Chapter 193
(WESLEY)
“I seem too good to be true?” Justin frowns. “You seem to be intrigued by the littlest of things. Why is that? I simply believe that it is important to treat everyone with respect and kindness. I don’t understand why that seems so monumental to you p>
Suddenly, I feel self-conscious. I drop my gaze “Not everyone is as kind as you are, Justin. You surely know that p>
“There are a lot of good people out here. More good people than the bad, I assume.” He then gives my palm a reassuring pt before releasing it.
“I’d love to assume that that is true p>
“What was your childhood like?” he studies me.
I grimace. “I’d rather not talk about it p>
“No, you won’t tell me anything?” he sighs. “That must mean that it was probably not very pleasant. Maybe that’s why you always expect a worse treatment. But it was our upbringing that shaped all of us. I had a happy childhood, so I tend to view things positively and see the good in the world p>
“But I see the opposite.” I meet his gaze, feeling uneasy.
“Yes.” He frowns. “I suspect that it’s true p>
I begin to feel uncomfortable, so I clear my throat. “But as I said, I’d rather not talk about it p>
“Okay.” I’m glad when he finally agrees with me. What follows is a brief awkward silence then he asks. “Have you always worked in the food service industry p>
I’m relieved and actually glad that he is willing to change the subject. Yet another nice thing about Justin. “Uh, no. I actually used to work as a manny p>
“You did?” he laughs. “That actually makes sense. I can see you as a manny p>
“It is a great job.” I smile. “I love the kids so much and I take care of them as though they were my own. When it’s time to move on, I usually miss them. But I guess it is part of the job p>
Something about being honest with Justin feels great. Sometimes, I feel like I could open up to him about anything because I know that he’d accept it with a good attitude. Even so, I think that he would struggle with the news that I grew up in an Irish mob. The mafia world is a violent and dirty world. A good person like Justin would immediately be repulsed by it.
“But you aren’t a Manny right now?” he frowns.
“Uhm…no. I needed a change. So, I got a job at the Magenta Café temporarily p>
“Why did you need a change?” he asks.
It is so typical of Justin to just ask questions. He is an open book and my guess is he assumes everyone is too. He frowns when I don’t respond immediately. “Does it have something with the alpha that you are trying to get over p>
“Yes and no.” I wince. If I’m going to be honest with Justin about my past, then now is the chance. But then, I don’t have the nerve, I don’t want him to see me in a bad light. Not now. Maybe someday if we get closer, I will tell him. But not yet.
“How long were you with that alpha?” Justin asks.
I’m not sure how to respond. Jericho and I had barely scratched the surface of a relationship. We weren’t together. I’m not sure how to explain to Justin why I’m so bonded to Jericho, even though we knew each other for just a short while. I myself don’t understand it.
“It’s okay, Wesley. You can tell me the truth.” Justin mumbles quietly. “I still won’t give up pursuing you, just so you know. You could have been with that alpha for an eternity and I would still pursue you p>
“Why?” I ask, feeling mystified. “Why are you this accepting when you don’t know anything about me? I’m barren and still hung up on another alpha, Justin. You should run for the hills p>
“Who can explain attraction, really? I sure can’t.” he smiles. “All I know is that I was drawn to you the first time I saw you p>
“It’s true. I know that you can’t help who you are attracted to.” I say quietly thinking of my unwilling obsession with Jericho. I feel terrible that I can’t tell Justin that I’m not equally into him. I’d love to fall in love with him. I’m just holding on to the hope that if we continue to know each other, I might someday see him as more than just friends.
Justin leans closer to me. “You overthink everything, Wes. Don’t be so anxious. I’ll give you as much time as you need to work that other alpha out of your system. I just want to spend more time with you and see where this thing goes p>
I laugh gruffly. “I don’t overthink everything p>
“I’ve noticed.” His smile takes the bite out of his words. We sit in a companionable silence for a beat as we sip the wine then he suddenly straightens and tugs a folded white envelope from his pocket. “I just remembered; I have your test results p>
“You do?” Justin insisted that I take a blood test after I fainted. He wouldn’t take no for an answer. He headed straight for the clinic he works at last night for a blood draw. “That was quick, I’m surprised that you already have the test results back p>
He winks. “That’s one of the perks of having doctor friends. We can get the lab results pushed through quicker.” He laughs. “Can we go through them together p>
“That will be great.” I say. “I always tend to get confused reading those reports. CBC levels and HDL versus LDL, all that stuff makes my head hurt p>
“Yeah,” he smiles distractedly. “That can be confusing. But that’s why you have me, right p>
“Right. You can decode the report for me right away.” Anxiety eats at me as I stare at the envelope in his hands.
