her eyes were smiling. “It has been giving me horrible nightmares; nonetheless, I am quite content.” She glanced over at Roman who was sitting by a window reading.
“And how about you, Roman? Has the city-life here in Burgundy been treating you kindly?”
“Well, outside of terribly audacious poetry,” he said, indicating the book he was reading, “we’ve finally been able to buy a decent home to live in instead of staying in boarding houses, which is certainly agreeable.” He smiled playfully and winked.
Elizabeth returned the smile. “I would simply adore a cup of tea, Alexandria, if it’s not too much trouble.”
“Of course not. I’ll be right back.” She kissed Roman and walked into the kitchen.
When she was out of sight, Elizabeth sat down in the chair next to Roman and leaned in toward him. “Have you heard or seen anything out of the ordinary lately?” she asked, quietly.
Roman looked up over the rim of his book at her. “You mean regarding him?”
Elizabeth nodded.
“No, nothing, but Alexandria hasn’t been feeling well, which is definitely out of the ordinary. I think maybe she’s—”
“I’m what?” Alexandria asked from the kitchen doorway.
Roman mouthed the word “pregnant” to Elizabeth who looked up sharply at Alexandria. “Is it true?”
Alexandria smiled coyly. “Well, it could be. I’ve been feeling ill in waves the last few weeks, and I haven’t had my moon cycle, which was due over six weeks ago.”
Roman, just as surprised by the admittance as Elizabeth, swiveled around in his chair and looked at her wide-eyed. “Really?”
When she nodded, he jumped up and enveloped her in his arms. Elizabeth jumped up and clapped, cooing and planning. The three celebrated a new life coming, and prayed for the happiness to be without consequence.
Though, always in the back of their minds, dread and fear fought for center stage, in the forefront, miracles took place.
“Hope is a waking dream.”
–Aristotle
Ten
Roman drew a bath for Alexandria before preparing to go out for the evening with friends. “Are you sure you won’t come with me?” he called to her as she entered the warm water of the tub. “I would rather that you did. A man needs to watch over his beautiful wife and future child.” He peeked around the doorway of the bathroom before walking in. He reached into the water and rubbed the slight bump in her belly. “It’s so small!”
“Well, yeah, and stop calling him ‘it’, will you? He’s only three months old. What do you expect? If he were any bigger I’d be terrified.” She giggled at the thought of birthing a giant.
“He?”
“I think so,” she smiled.
His heart melted. “I don’t want to, but I better get going. Last chance to come with me,” he warned.
Alexandria paused, looking into his beautiful face. “I just want to relax and bathe, darling. I will be fine; Elizabeth has agreed to stay here with me tonight. She told father she was visiting family.”
“Alright,” he said, disappointed. “At least you won’t be alone. I’ll miss you.”
They kissed, giggling and cooing over each other, too low for Elizabeth, who lounged in the sitting room, to hear. He lingered in her love for a moment before turning to dump the last bucket of hot water into the tub. “You must have the sweetest lips in the world, woman. Maybe I should just stay here and we can send Elizabeth home instead.”
She pushed at him and giggled, embarrassed by his tone with Elizabeth so close. She blushed, spanking Roman’s behind as he danced away from her to say goodbye to Elizabeth.
Eleven
Distorted reflections, twisting his face and tying his body in curious positions, captured Roman as he leaned against the black oak bar, unable to take his eyes up from the polished marble floor. Each slab was placed with precision, every position seeming necessary and planned, as was Roman’s. He lifted his head up into the
“And how about you, Roman? Has the city-life here in Burgundy been treating you kindly?”
“Well, outside of terribly audacious poetry,” he said, indicating the book he was reading, “we’ve finally been able to buy a decent home to live in instead of staying in boarding houses, which is certainly agreeable.” He smiled playfully and winked.
Elizabeth returned the smile. “I would simply adore a cup of tea, Alexandria, if it’s not too much trouble.”
“Of course not. I’ll be right back.” She kissed Roman and walked into the kitchen.
When she was out of sight, Elizabeth sat down in the chair next to Roman and leaned in toward him. “Have you heard or seen anything out of the ordinary lately?” she asked, quietly.
Roman looked up over the rim of his book at her. “You mean regarding him?”
Elizabeth nodded.
“No, nothing, but Alexandria hasn’t been feeling well, which is definitely out of the ordinary. I think maybe she’s—”
“I’m what?” Alexandria asked from the kitchen doorway.
Roman mouthed the word “pregnant” to Elizabeth who looked up sharply at Alexandria. “Is it true?”
Alexandria smiled coyly. “Well, it could be. I’ve been feeling ill in waves the last few weeks, and I haven’t had my moon cycle, which was due over six weeks ago.”
Roman, just as surprised by the admittance as Elizabeth, swiveled around in his chair and looked at her wide-eyed. “Really?”
When she nodded, he jumped up and enveloped her in his arms. Elizabeth jumped up and clapped, cooing and planning. The three celebrated a new life coming, and prayed for the happiness to be without consequence.
Though, always in the back of their minds, dread and fear fought for center stage, in the forefront, miracles took place.
“Hope is a waking dream.”
–Aristotle
Ten
Roman drew a bath for Alexandria before preparing to go out for the evening with friends. “Are you sure you won’t come with me?” he called to her as she entered the warm water of the tub. “I would rather that you did. A man needs to watch over his beautiful wife and future child.” He peeked around the doorway of the bathroom before walking in. He reached into the water and rubbed the slight bump in her belly. “It’s so small!”
“Well, yeah, and stop calling him ‘it’, will you? He’s only three months old. What do you expect? If he were any bigger I’d be terrified.” She giggled at the thought of birthing a giant.
“He?”
“I think so,” she smiled.
His heart melted. “I don’t want to, but I better get going. Last chance to come with me,” he warned.
Alexandria paused, looking into his beautiful face. “I just want to relax and bathe, darling. I will be fine; Elizabeth has agreed to stay here with me tonight. She told father she was visiting family.”
“Alright,” he said, disappointed. “At least you won’t be alone. I’ll miss you.”
They kissed, giggling and cooing over each other, too low for Elizabeth, who lounged in the sitting room, to hear. He lingered in her love for a moment before turning to dump the last bucket of hot water into the tub. “You must have the sweetest lips in the world, woman. Maybe I should just stay here and we can send Elizabeth home instead.”
She pushed at him and giggled, embarrassed by his tone with Elizabeth so close. She blushed, spanking Roman’s behind as he danced away from her to say goodbye to Elizabeth.
Eleven
Distorted reflections, twisting his face and tying his body in curious positions, captured Roman as he leaned against the black oak bar, unable to take his eyes up from the polished marble floor. Each slab was placed with precision, every position seeming necessary and planned, as was Roman’s. He lifted his head up into the
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