1 Fish, 2 Fish, 3 Fish

~2 months later~

The press has been relentless. Always trying to snap photos of me. Of Atlas. Of us together. We always made the headlines. “CEO Atlas Jones and new girlfriend Calliope Blackwood” “Calliope Blackwood, A Gold Digger?” Atlas eventually decided to hold a press conference to address the issues publically. I haven’t been feeling good lately. I’m laying on the couch cuddled up with not so small Titan watching it live.

“To address the topics of discussion revolving around me and my girlfriend, she is in fact not what you have been thinking. Calliope is the daughter of family friends who lost her parents at the age of 3 due to a car accident. She was found miles away in another city and placed up for adoption. The only clue to her identity, being the name written on the inside of her shoes. She and I have been engaged from the moment she was born, in a written contract. And we have both decided to honor our parents wishes, especially with the connection that we have together. And no, I have not officially proposed yet. That will happen at a later date when she least expects it. Now, if you will please stop harassing us, slandering and defaming her, and give us our peace, or I will personally be suing each and every one of you individually, and your companies. That is all for this conference. You are dismissed” he states and walks out.

I fell asleep waiting for him to return to my apartment. And I woke up suddenly with the urge to puke. I ran to the bathroom, emptying my stomachs contents and sat in the shower. I heard him come in and sit in the bathroom with me. “Are you okay Allie?” He asked me. Concern written all over his face. “I’m not sure. This has been going on for a few days now. I should be fine tomorrow. After all, the stomach bug going around the office is only lasting 48 hours isn’t it?” I ask. “Yeah. That’s right. But are you sure you want to return tomorrow? You could take an extra day off you know. Your boss won’t fire you” he said with a cheeky grin. I just glare at him. His grin falters. He plants a kiss to my forehead, not bothering getting wet, and left the bathroom.

The next day at the office I still felt shitty. I gagged every time someone brought me food. And I could only drink water. So much for 48 hours I thought. I decided to go see Atlas and say I was going home. That I wasn’t feeling any better. But once I got to the door I heard shouting. He was arguing with a woman. I started being nosy. It’s a new habit I picked up the past month or so. Before I never cared what people were thinking or saying. But I couldn’t stop myself.

“HOW DARE YOU! WE DATED FOR 6 YEARS ATLAS. S I X YEARS. AND NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU MAKE A PRESS CONFERENCE FOR HER! SHES JUST USING YOU. SHE DOESNT WANT YOU. SHE HASNT EVEN TOLD YOU SHE LOVES YOU YET HAS SHE!” He was silent. “HAS SHE!” She yelled again. “No she hasn’t. But just because she hasn’t said it doesn’t mean she doesn’t feel it. It’s not the right time. And YOU, YOU LEFT ME FOR MY BEST FRIEND. That’s why we are OVER. We were over for a year before she finally came back. A YEAR JUSTINE. You have NO RIGHT TO WALTZ INTO MY LIFE, INTO MY OFFICE AND DEMAND ANYTHING FROM ME!” He yelled back. I couldn’t comprehend what happened after that because my hearing failed me, my vision went blurry, and I fell to the floor.

When I woke up, all I saw was white. Nauseatingly bright. The smell of a hospital. And the beeping of a machine. Atlas’ jacket was sitting on the chair across the room, but he was nowhere to be seen. I hit the call light, letting the nurse know I was finally awake. Shortly afterward, she entered the room. “Miss Blackwood, how are you feeling?” She said while checking my vitals. “I’m okay I think. Just a little parched and nauseous” I said. “I’ll be right back grab some doxylamine and get the doctor” she said as she walked out.

A short old man entered the room with her shortly after. While she handed me a cup of pills, the doctor started asking me questions. All revolving around how I was feeling. “I feel okay, and I’ll be better once the nausea medication kicks in. That is what I was given right?” I asked. He nodded towards the nurse and the left the room. “Miss Blackwood, you did receive besides medication, but it’s not your typical type. You have Hyperemesis Gravidarum. It can be common in pregnancy. It’s basically extreme morning sickness” he said. “Morning sickness? You think I’m pregnant?” I laughed. Maybe a little too hard, my throat is still sore. “I don’t think anything Miss Blackwood, I know. And it’s a fact. You are pregnant” he said, a little bit irritatingly.

Me. Pregnant. How in the hell did that happen? Looking back, Atlas and I never did use protection. And I was never on birth control because I didn’t have sex with anyone before him. Well shitballs. “Can I, can I see?” I asked. He simply nodded to me and sent a nurse in with the ultrasound equipment. The gel was cold. Once she found the correct spot, I saw three little blurbs on the screen. “What does that mean?” I asked her. “Triplets ma’am. Two identical, sharing the same sack here, and a single, over here” she said as she showed me. “You’ve got to be kidding me” I sighed. “No ma’am, I’m not. And from the looks of it, you’re about 2 months along from conception. Have you had any bleeding or spotting? It can be quite common when carrying multiples” she said looking at me. “Actually yes. It wasn’t like my usual flow, but it was very light. Lasted 2 days” I stated. She nodded then, leaving me with a sonogram picture before she left the room.