Chapter 15

A Chapter by Keevan

I was a little surprised when I went down to the kitchen that morning. Winry was there, and when she saw me, her eyes darted to Edward, who was sitting in a chair at the table.

"You idiot!" she shouted while slipping a wrench out of her skirt pocket.

"Winry, hold on! I can--" he shouted, but WInry cut him off.

"Haven't you ever heard the term ABSTINENCE?" she asked him. "Or WAIT UNTIL YOU'RE MARRIED?"

I calmly walked over to Winry and took ahold of her wrist before her wrench could go crashing down on Edward's head.

"Stop, Winry," I said, and she did. She huffed and angrilly stuffed the wrench back in her pocket, and I said, "Come with me. I need to explain it to you."

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I left the house, Winry following, and went down by the river. I clumsily sat down, finding it a bit difficult, and Winry sat next to me. I began explaining to her about the whole thing that happened four months back. I didn't look at her the whole time I was explaining, but I felt her eyes concentrated on me as she listened.

When I finished telling my tale, ending with how Edward said he wanted to help me and be the father, there was silence except for the rushing water of the river and the sounds of early spring. Birds chirped, and the sun felt warm when you didn't move.

"He really loves you," she finally said.

"I feel guily every time I see his face," I said, staring hard into the sparkling water. "and, the fact that he's staying with me through all of this...." I paused, and then asked, "Winry, there's a question that's been on my mind ever since I found out I was pregnant. I can't find an answer."

"Well, maybe I can help," she said. "What is it?"

"How...how can Edward love a child that's from the seed of another man?" I asked, feeling strange as I asked it.

"If he really loves you," Winry started. "he'll accept it and love that child as if it was his own."

"The kid would be a cruel reminder to him," I said. "The guy I slept with, he had black hair and dark eyes. Odds are, my child will, too."

"Then that's just something you'll have to deal with," Winry said, making it sound simple. "Lucy, you have to have this baby, no matter what. Your feelings about this will probably change once he or she is born. Speaking of that..." She paused, and said, "Boy or girl, do you think?"

"Boy," I said. "It came to me in a dream I had last night."

"Have you thought of any names yet?" she asked.

"Asher, for a boy," I said, a smile across my face. "Edward can't think of anything."

"He came up with stupid names, didn't he?" she asked.

"He suggested Anna and Kimberly," I said, feeling a laugh bubble in my chest. "And Ruth."

Now Winry snorted and laughed, making a sound like she was choking. Edward was never going to hear the end of Ruth.

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Winry eventually left, and about half an hour after she did, I told Edward that I had to go to Central.

"What for?" he asked.

"Ultrasound," I told him. "You know, to find out the gender?"

"You never tell me these things until the minute you go," he said, crossing his arms and sinking low into his chair at the table. "It's not fair."

"Well, excuse me for wanting to do this by myself," I said, slipping my shoes on. "I'm sorry if you feel left out or something, Ed, but I'd rather do this alone, anyway."

"Will you call this time?"

"Promise."

He grinned, the annoyance leaving his eyes, and he said, "Alright, get out of here."

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Dr. Marcoh sat there and stared at the ultrasound screen, her eyes completely fixed on it. It was a relatively new technology, the ultrasound being recorded when that thing was moved across the stomach. I was annoyed, thinking about how long it would take to scrape that damn goo off my pelvis.

She swiveled the screen around and pointed at a foot, an arm, and the bulbous head of my child. I was amazed at what I saw, thinking again how strange it was to have a small person growing inside of me.

"Well, then," Dr. Marcoh said as she swiveled the screen back. "would you like to know the sex of the baby?"

"Yes, please," I responded, feeling my heart flutter. She smiled, and said, "A baby boy."

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"A boy," Edward repeated after I told him over the phone. "A boy!"

"Yeah," I said, twirling the phone cord around my finger. I was at the train station, and there was still time before it was going to leave. "and I'm supposed to go back in another three weeks for a check-up."

"Good," he said. "so, let's talk about this more when you come back home. I'll be waiting for you at the train station."

"Okay," I said, dropping the cord. We both said goodbye, and I hung up the phone, hearing the loud blare of the train whistle. I hurried on and found a seat in the front of the train, my mind wandering to the child in my stomach once again. I was getting excited.

"Asher Elric," I whispered aloud to myself. I liked the sound of it.

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