Ellie took in another deep breath, held it, then let it go, and in the depth of her silence she found that she couldn’t refuse him. Her love for Astredian ran deeper than her pride. If she needed to take a test to make him comfortable, then that’s what she would do. She knew the truth of this child growing inside her. It was his. All a test would do was prove that.
Still, she hesitated, and instead of agreeing right away she said, “Can I think about it for a bit…?”
Astredian looked crestfallen, as if this request for time was an admission of guilt. “Yeah. Sure. Take your time.”
Things were awkward for the next few days, with neither Elise or Astredian knowing what else to say to each other. Astredian kept his distance, and Elise found it strange not to be the one putting up walls.
Elis