“Why do you look so worried?” he laughs when he notices my expression.
“Because I fainted? If I’m being honest. I haven’t been feeling great lately.” I admit. “I’m concerned that maybe I have a bug or something p>
“No.” he says nonchalantly. “You look too healthy to be sick. You’re just a hut pale and a little thin, but generally, you look pretty healthy. Maybe you’re just anemic or something. That’s probably the reason you passed out. Please don’t start thinking of bad things”
“Okay, I’ll try to.” I say as I set my cup on the coffee table. “If you should know something about me, it’s that I don’t always have the best of luck p>
He opens the sealed envelope. “Well, I have great luck, Wesley. You can borrow some of mine p>
He takes out reading glasses from his pocket and puts them on. “Now, let’s see what’s wrong with you p>
“Okay.” I say nervously.
He scans the report. “I was right. You’re slightly anemic, which doesn’t surprise me. That’s probably the reason why you fainted. Glucose levels are okay. Your liver and kidney functions are normal.” His expression isn’t anything alarming until he gets to the bottom of the paper. He frowns, looking conflicted.
“Is something wrong?” I ask curiously.
“Uh he blinks repeatedly and scans the report again from top to bottom. “I…I wasn’t expecting this.” He says, looking puzzled.
“Oh God, am I dying? What is it? Is it bad news p>
He glances at me over the top of the paper. “No, Wesley. You aren’t dying p>
“Then what is wrong?” My stomach churns.
“Well…I…uh p>
“Just tell me what it is, Justin.” I grit my teeth as I await the horrible news. “Tell me. Just be blunt p>
He shakes his head. “I’m not quite sure how to put this.” He says as he pulls off his glasses. “Wesley, why did you think you couldn’t get pregnant p>
His question rattles me. “Because there are several doctors who told me that.” I mumble. I was spotting when I was a teenager, so they ran tests, and they all said the same thing, that I have a rare genetic condition that prevents me from getting pregnant”
“Hmmm.” He rubs his chin, looking conflicted.
“Why did you ask me that?” my heart beats out of my chest as I await his response.
“Well because―” his face is flushed and he seems out of breath. “Because according to the results of this test, you are pregnant, Wesley p>
I stare at him silently. I’m certain that he isn’t joking. Justin wouldn’t joke about such matters. But I still don’t believe that I heard him correctly. “I’m sorry, what p>
He shakes his head. “The test results indicate that you are with child p>
“No, that’s impossible.” I feel like I’m dreaming. That none of this is actually happening. “They must have gotten the tests mixed up or something… I…I can’t conceive, Justin. Not even counting what the doctor told me. I’ve had unprotected sex before. And I…I never got pregnant. There must be some mistake with this result p>
Justin grimaces. “Then I’ll have to run the test again. But I have to say that the labs are usually very accurate. As far as I know, the lab has never mixed up anyone’s test results p>
“There is a first time for everything.” I say, rubbing the back of my neck and trying to not overreact. “There must be some mistake p>
“What if there isn’t?” Justin asks quietly. “You’ve been feeling tired, nauseous, you even fainted. What if it’s true that you are pregnant, Wesley p>
“B…but how can two specialists be wrong? I mean, they are experts, right? My hand grazes over my belly. I’m confused like I’ve never been, ever. “I…I’m defective. I cannot get pregnant. If I could, I would have gotten pregnant a long time ago p>
“Then I’ll just have to rerun the tests p>
“Thank you.” I sigh heavily, not sure how to feel. My whole life, I have always wanted to have kids. If I’m truly pregnant, then it is Jericho’s baby. That would be the epitome of disaster. I can’t have Jericho’s baby. That just isn’t it. Sasha Adonis would probably have me killed and buried where nobody would ever find me than let a lowly omega like me bear his brother’s offspring.