"So, how was your date with Mira?" Glacia pressed her son as soon as he walked through the door.


    "It wasn''t a date," Gadalik corrected her, "it was an outing. And even though things went badly, she wants to go out again sometime, so I guess it turned out alright."


    "Things went badly?" Gale asked from beside his girlfriend.


    "Well, a witch hunter attacked us, and reopened my wound. But the ghost of one of his victims actually handled it, and Mira took care of me."


    "Are you okay?!" His mother fussed.


    "I-I''m back to square one with my injury, but I''ll be fine eventually."


    "Why don''t you go rest," she suggested.


    He yawned. "Alright."


    "I''ll bring your supper to you," Gale offered.


    "Thank you… but I''m not hungry," his son answered.


    Gale watched him head up the staircase with concern.


    Once alone in his room, Gadalik changed into his pajamas and burrowed under the blankets on his bed. Exhaustion from the day''s events finally caught up to him and he drifted off.


    Gadalik woke up the next day and glanced up at the window above his headboard, shocked to realize how late it was. I must have been more tired than I thought, he concluded, sighing.


    He sat up, then grimaced and held his injured stomach. He could scarcely hear his parents chatting in his mother''s room down the hall. With Gale staying over and taking care of the chores, there really was no reason to bother getting up when feeling so nauseous. So Gadalik laid back down and stared at the wall until he fell back to sleep.


    "...Gadalik," Gale''s voice faded in.


    "Dad…?" the teen answered weakly.


    "It''s not like you to sleep this long… I was worried. You have a low fever, too."


    "I''m just sore," he murmured.


    "Do you think that enchantress could help? What was her name… Guinevere?"


    "Yeah. But she lives so far away… I''ll get better on my own, so I don''t think we should have her come all this way just for me."


    "What if it''s not just for you?"


    "Huh?"


    "Glacia has been feeling fatigued lately, and throwing up. But she doesn''t have a fever or cough. I''m worried about her, too."


    She threw up again? "Alright. Guinevere might be our best option, then. Go ahead and give her a call."


    "Will do. Are you coming down to eat?"


    "I''m not hungry…"


    Gale sighed through his nose. "Alright. I guess I''ll let you rest, then. I''m gonna pick up Glacia''s room to keep it from getting bad again. Shout if you need anything."


    "Okay."


    The man walked out, leaving the door slightly open.


    Maybe I shouldn''t stay in bed all day, Gadalik decided. He got up, dressed, then grabbed a book and headed downstairs.


    "There you are!" Glacia chimed. "I was starting to think you''d never wake up!"


    "Mom, how are you feeling?" the teen asked.


    She tilted her head slightly. "A bit tired, if I''m honest. Why?"


    "Have you been eating too much?" Is that why she puked?


    "Uh...maybe. But you''re not eating at all. You should at least keep hydrated."


    "You''re right… I''ll get myself some water–nnngh…" he clutched his injury through a cramp.


    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    "Gadalik! Sit down–I''ll get it for you."


    He took a seat on the couch once the pain subsided and watched her head into the kitchen. He took out the book and began reading just for something to do.  Then he heard a thud from the kitchen.  "Mom?"


    Silence.


    He forced himself to his feet and rushed to there to inspect the sound, then his heart missed a beat when he saw his mother on the floor.  "No! No, please be okay, please be okay--"


    She groaned and rolled over to sit up.


    Her son was too shaken and relieved to ask what happened; he immediately hugged her tightly and refused to let go for several seconds.  She was confused by his reaction but returned the embrace.


    "Gadalik...?" Gale asked, having heard the commotion.  "What happened?  Why are you guys on the floor?"


    "I think I hit my head," Glacia muttered, rubbing the back of it.


    Her boyfriend''s gaze focused on the countertop where there was a spot of blood.  "How?"


    She shrugged.  "I don''t know.  I think I got dizzy and fell.  But I''m fine now, really."


    "You can''t say you''re fine after weeks of this," Gale disagreed, but he was more worried than upset.  "Unless you think you''re fine for a reason.  Is there something you''re not telling me?"


    Glacia froze.  The tension in the air was palpable.  "I can''t say because I don''t know for sure, myself," she answered vaguely.


    The two stared each other down before Gale sighed dismissively.  "Alright.  I trust you..."


    Glacia got the water Gadalik had forgotten about, then the three of them hung out in the living room chatting about different things until nightfall. Gale made supper and Gadalik managed to eat some of it, while Glacia scarfed it down.


    Finally they went to bed after an uneventful day.


