“Yes, you’ve been pregnant for about a month now. Congratulations, you’re going to be a mother.”
Vivian was stunned and overwhelmed by all the information that she had to process.
“Though I have to warn you that the fetus is still in an unstable condition due to your recent emotional ups and downs. You need to regulate and control your grief, or it will be a bit too much for the fetus to bear.”
“I understand. Thank you, doctor.” Vivian forced a smile at the doctor before departing, her mind completely numb.
As she made her way towards one of the vacant seats outside, Vivian felt as if her mind was swimming in jelly. Her emotions were a mess, and she could not think with a clear head. After taking a few deep breaths, Vivian closed her eyes and slowly tried to organize her thoughts.
My bone marrow is not a match, so I have to find a suitable donor for mom. I may not be Rachel’s biological daughter, and I’m also pregnant?
Instinctively, Vivian looked down at her stomach, which was still flat. Is there truly another living being in there?
She then placed both hands on her belly. Vivian was a little excited at the prospect that she and Finnick would soon have a child together.
Recalling what the doctor said earlier, if her calculations were correct, she should have conceived the night before the kidnapping.
Vivian shuddered. When she was kidnapped, she had struggled quite violently against her captors. This gave her some injuries which required hospitalization. This would not affect the baby, would it? The doctor had also mentioned that her emotional state needed regulation, yet she had been worried sick. Surely the number of tears she shed was not healthy for the baby.
Vivian could not help but blame herself a little. For one, she failed to notice that she was pregnant. She also made the baby suffer quite a bit together with her.
“I’m sorry, little one. Your mother has been a terrible protector. I promise that you won’t be hurt anymore in the future.” Vivian murmured the apology to the child in her belly and lovingly stroked her stomach.
I am definitely happy about this pregnancy. After all, Finnick and I have been yearning for a child. I just never expected the little one to show up out of the blue.
However, she could not bring herself to smile. Questions about her parentage had put a real damper on her spirits, which made her feel deeply uncomfortable.
No, I must ask mom about this.
Vivian stood up and began a slow walk towards Rachel’s ward. Throughout the entirety of her trip, she could feel nothing but discomfort. How was she going to pose such a difficult question to the only person she’d known as a mother?
She soon found herself facing the door of the ward. Vivian stood there impassively for a moment before turning around and walking away. At that moment, she had decided that she was not going to ask her mother anything.
Perhaps it was a mistake, after all. She was Rachel’s daughter, and Rachel was her mother. Nothing had changed. They were still family, and family needed each other.
However, the prognosis of Rachel’s condition made Vivian stop in her tracks abruptly.
Rachel needed to have surgery as soon as she could. If she was truly not her daughter, then perhaps her biological daughter could be a possible donor. It was likely the fastest way too.
Suddenly, her emotions became cloudy and muddled again. Vivian reflected on the fleeting impermanence of life and wondered why God was so cruel to her. Why did she have to make that choice?
In the end, reason finally bested emotion as Vivian returned to the ward, more determined than before.
When she opened the door, Vivian saw Rachel lying on the hospital bed. The tv was on, and she heard her mother laugh. Maybe she was watching something funny.
“You’re here again, Vivian!” Rachel beckoned to her with a grin. “Look at how funny this person is! I’m in stitches as we speak!”
An anxious Vivian walked towards Rachel’s bed and sat down next to her. She looked up at Rachel, who still grinned at her, and felt her heart sink. How am I going to broach the subject?
Rachel observed Vivian’s behavior and seemed to sense that something was off. Her daughter was not her usual jovial self. Vivian had walked in with her head hung low without a smile on her face, and it made Rachel wonder if her daughter had a bad day.
She then turned down the volume of the television before she looked at Vivian again. “You don’t look happy at all, Vivian. Did you quarrel with Finnick or something?”
