’re cute, he seemed to feel the same about baby fairies. She hadn’t said anything on his last visit since Aleric hadn’t mentioned being pregnant, and Foofy might have been wrong.
Father fidgeted with the corner of his book and seemed to be thinking. “Are you keeping it?”
“I’m keeping it.”
“All right. You both need to get married. Jaime, if you try to run away and abandon him, I’ll hunt you down. No one’s getting my son with child and leaving him alone to deal with it. You fucked him. You’ll take care of it.”
“I wasn’t planning on running,” said Jaime. “I’ll take care of them both.”
“Did you fuck him because you were hoping to stay here and keep a roof over your head?”
“No-”
“Aleric’s never been pregnant until you came along, and your situation was a bit special.”
“I wasn’t hoping for anything.”
“It was an accident.” Aleric didn’t want to tell him about the whole heat incident. “I didn’t know the herbs were useless, and…it was just to take care of needs. Er, we were both horny, and it had nothing to do with his situation. We’ll make it work.”
Father set his book on the side table and closed his eyes. “I guess I better hurry up and find a physician here to take care of you.”
“I have someone in mind,” Aleric said hurriedly.
“You do?”
“From Côte?”
“Yeah…Let me talk to them first.”
“Anybody that works here has to take the test,” said Father.
“Test?” asked Jaime.
“I have a couple of the written tests from the College in Finkin where physicians can go. It’s somewhere in my office. The Master Steward can find it later. When Olivier started here, I had him take the test, and I have a list of suitable answers. I like to see their knowledge firsthand. Anyone can say they’re learned, and I’d rather not take chances with the health of many on the line.”
