Choosing Life

Chapter One

In fact, I just got a letter from some of our strawberry farmers expressing their hope that you're okay, Ben thought. That had been the scariest part about Mal not feeling well, considering she was a Godling there wasn't much that could put her under the weather so to speak.

"Well...you don't have to worry about that anymore because Aunt Eileithyia reached out after she found out I'd gotten tests done over at Asclepius General to find out what'd been causing the nonstop nausea, exhaustion, and clumsiness. I mean, you remember the way I almost crashed into the balcony when I came in for a landing in one of my flights."

Ben nodded. Oh he remembered that particular landing very well—it'd been that landing that prompted him to make an appointment for Mal at Asclepius General that very day. Despite Mal protesting that there was no need since she was a Godling and there was very little if anything that could take her out.

"Is everything okay? Did they find out something?" Ben asked.

Mal chuckled. "Ben, take a moment and think. Why would Aunt Eileithyia be reaching out to me before I've even heard back from the doctors?"

"Courtesy? I mean she is your aunt after all."

"Ben..." Mal said with a small smile as she walked over and sat on his desk. Gently brushing his hair out of his hazel green eyes, she said, "I'm pregnant."

Ben stilled and looked up at her. "You're sure?"

"Aunt Eileithyia wouldn't have told me I was if I wasn't," Mal nodded. "Don't worry though, I've sworn her to secrecy until we tell our parents so you don't have to worry about battling any angry messages from my parents about not being told first. Or angry messages from your parents though it's more likely the messages would come from my parents since Aunt Eileithyia is in contact more with mom than she is with Belle or Adam."

"Mal?"

"Yes?"

"You're rambling," Ben said with a small chuckle as he took her hand, his other hand occupied by scratching Estelle behind the ears. "And you're sure about this?"

"Aunt Eileithyia is hardly ever wrong though if you'd rather wait to get confirmation from the doctors, I can understand that," Mal said with a small smile.

"At the risk of upsetting the Gods, that would be nice to have," Ben said though he couldn't wipe the smile off his face.

A child. His child. He was going have a child of his own with the woman he loved.

At that moment, Mal's phone rang; disrupting the silence that had fallen between the two monarchs.

"I think I know who this could be," Mal smiled as she answered her phone and put it on speaker so that Ben could hear the news as well. "Hello? Dr. Sweet?"

"Hello your highness," the doctor said and Mal could hear the smile in the doctor's voice. "I hope I'm not disturbing you."

"Of course not Dr. Sweet. Though I do feel the need to let you know that my husband is in the room with me so you are on speaker and you may hear the dulcet tones of a Cerberus if Estelle gets excited."

"Ah okay, so I have permission to discuss this with your husband in the room?"

"I give full permission doctor. I doubt Ben would run to the press with the news of my results anyway."

"Of course I wouldn't!"

Dr. Sweet chuckled before continuing on. "Well Queen Mal, we've gotten the results of your tests back.

"It's nothing Mal needs to be concerned about is it?" Ben asked. Though he knew the results already, he also knew that it might look a bit odd if he didn't ask questions.