Life Begins in a Garden

Chapter One- Reality v Nightmare

Chapter One
Reality vs Nightmare

Andrea was still on the floor of Isidore’s kitchen, where they had made love, looking between the message on her phone and Isidore, trying to quell the sickening feeling that was building in the pit of her stomach. 

“Fuck.” Andrea mumbled to herself, still looking at the cryptic message on her phone, her heart sinking the longer she stared at it. Isidore turned toward her.

“You too?” Isidore asked, as if he already knew the answer. Andrea nodded and they showed each other their phone screens. Andrea searched for answers she knew she wouldn’t find in Isidore’s equally worried brown eyes. He pulled her close to his chest, she could feel his heartbeat beneath her cheek.

“I won’t let anything happen to you, you hear me?” He said and Andrea nodded against his hold.

“I know. I won’t let anything happen to you either.” Andrea responded. When Isidore released his hold on Andrea, she dialed Persephone’s phone number. She answered before the end of the first ring.

“Hey, boss. Did you get a message to?” Andrea asked, worry prevalent in her tone as she spoke.

“Oh, God,” Andrea could hear Persephone sigh into the phone, “I did. The lost one? What does that even mean?” Persephone asked. Andrea ran her free hand through her messy auburn hair, trying to come up with an answer, an answer she didn’t have. She felt a pang in her stomach that made her want to throw up, but she tried to quell her anxiety as best she could. 

“Shit.” Andrea muttered, taking a deep breath to try to quell her nauseous stomach and when that didn’t work, she knew she had to get off the phone.

“Fuck, I don’t know. I have to go. Stay sinning, boss.” Andrea said quickly, hanging up the phone, dropping her phone on the floor as she sprang up, running to the kitchen sink and vomiting up the last of her stomach contents, wincing as she held her bruised ribs in her arms as she leaned over the sink. Isidore got up from his spot on the floor, concern written all over his face, and he pulled his pants up as he walked over to hold Andrea’s hair out of the way as she vomited in his sink. He rubbed her back gently and when she was done she turned toward him.

“I think I need a shower and some rest.” Andrea said hoarsely, voice cracking as she spoke, still tasting bile at the back of her throat. Isidore kissed her forehead as he nodded in agreement.

“I think so too, kitten.” Isidore said as he wiped the sweat from Andrea’s brow. He scooped her up into his arms and carried up the steps and into the bathroom, setting her down gently on the toilet seat as he turned the shower on hot and waited for the steam to fill the room. Isidore leaned down and put the back of his hand against her forehead, checking her temperature. He was puzzled as to why she had suddenly gotten sick, but chalked it up to being under a lot of stress for the last few days and that maybe it was catching up to her.  

Andrea took a deep breath as Isidore helped her into the shower. She winced as the hot water ran hot over her bruised flesh. Isidore held her by her hips, only letting go to grab some shower gel and lather it up in his hands. 

“Turn around, baby.” Isidore murmured to Andrea. She complied with his soft spoken request and turned toward the hot spray of water. Andre felt his hands gently rub the lathered shower gel into her skin, starting at her shoulders. 

Isidore worked the lather into her shoulders and back of her neck, feeling her muscles relax as Andrea sighed her approval. She leaned her head back into his touch. He moved his hands down her arms and felt a hard lump. Andrea winced and turned back around toward Isidore, the steam from the water blurring her vision slightly, as she grabbed her arm.

“Ow.” Andrea said. Isidore put his hands up and gave her a questioning look. 

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you. But why is there a lump in your arm?” He asked, concern prevalent in his brown eyes, as he looked into Andrea’s blue ones. Andrea looked away from Isidore, trying to find a way to explain her IUD birth control implant. She was stunned into silence, she couldn’t figure out how or when it dislodged. Isidore put a finger underneath Andrea’s chin, forcing her to look back into his eyes, breaking her out of her silence.

“It’s my birth control implant. I didn’t know it dislodged. I also don’t know when that happened.” Andrea said quickly, a little confused and worried. She turned around and turned off the shower, getting out of the shower. Andrea grabbed a towel that happened to be hanging in the bathroom and wrapped it around herself, leaning against the countertop. Isidore followed Andrea out of the shower and grabbed another towel and put a hand on Andrea’s back as he spoke.

“Well, I guess the cat's out of the bag, but I was told a few years ago by my doctor that I’ve been shooting blanks. He said it would be very unlikely for me to have kids.” Isidore said as he ran a free hand through his damp curls. Andrea looked up into the mirror at Isidore, shock and relief both written in her expressive, blue eyes.

“Well, I should probably take a pregnancy test. Just to be sure.” Andrea sighed, hanging her head down as Isidore rubbed her back.

“Ok, but let’s get some sleep first.” Isidore conceded, running his hand through his dark hair. Andrea nodded, closing her eyes, trying to regain control over her still nauseous stomach. Isidore finished drying himself off with his towel, walking back down the hallway and into his bedroom. Andrea stayed in the bathroom for a few minutes alone, trying to wrap her mind around what just happened, she had a gut feeling of dread, but Andrea shook her head trying to put her mind at ease. I’m just worrying for nothing, Andrea thought to herself. 

Andrea took a deep breath and walked back to the bedroom, where Isidore was already lying down in bed, waiting for her to join him. Andrea gave him a weak smile and crawled into the bed and cuddled up to him as he wrapped his arms around her. She laid her head on his chest as he trailed his fingers through her damp, copper hair. Andrea closed her eyes and slowly drifted into sleep as she heard Isidore whisper, “I love you,” giving her a kiss to the top of her head. Andrea mumbled her reply, but she didn’t know if Isidore heard her.

Isidore couldn’t quite get to sleep, he stayed up for what seemed like hours watching Andrea sleep soundly in his arms. God, what have you done to me? He asked himself as he sighed his happiness. Isidore was a little worried over Andrea’s IUD getting dislodged, but he knew he had been shooting blanks for years and he trusted his doctor’s professional opinion. He forced himself to close his eyes as exhaustion began to take hold, he was trying to clear his mind before sleep pulled him under completely, but a small feeling of anxiety stayed behind as he finally drifted off to sleep.