    Gadalik awoke the next morning to a knock on the door. He dressed and went downstairs, seeing Glacia on the couch and his father going to answer it; a golden-eyed woman with braided blond hair, wearing a blue dress and pale-pink apron stood before them.


    "Who is that?" Glacia called.


    "You must be Guinevere. Please, come in," he invited.


    "Guinevere?" Gadalik repeated, surprised to see her so soon.


    "Hello again, young man. Your father called me. I''ve brought you something that will help with your cramps and nausea." She set a few glass bottles filled with what he assumed were potions of sorts on the coffee table. "It should help speed up your recovery, if only by a few days."


    "Th-thank you," Gadalik said gratefully.


    "Oh–she''s the one who helped you on your birthday," Glacia remembered. "It''s nice to meet you in person!"


    "Pleasure to make your acquaintance." Guinevere moved to crouch by the latter''s side. "You said she''s been vomiting?" she asked Gale.


    "Yes, and she''s had dizzy spells, too," the man added.


    The purple-haired woman braced herself as Guinevere hummed and wrapped her hand around Glacia''s bicep. "Her blood pressure is low. That must be what''s caused her to feel faint."


    "But why is it low?" Gale pressed.


    The enchantress moved her hand to Glacia''s forehead, then downward toward her stomach.


    Glacia sat up quickly, pulling away from her and shielding her belly with both arms around it. "D-don''t!"


    "Mom? What''s the matter?" Gadalik prompted.


    "I-I…" Glacia looked to her boyfriend, as if asking for help.


    "Hey, don''t worry. Whatever''s wrong, Guinevere can find out," Gale assured her.


    Glacia opened her mouth to argue, then exhaled and moved her arms to either side.


    Guinevere gently placed her hand on her belly, when her golden eyes lit up with recognition. "That explains it. You''re the father, yes?" she asked Gale.


    He exchanged a glance with his practical son. "Yeah. But what does that have to do with Glacia''s condition?"


    "It''s not unexpected that she would have morning sickness and dizzy spells in the first trimester."


    "Trimester? You mean she''s…?"


    Glacia''s eyes widened.


    "You didn''t know?" Guinevere said. "She''s about four weeks along."


    "Four weeks…" Gale thought for a moment, then his cheeks reddened slightly with embarrassment. "That was…our date night. But we... I mean, I thought...we were safe."


    "Yeah," Glacia said quietly.


    "Nothing can guarantee safety," Guinevere stated, looking between the couple as they both fell quiet to process this.


    "...I know how you feel about kids, Gale. But I…think I want this."


    Her boyfriend took a shakey, distressed breath, but seemed at a loss for words.


    "Dad…. Talk to us. How are you feeling?" Gadalik prompted gently.


    "I''m shocked…and happy…and scared," his father admitted.


    "Scared?"


    "What if something goes wrong…? My mother died from childbirth… I… I don''t want that to happen to Glacia..."


    "I may be able to help spot any complications," Guinevere offered. "So far things seem to be fine."


    Gale sniffled. "But what if something happens afterward? There''s so much responsibility involved in raising a child… What if they get hurt and I can''t save them…?"


    "You''ve always come through for me," his son pointed out.


    "But there were still close calls… And babies are so much more fragile…"


    "Everything''s going to be fine," Glacia assured him. "I know you. You''re already a great father… That isn''t going to change." She reached for his hand, and when he still seemed upset, she pulled him into a hug. "I love you, Gale…"


    "I love you, too," he murmured, holding her securely in return.


    Guinevere watched the two for a moment. "I''m glad things will work out. Is there anything else I can help with while I''m here?"


    "Maybe you could give us the recipe for the potions, if that''s okay," Gadalik answered while his adoptive-parents were sobbing in each other''s arms.


    "Sure." The golden-eyed woman wrote down the ingredients and instructions on how to brew them. "It was nice to see you again. Take care," she said before leaving.


    There was silence for a moment.


    "Mom… You''re going to be a mom," Gadalik pointed out, trying to lighten the mood.


    Gale laughed at that, letting go of his girlfriend and wiping his eyes. "And you''re going to be a big brother. How are you feeling?"


    Gadalik blinked. "You''re not going to kick me out after it''s born, are you?" he chuckled.


    "Of course not," Glacia huffed indignantly.


    "Right; we need you here," Gale said.


    "Aww." The teen felt his cheeks warm.


    "...To babysit."


    The males both laughed at that, and Glacia playfully pushed her boyfriend''s shoulder.


    "So what are we going to name her?" Gale wondered.


    "Her?" Glacia echoed.


    He blushed. "Err… Well, we already have a son."


    "We''ll have plenty of time to think of names. Gadalik can help, too."