My Beloved Monster

Chaz and I never did get to Norway. Turns out extreme temperatures aren't good for you when you are pregnant. And when I went to the sauna with the guys when in Finland, that probably wasn't the smartest thing to do, but we did have a load of fun.

"Are you going to tell Wolf anytime soon?" Chaz asked while I started to put the wash on the clothing line in the back.

"How about we make a deal?" I smirked pinning up a shirt. It was the second week in November and probably the last time I would be able to do laundry outside since I knew this warm weather, which we were fortunate to have, was going to end very soon.

"What kind of deal?" Chaz asked humoring me.

"The kind where I finish the laundry and you tell Wolf for me?" Bruno was busy chewing on one of Chaz's socks. I giggled at him, but let him be.

A light bulb went off in Chaz's head. "Yeah, I'll take it."

"Thank you Chaz!" I shouted to him as he went inside. I sighed a little annoyed that I was too afraid to speak for myself.

When would I find my own voice again?

"Hello?" Wolf answered his phone in a tired voice.

"Hey," Chaz sighed running a hand through his hair. "So much for not letting her get hurt."

Wolf sat up in his bunk fully alert. "What's wrong?

"When we got to Finland she was almost disqualified." Chaz sighed leaning against the window watching me hang the wet clothes.

"What the fuck for?" Wolf demanded to know.

Chaz swallowed. "For being almost two months pregnant."

"What?" Wolf whispered shocked.

"What did lying get us Wolf?" Chaz demanded this time. "Everything would have worked out if we didn't interfere."

"We were trying to protect her." Wolf trying to reason what he already knew was wrong.

"She could have been happy. Instead, she's been second guessing everything about herself."

"Well what do you want me to do about it?" Wolf got defensive.

"There's nothing we can do. From what I have gathered, he's moved on and in a new relationship. Adel doesn't even want to tell him." He informed Wolf.

"So we still keep this to ourselves then?" Wolf sighed already knowing the answer.

"I hate lying to her." Chaz whispered.

"I know." Wolf said solemnly feeling the same way.

"So how is it touring with your old friends again?" Chaz switched topics in hope of ignoring the guilt that was still eating away at him.

Wolf sighed, but accepted the distraction. "We're in Melborne in Victoria, Australia. And we're going to stay in Victoria really for this tour, but it is good to be home again. I got to see my parents and cousins that I haven't seen in ages. And hanging out with the guys again has been a blast."

"Sounds like you are having a good time down under." Chaz smiled.

"Yeah," Wolf sighed.

"Look I'll let you get back to sleep. Oh, and Adel did win bronze."

"Tell her congrats for me." He paused, "For both you know, the championship and the baby."

Chaz said his goodbyes and hung up. He opened the top of the door and leaned on the lower half. "He's happy for you doll."

I sighed relieved. "Thanks Chaz, really."

"No problem sweetheart." He smiled. "So what will we be doing to celebrate the quarter of a century mark on Tuesday?"

I bit my lip smiling. "Well, you get to come with me to a doctors appointment?"

"Adel." Chaz groaned. "I do not want to see you spread open on stirrups."

"Fuck Chaz that's disgusting." I stuck my tongue out and fake gagged. "I get to hear my baby's heart beat for the first time."

"Oh yeah?" Chaz grinned. "You excited?"

I grinned and nodded enthusiastically, "I think it'll make everything seem real then."

I have been marking the days off in my planer keeping track of everything and writing next to the date everything that has happened. I figured it was something to pass the time as I worked in the flower shop.

The bell rang as I crossed off the 15th. I smiled looking up to see Chaz with a big grin on his face. "So? How is the birthday girl?"

"Feeling pretty good." I smiled. I lifted up my shirt a bit showing him my stomach. "You have to see this."

"See what?" Chaz chuckled.

I pointed to my lower stomach.

"Adelina please don't tell me that you are flashing customers." Helga, my boss, teased me giving Chaz a kiss hello.

"No, look. It's the beginning of my pregnancy tummy." I grinned showing them how my lower stomach was no longer flat anymore.

"You are all smiling now, but just you wait until you start seeing stretch marks. You won't be so happy then." Helga warned me.

Helga has three children of her own and seven grandchildren so far so I should probably listen since she knows what she is talking about.

"But, that is not for a while now is it?" I shrugged still excited about the new changes.

"Get out of here Adelina." She pulled me down for a hug. "Und Herzlichen Gluckwunsch zum Geburtzstag." [German birthday wish.]

"Danke Helga." She laughed and shoved us out the door. I grabbed my coat and package before she could finish shutting the door on us.

"So doll, how does it feel to be 25?" Chaz asked me as we took a seat on the U-Bahn.

"I don't know, just another year really." I shrugged feeling indifferent about my age. "Why is there something I'm supposed to feel when one turns 25?"

"Nah, why does everyone ask that question anyway?" He thought out loud.

"Because usually people are afraid of getting old." I shrugged once more and smiled. "But, we are just so cool that we will never look or act a day over five."

"Too true because no one is better than us." He laughed and held my hand as we made our way through the crowd.

Chaz was playing with the equipment in the room while I sat in the large chair. "Now are you sure there are no stirrups evolved today?" Chaz asked with a shudder.

"Positive." I laughed and shook my head.

"What are you going to do when your wife is pregnant?" The doctor asked making her presence known scaring the shit out of Chaz and I.

Chaz regained his composure and replied coolly, "Make Adel go in my place."

"Arsch." I rolled my eyes.

"Zicke." He replied back.

