In the End

Quietly fastening the buttons on her blouse, Ariella spared a glance towards the mirror which stood ahead of her, a small frown playing at the corner of her mouth. She couldn’t put her finger on it, since she had moved into Gerard’s home a few days previous, there was something bothering her that she couldn’t quite place, and it irked her, even if she was confident that it was more than likely to just be the stress of moving into her new home. It bothered her that she couldn’t seem to pinpoint the problem. It was an accumulation of things, increasingly she felt overly tired or slightly nauseous, and she knew that it hadn’t gone unnoticed by Gerard who she had caught frowning at her more than once, trying to figure out how he could help her.

Tugging her blouse around her a little more, she fastened the last few buttons up before she felt an arm wrap around her waist, causing her to let out a small scream in surprise before she lifted her head, peeking at Gerard who grinned down at her amusedly. “Did I scare you?” he posed, pressing a kiss against the top of her head.

“You know you did” Ariella countered, offering him an unimpressed look via the mirror.

Gerard smiled at her via the mirror, pressing another kiss against her hair, before he lifted his head, his hands comfortingly rubbing her shoulders. “You feeling better?” he asked quietly.

Ariella shrugged. “A little” she replied “I mean, I haven’t felt like I am going to throw up this morning, which is something” she joked with a feeble smile as she turned around to face him.

Gerard merely looked down at her thoughtfully, something which made Ariella sigh gently. “Geri...”

“I’m allowed to worry about you, Ella” Gerard interrupted gently “You’re my girlfriend. I’m allowed to be concerned for you” he added.

Ariella smiled a little at his words before she nodded, softly tucking her hair behind her ear. “I know you are” she mused “And you’re sweet for being worried, but I am sure that there’s nothing for you to be concerned with. I know myself, Geri” she insisted.

Gerard, who’d watched her tuck her hair off of her face, nodded before he gently lifted his hand, cupping it around her cheek. “I don’t doubt that” he mused “But this has been going on for almost a week, Ella, and I think you ought to at least think about seeing a doctor. I’m sure that you’re right, that it is just you feeling a little run down after the move, and I know that you know yourself, but I still think it’s a good idea, even if it is just for my benefit so that you can say you told me so” he added, a small grin pulling at the corner of his mouth.

Ariella leant into his hand. “You really think it’s worth doing?” she asked.

Gerard nodded. “I know I’d feel better” he mused warmly.

Ariella looked at him quietly, mulling over his words for a few moments, before she nodded her head. “I’ll call” she noted “I’ll get an appointment as soon as I can, even if it I just so that I can say I told you so” she added, quirking her lips upwards into a warm smile.

Gerard laughed gently before he leant forwards, pressing a kiss against her cheek. “Good” he mumbled “Now, I have to get going. I’ll see you this afternoon?” he posed, peppering a few kisses over her cheek.

Ariella giggled at the feel of his kisses before she gently nudged him away from her, offering him a small nod. “I’ll see you later” she mused.

Gerard flashed her another boyish smile before he ducked towards her, sneaking a quick kiss before he ducked out of the bedroom, affording Ariella the opportunity to collect her phone, dialing the number of her doctor.

~#~
Gently bouncing her leg, Ariella spared a quiet glance around the waiting room, trying to stifle the nervousness which twitched in the pit of her stomach. She didn’t want to be there, even despite knowing that Gerard was right, and knowing that being checked over by a doctor couldn’t do any harm, she wanted to be anywhere but sat in her doctor’s waiting room, but she knew that she couldn’t just duck out of it, even if she was pretty sure that there was nothing for her to be worried about. She knew that Gerard had been right when he’d said that it was better to find out, just in case.

Casting another look around the room, she let out a quiet sigh before she spotted a shadow lingering over her, something which caused her to look up, her eyes settling on the man who stood ahead of her, a warm smile perched on his face. “Miss Ariella Montoya?” he asked.

Ariella nodded. “You’re Dr Munuera?” she asked.

The man nodded his head. “Dr Nicolas Munuera” he greeted “You want to come through so that we can get started?” he asked, gesturing towards a consultation room which stood a little away from them.

Ariella hesitated for a split second before she nodded, gathering her bag and coat before she padded into the room, her doctor following close behind. “So” he quipped as he moved to take a seat beside his desk “What appears to be the problem, Miss Montoya?” he asked.

“Ariella” Ariella corrected.

Nicolas nodded. “What appears to be the problem, Ariella?” he rephrased with a kind smile.

Ariella glanced at him quietly for a few seconds before she gently shook her head. “I’m feeling fatigued” she noted “I mean, I’m used to being a little overtired, but it’s worse than normal and then there’s this weird feeling in my stomach, like I am going to be sick a lot of time. I’ve not actually been sick, but it’s lasted for a few days and my boyfriend thought I ought to come and get it checked out” she explained.

Nicolas nodded thoughtfully. “Have you had any other symptoms?” he posed “An increase in urination? Any reactions to smells or foods?” he asked.

Ariella frowned. “I did feel a little nauseous the other day when my boyfriend cooked for me. It’s something he cooks all of the time and for some reason the smell of it made me feel sick” she explained.

Nicolas quirked a faint smile. “Ariella, when was your last period?” he asked.

Ariella’s expression softened.

Nicolas shook his head before he pushed himself up to his feet, moving to collect a box from a cupboard. “There’s a bathroom down the hall” he noted “if you ask at reception, they’ll show you to it. I think you should take this, Ariella, and once we’ve got the result, I’ll talk to you about what happens next” he explained, gently settling the box into Ariella’s hands.

Ariella lowered her gaze slowly, staring at the box in awe for a few long seconds, before she quietly nodded her head. “I...uh...I should go and take this” she babbled sheepishly.

Nicolas merely flashed her a reassuring smile before she ducked out of the room, quickly making her way towards the bathroom.

~#~
Perched on the closed toilet lid, Ariella stared vaguely at the closed stall door, quietly willing away the four minutes that the instructions had told her to wait before she looked at the small white stick which sat a little away from her. She couldn’t quite wrap her head around it, from the moment that Nicolas had asked about her period, the pieces had all slotted into place, but still she couldn’t quite believe it. The idea that there was even a chance that she was pregnant seemed far too surreal to her.

Scuffing the toe of her shoe against the floor, she let out a quiet sigh before she spared a glance towards her phone, watching as another minute was ticked off. She didn’t quite know to feel. One part of her was incredibly anxious. She and Gerard had only been together for a matter of months, they’d only been living together for a matter of days, and a part of her was terrified that it would be too much too soon for them, but then there was the other part, the part which had a grin itching to spread across her features. It was early, it was probably too early, but a small part of her couldn’t help but be slightly excited by the prospect of a pregnancy, even if it was overwhelmed by the part of her which was worried. The idea of her and Gerard having a baby together bought a faint smile to her lips.

Watching her phone for a while longer, she allowed the last couple of minutes to pass before she redirected her stare towards the test, hesitantly messing with it in her fingers before she flipped it over, her eyes widening at the single word which filled its small screen. Pregnant.