Once Upon A Lie 2

Thirty-five:

The first thing he heard when he woke up was his mothers voice. "What happened? He just fainted for no reason?"

"No," he heard Alina say, "Zoya Nazyalensky came back with Mal Oretsev."

Baghra huffed. "That tart?"

"Baghra!" Alina said.

"What? I'm allowed to be mean to the little upstart that nearly got my son killed. I refuse to be nice to her. As you'll recall, she was the reason that you two almost didn't end up together."

Alina sighed. "I know. But that's no reason to be---"

"Lina," Aleksander rasped. His vision came into view. Alina came to sit on the edge of their bed, taking his hand in hers. He was no longer in the doctor's office. He was at home.

"Aleks!" Alina gasped. "You're awake. Are you alright?"

He groaned. "My head hurts like hell, but other then that I'm fine."

She smiled at him. "Well that's good news."

"Did....did Zoya really come back?" he asked.

"Unfortunately," she answered with a grimace.

"And is she married to Mal, and having his kid?" Aleksander said.

"Also yes, unfortunately for Mal," said Alina, "I hope he can deal with raising a demon."

"Alina," Baghra chided, and Alina huffed.

"It's different when I do it. YOUR always mean about things."

Baghra hmmed and chuckled a little. "I suppose you do have a point." Baghra smiled at him. "Are you sure that you're alright, my dear boy?"

Aleksander shook his head. "I think it was just shock. Can I get some water?"

"I'll get it," said Baghra. His mother bustled out of the room, leaving him alone with Alina.

"It wasn't a bad dream then that Zoya came back, is married, and is having Mal's kid?"

Alina sighed. "No."

"Are you.... I mean...." Aleksander couldn't help but look at his wife seriously. "It wasn't that long ago that you and him were a thing, and just a few months ago you were traveling together."

She smiled at him. "Aleksander, I'm completely happy and content with where I am. I love you. And we've got a baby on the way. And we're both doing our own thing. The only reason I paid attention to Mal, was because I felt like I didn't have any freedom before. Like I wasn't respected before."

"And now?" he asked.

"And now, I feel respected. And like I've got freedom. I feel slightly nauseous all of the time from the little girl we're having that's doing summersaults on my bladder, but I'm happy."

Aleksander paused. "Repeat that again."

"I feel slightly nauseous all the time from----"

"No." He locked eyes with her. "Alina, are we having a girl?"

She hesitated. "Yes. Baghra encouraged me to find out even after everything that happened. She went to the hospital with you, and then I joined them after I got my exam."

Aleksander kissed her. "We're having a girl."

She smiled. "We're having a girl." Then they kissed again.