"Now, now. Name calling isn't necessary." Dr. Ober laughed lightly amused at our behavior. She held my file in her hand and sat in the stool. "Well before I get the Doppler set up, I received the files we had your father fax over."

Chaz gave me a look and I shook my head saying I would fill him in later.

She continued, "You were right; your mother did have complications with you. And she had a miscarriage after you."

"What?" I asked shocked.

She smiled sadly, "I'm sorry I thought you knew."

I shook my head and felt Chaz grip my hand. "No, was there a specific reason?"

"That's what I wanted to discuss." She flipped to another page. "You're mother had Gestational diabetes with the combination of high blood pressure. Now, Adelina, are you figure skating currently correct?"

"Not really no," I anwered her. "My coach and I decided that it would be best to not take the chances and stop the normal routine since I won't be attending in Turin. But, I still do a little to stay in shape."

That was a harsh reality for both Loring and me, especially, that I would not be going to Italy for the winter Olympics. Every athlete's dream would be to go to the Olympics and to know that I had qualified to go and no longer could was a hard thing to accept.

Dr. Ober nodded her head. "You shouldn't have to worry since you don't have type 2 diabetes, unlike your mother. But, from previous records you have had problems with high blood pressure. That I want to keep an eye on."

"How do I do that?" I asked feeling slightly nervous.

She saw my face and smiled. "Adelina you are an extremely healthy woman, this is just a minor thing to observe so don't worry so much. You just need to watch your stress in your life and handle it better or just avoid it all together. You are in your second trimester so right there you don't have to worry as much. Also, most women can fly until their third trimester, but for you, I suggest you not to now anyway."

"That doesn't seem so bad." Chaz offered smiling at me.

"It isn't." The doctor shook her head. "But if you feel any of the symptoms you have had in the past when you dealt with you high blood pressure, do not hesitate to get into contact with me Adelina."

"I can do that." I nodded feeling better about everything.

"So are you ready to hear your baby's heart beat?" She smiled.

"More than anything." I sighed grinning once more.

I rolled up my shirt as she readied the Doppler. "I can have a recording of it right?"

"Of course," Dr. Ober smiled. She came over with the special microphone and began to move it over my belly.

Once she located the heartbeat my breath caught; it was just so unreal. To think that this thing no more than three inches long and had a heart already was just crazy.

The tiny heart sounded like the thunder of galloping horses. I closed my eyes listening to the heart beat. There was really something growing inside me and was apart of me.

"Wait," She tilted her head trying to hear something. "What's this?"

"What?" I winced hoping nothing is wrong.

"Nothing to worry about Adelina?" She smiled.

"Then what is it?" Chaz spoke up.

Dr. Ober laughed at our nervousness. "I hear a second heart beat."

"What?" My mouth dropped.

Chaz laughed, "You're having twins doll."

"Congratulations Adelina." She smiled putting the equipment away.

"Y-yeah." I swallowed. One child my mind was prepared for, but two?

Chaz swung my around once we got outside. "Can you believe that?"

I closed my eyes briefly when he set me down and took a deep breath before I kept walking.

"Adel." He jogged in front of me and put his hand firmly on my shoulders.

"Two?" I asked myself. I looked up at him. "Can I handle twins alone?"

"Doll." He wrapped me up in a hug. "You will never be alone."

"It's not the same though." I whispered, but heard.

"I know doll, I know." He kissed my head. "You had to call Cody?"

"Yeah, it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be though." I sighed. "He kind of likes the idea of being a grandpa. Even though, in reality, we both know that we will rarely see each other. But, I need to get a hold of my mother's information and I figured he knew how to get it."

Chaz nodded understanding. "So what's this package you have been carrying around?"

I looked under my arms and smiled. "It's a birthday present for Dico. He has the same birthday date as me, but I never got a chance to go to the post office until today."

"You getting him a gift?" Chaz gave me a weird look.

"Yeah, why not?" I shrugged as we made our way to the post office.

"I just thought. . ." He trailed off.

"Yeah," I shrugged. "But, I still consider him my friend."

"So what did you get him?" Chaz asked nosily.

"A couple of shirts and an official Stein. I figured he would use it." I smiled.

"That's awesome. doll" Chaz chuckled. I went and paid to have it shipped express knowing it would be late already.

Chaz pulled my hand excited up the front stoop. "What is the rush for?" I asked laughing unlocking the door.

" Herzlichen Gluckwunsch zum Geburtzstag!!!" People shouted inside. I jumped back into Chaz totally shocked.

There was Loring, his wife and kids including their newest addition, Marie, Wolf's wife, and a few of my friends. "You guys scared me." I laughed.

Anna, Loring's first child came up and tugged on my shirt. "Adel?"

I bent down to the three year old, "Yeah sweetie?"

"Papa told me you have a baby in you too like Mutter did with Jonas." She smiled sweetly.

"Want to know a secret?" I grinned. She nodded her head with the biggest smile on her face. "I'm having two."

Anna's eyes widened, "No way."

I smiled and nodded my dead. "Yes way."

Everyone squealed and started asking me questions. Bruno was barking in the background until I gave him some love. Marie came over and gave me a big hug. "So when did this happen?"

"Well apparently the doctor heard two heart beats today." I held up the CD that had the recording on it.

Klara gushed to her husband and grabbed the case proceeding to put it on the stereo for everyone to listen.

I smiled sitting on Chaz's lap, "Hey doll, think of the second twin as a birthday present you know?"

I kissed his cheek and gave him a hug, "Yeah."