Ocean Storm (Queen of Piracy Duology #1)

Chapter 38: Life is funny

Tamara's words wouldn't leave my mind. A child having a child... That's what I was! Women usually got pregnant after a few tries, but guess what? One time was more than enough for me! Maybe I was some kind of fertility goddess... Anyway, although I hadn't believed Kenneth's assistant at first, everything indicated I'd have a baby. The symptoms had always been there. I fought numerous men, broke into a prison, battled the Navy, almost got killed... all with another person growing inside me! Crazy, right? For a pregnant woman, I'd taken a lot of risks. Sven had tried to choke me and my kid could've died... I felt a headache while remembering every situation in which I'd risked my baby's life. I tried to imagine Dirk's reaction... Would he be angry at me? Besides, how would I forget my feelings for Miguel now that I was having his child? They weren't as strong as the ones I had for Dirk, but it'd be much harder to ignore them since the baby would remind me of the Spaniard every single day... To summarize, I was a mess.

"I don't know what to do..." I breathed fast while walking on the main deck. "I need a drink!"

With my eyes bulged, I was on the verge of a breakdown. I bit my lower lip and had a feeling people would soon realize my desperation. Luckily, I was alone on the main deck. Even though I always succeeded in hiding my feelings, I couldn't at that moment. I was so nervous that I'd probably scream if someone approached me.

"I can't believe you've been in me all this time," I touched my belly and smiled sweetly. "You must be a real warrior."

After that, I came back to panicking. I whispered "This is crazy" to myself multiple times while grinding my teeth. Putting both hands on my face, I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. My nausea increased, which made me even more nervous. Although I was excited to be a mom because I liked kids, I couldn't stop freaking out. I was far from ready to take care of a baby.

Pull yourself together, Eva! Someone else depends entirely on you now.

I took several deep breaths and finally stopped to hyperventilate. Sweat kept running down my neck. I'd never felt so alone until that moment. God, I was utterly lost... Between smiles and tears, I observed the night sky.

Miguel approached me, "I've always liked the stars, but you shine brighter than all of them."

I gulped when I heard his voice. Although I wanted to thank Gálvez for the compliment, I froze. How would I tell him the news? Miguel thought the baby was gone, so how would I explain what happened? I had no idea what to do... I wondered if I should tell him at all. Maybe it would be better if he didn't know.

"Is everything alright? You look nervous," the Spaniard knit his brows. "What can I do to make you happier?"

I sighed and smiled, "Thank you for your kindness, but I'm fine. Why are you so worried?"

My heart had never been so divided between joy and fear. I felt an inexplicable happiness, but I also wanted to cry. My crew could kick me out, Dirk could leave me, my friends could judge me... countless terrifying possibilities! The only certainty was that my life would change forever.

"There's something you need to know. Algo muy importante..." Gálvez took a step closer. "I didn't intend to tell you this after observing you and Dirk, but I can't keep it to myself anymore."

I pressed my lips together, "What would you like to say, Miguel?"

While I thought about my future again, Miguel glanced away, apparently nervous. He chewed on his lip and I frowned, wondering what he was thinking.

"I fell for you, Eva. You're the most wonderful person I've ever met. I love your sense of humor, incredible beauty, impressive courage, and good heart... Dios, I should've never said goodbye that night in Nassau!" Gálvez gently caressed my face. "I love you."