The next fortnight felt like a blissful paradise; I was being swept away by a handsome prince and showered with love and affection like I had never known. Since my duties at the palace had ended, my days were spent pampering myself, resting, eating fresh fruit, and enjoying the gardens until Omar was able to tear himself away from royal business to be with me. We spent hours in bed, cuddling and talking and sharing dreams of our future child.
“You should get him a pet,” I told Omar as we lounged around one afternoon, waiting for our appointment with the OB/GYN doctors. “Like a good dog, or a cat that will follow him around the palace and chase birds to make him laugh.”
“A pet?” asked Omar curiously. “I never did have one of those, unless you count the birds in the aviary, or the fish.”
“No, I mean something that could be his own,” I said. “I had a dog, growing up in Ohio, and it was the best. You always have companion with you. It helps a lot with loneliness.”
The suggestion seemed to stick with Omar, who had expressed his own loneliness as a child to me during one of our deep evening talks. He nodded thoughtfully.
“Plus, if you get a big, well-trained dog, he could even act as another bodyguard to keep him safe.”
“I suppose we should start thinking about the best breed, then,” agreed Omar. “I’ll have my researchers begin looking around for trainers, as well. Wouldn’t it be ideal to have the puppy around soon after he is born, so they can grow up together?”
“I think that’s just about the sweetest thing I’ve ever heard.”
Omar leaned over me where I lay in his bed, and gave me a gentle kiss. “I’m so lucky that you’ll be carrying my heir. He’s going to inherit so much of your goodness and beauty, I just know it.”
Grinning, I kissed Omar again. “And he’ll inherit your strength and smarts.”
“He’ll be unstoppable,” joked Omar.
We made our way through the palace slowly until we reached the medical ward, where the doctors were waiting to conduct the second insemination attempt. Even though they had told me to be patient, and to prepare for it taking several tries, I was still feeling pretty wound up inside about the first attempt not having taken.
Again, Omar waited outside the examination room while I was given a pelvic exam before the process could begin. The doctors assured us that, as before, he would be invited back in to support me during the procedure; it was invasive and uncomfortable, and having him by my side made it much easier.
Having taken a blood sample, Dr. Issa returned from the lab with a curious expression on her face.
“Is something wrong?”
“Not at all.”
There was a grin on the corner of the doctor’s lips as she spoke.
I could hardly hear anything over the sound of my heart pounding in my ears. “What is it?”
“The hCG test is reading a positive,” said the doctor. “But we’ll need to do another test to confirm.”
Quickly, the doctor painlessly drew a second sample of my blood. I re-dressed and went into the hall to wait anxiously with Omar as she did the lab work.
She called us both back into the exam room after ten tense minutes. The doctor was grinning widely.
Omar sat next to me, concerned, and took my hand. “What is it, doctor? What’s wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong, Your Highness, we just won’t be performing the procedure today.”
“Why not? We’ve done everything you recommended—”
“Because Carrie is already pregnant,” said the doctor in a triumphant voice. “Congratulations to you both!”
A wave of shock rolled over my body. It seemed impossible—we knew the procedure hadn’t worked the first time, the doctors had confirmed it. And yet… here I was, with child.
As Omar’s wide eyes looked deeply into mine, I realized that I must have gotten pregnant the night of our first date, two weeks ago, when we made love for the first time. I gasped and covered my mouth as tears streamed down my face.
“We did it,” he whispered, his forehead nuzzling against mine. He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me close to his chest. “We did it, Carrie. We created a new life.”
“Omar, I can’t believe it.” I grasped his white linen shirt in my hands and put my head on his shoulder, completely overwhelmed. A life—our shared life—was growing inside of me already. It seemed like a waking dream.
“I’m so very happy for you both,” Dr. Issa beamed.
Omar turned to her, his cheeks stained with tears. “Doctor, thank you. Thank you so much for helping with this miracle.”
“If this isn’t too forward of me, Your Highness, from the looks of it I didn’t have much to do with this at all,” she teased.
We both turned red as we shared a knowing glance.
“Please, Doctor,” Omar said, “keep this information to yourself. While my family is fully aware that I’m trying to create an heir, none of them know about Carrie yet. I have to find the right time to tell them, and it has to be done delicately.”
“Sir, say no more. This is all doctor-patient confidentiality. My team and I are here for you, Carrie and the baby, and that’s all.”
Omar nodded happily and gave her a sudden, intense hug. The doctor laughed and returned it, patting him warmly on the back.
“I think I can see now why people choose OB/GYN over trauma care,” I said jokingly to her.
She nodded from over Omar’s shoulder. “Bringing in new life is just as satisfying as saving one.”
TEN