Chapter sixty nine
Chapter sixty nine
Oregon
"Are you all right?" I asked as I peeled an orange for us to share.
Vivian chuckled. "Why do you ask? We're at the hospital now, so I must be all right!"
"Have you forgotten what tomorrow is?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
"Tomorrow?" she asked, her eyes widening in surprise.
"Yes!" I replied, my eyes wide.
"Oh!" she exclaimed. "Is tomorrow the day... we...?"
"Yes," I nodded, quietly
"Wow, so tomorrow the day that we are supposed to have sexual intercourse. Don't worry, I never forgot about that" She winked.
I sighed. "You don't have to do it," I whispered, handing an orange to Vivian. She took it from me, but slowly and hesitantly.
"Why not?" she asked, a slight chuckle in her voice. "You already told your family and the elders. Besides, if we don't go through with it, they'll definitely talk."
"Before I went to the convenience store downstairs, I went to speak to the doctor," I said. "He told me that you weren't actually sick."
"What happened to me, then?" she asked, squeezing the orange into her mouth. Content provided by NôvelDrama.Org.
"It's one of the symptoms of your pregnancy," I replied. She choked on the orange and began to cough uncontrollably.
"Vivian!" I exclaimed, jumping to my feet. "Are you all right?"
She shook her head, then tapped her chest as she continued to cough.
"Stand up!" I told her, and she did so slowly, still hacking and coughing.
I pushed the chair aside and pulled her into a tight hug, my arms wrapped around her waist. I started to pat her on the back, and two orange seeds popped out of her mouth.
"I'm fine now," she said, gently tapping me on the arm. I released her and turned to face her. Her face was red and sweaty, and she was breathing quickly.
I handed her the water bottle, and she took a long drink, downing half of it in one go.
She let out a sigh and handed the bottle back to me. I capped it and set it aside.
"Are you alright now?" I asked, staring at her face.
She looked at me, a smile playing on her lips. "I'm okay now," she said.
"I'm fine now, you don't have to worry" She replied.
"You should have taken it easy while drinking that orange," I said, my tone a little harder than I had intended. "You really scared me."
She bowed her head and looked up at me. "I'm sorry. I was just so surprised by what you said."
"What did I say?" I asked, my forehead furrowed.
"That my symptoms were a result of my pregnancy," she replied.
"Of course, that's only to be expected at four months pregnant," I said, flashing her a smile. "I'm glad you're all right."
She nodded, letting out a deep breath. "That was so close - it almost went down my throat and into my nose!" she said, her voice hushed. She reached for the orange again, but I grabbed it away from her before she could get it.
She glared at me, a pout forming on her lips.
"Do you really want it?" I teased, holding the orange behind my back.
She nodded, her eyes big and pleading.
"No way!" I said, grinning. "I'm not giving it to you."
"But why not?" she asked, a slight frown marring her perfect features.
"Because I don't want you to choke again," I said, trying my best to keep a straight face.
"No, I'm still too freaked out by what happened before. It really scared me," I said, trying to keep my voice level. She burst into laughter, covering her mouth with her hand.
"Wow, really?" she asked, the corners of her eyes crinkling.
"Yes, honestly!" I replied, nodding vigorously.
"I guess you must really care about me," she said, a knowing smile playing on her lips.
I was too flustered to speak.
"I really like you, too, King Oregon," she whispered, her eyes twinkling.
"Huh," I muttered.
"I said, I like you, too!" she repeated, grinning widely. I could see the genuine warmth in her smile, it was so beautiful and bright. I couldn't help but smile back at her since it was so magnetic.
I couldn't help but return her smile, feeling warm and fuzzy inside. I saw her gaze flit to the oranges I had cornered on the table. She licked her lips, like she was imagining the taste of the sweet, juicy oranges.
"Do you really want them?" I asked, feeling a little nervous.
"Yes, please!" she whispered, nodding her head.
"You really like oranges that much?" I asked, still smiling at her.
"Yes!" she said, her voice loud with enthusiasm. "In fact, they're one of my favorite fruits!"
I laughed, the sound bursting from my chest. "It shows!"
"Haha, do you think so?" she asked, beaming.
"Definitely," I said.
"Be careful there, alright," I said.
"Don't worry, I will be careful," She said, a confident look on her face, and started drinking and eating it.
"We don't have to go through with this sex of a thing," I said, my voice firm. "We can just tell people you're pregnant and explain how we met. I really don't think this is worth the trouble."
She looked at me, her eyes wide. "No, we can't do that," she said, shaking her head. "We have to stick to the plan."
"Why?" I asked, feeling my frustration rising.
"People might understand your side, but do you think they'd understand mine?" she said. "They'd probably talk about me, saying I'm a harlot who came here to pin the child on you." She said, her voice quiet and sad. "I've been around people more than you have. I know how they behave and act," she said, softly.
I sighed, cupping her face with my hands so she was looking directly into my eyes. "And trust me, Vivian, they aren't worth it. I don't care what they say - let's just tell the truth, be happy together, and ignore the gossip."
She sniffed, trying to hold back tears. Then, she nodded. "I agree with you. I don't think I care what they say or think anymore."
I laughed, and gently placed a kiss on her forehead. "See? That's my baby," I said, my voice warm.
I was about to press my lips against hers when the door burst open. I and Vivian jumped in shock.