MC's Viking Warriors- Bear #1

Part 12- Astrid

For the past two days, I have woken from my sleep because of a nightmare and then Vidar comes in and holds me until I fall asleep again.

It seems this morning is going to be the same as I open my eyes because something rouses me.

A jolting movement underneath me causes me to leap back to conciseness. I freeze as I open my eyes, I'm laying on top of Vidar, his chest my pillow, my head under his chin.

He has a satisfied smile on his face as he glances down at me, a chuckle rocks from his chest as my face flushes. The way he's looking at me tells me he's been awake and watching me sleep for some time.

I attempt to roll off him, this is so embarrassing. What was I thinking? But Vidar's arms tighten around me and he grumbles at my escape attempt.

"I'll let you go if you want me to, but not because you're embarrassed." His voice has a teasing lilt to it. Groaning, I flop back down.

Liam is gazing at both of us, sitting up in his cot, leaning against the bars with a cheeky grin on his face.

"He's picking up bad habits from you." I grumble, Vidar looks at Liam's face and guffaws.

"So he is, guess he's spending too much time with me huh?"

I giggle along with him, feeling relieved my joke was well received. Suddenly, his phone buzzes and the moment is ruined. I roll off him quickly so he can get to his phone. His face darkens. He stands to leave without glancing at me or at Liam. As he shuts the door on both of us, I hear his voice harshen, become aggressive, threatening. Become not him.

"What the fuck do you want?" He snarls down the phone as he walks away from my room. His horrible voice makes me whimper, that's not my Vidar. That's a cruel man.

I scoop up Liam to replace the warmth that is fast cooling from Vidar's absence. Who was on that phone? I wonder as I hand Liam the red ring he loves to mouth so much. His laughter peals through the room and I smile lovingly down at him.

After about 20 minutes of being left alone, my stomach starts to grumble with hunger and I know Liam will be hungry too. Reluctantly, I leave the room I know is safe. What if they get mad I've left without permission? I can hear Vidar's harsh voice raised in another room nearby, along with another voice I think is his father's. I flinch at the memories their voices trigger, so does Liam.

His happy giggles long since over, his eyes look up at me, blinking back fear. "It's ok baby." I whisper to him as I pad down the stairs. "Mummy is here now."

As I hit the bottom step a heavenly smell reaches me, at least I don't have to worry about finding the kitchen, the door is open and light streams through into the dark hallway.

Lila is busying herself with a mountain of pancakes. When she sees us she grins in delight.

"Hiya Astrid, sleep well?" I nod, still a little embarrassed about how I slept on Vidar! But I'm also hurt by how he just left me without another word... maybe that's his payment for helping me?

"Hiiii Liam." She coos as she takes out her hand to stroke Liam's face, she is expecting that happy, giggly baby but instead Liam cowers into my chest.

Lila frowns. "What's wrong? Is he hurt? Did I frighten him?" Her voice gets higher and higher as she panics over upsetting Liam.

"No no!" I exclaim, "not you..." My voice trails off anxiously, am I being rude?

At that moment the voices raise even higher from the room above us. Both Liam and I flinch automatically. Lila's face darkens in understanding.

"I see... I'll deal with this don't worry sweetie. Help yourself to pancakes and anything for Liam." She pats my back as she walks out of the room.

I hear the voices hush as a door opens, then Lila's scolding tones hit me. She's telling them off? Her words are too muffled for me to hear, but after a while I hear both men speak a single word- I assume it's sorry.

Feeling guilty, I look down at the ground as I feed Liam a jar of baby food. This is their house, they shouldn't be told off because of me.

A door is shut carefully, I no longer hear angry male voices, Lila walks back in smiling sweetly at me.

"Sorry." I mumble.

"Don't worry about it, I hate when they talk like in the house anyway, they have an office."

"Oh..." I trail off still feeling so guilty.

"I was thinking, we could go to the hospital today if you wanted- to check on your baby. You could see them, maybe find out the gender? If you wanted."

Pausing before answering, I think. Do I want to find out the baby's gender? I just want to know if it's ok.

"Sure," I nod weakly, "let's do it."

"Super!" Lila squeals.

Any baby gender predictions?