MINE ALONE

Chapter 32:Jude

I had smiled before.

On my wedding day.

On the day Adrian told me he loved me.

On the day he called me his husband for the first time.

But none of those smiles compared to the one I woke up with that morning.

I opened my eyes and instinctively reached for Adrian.

He was still asleep.

His arm was draped lazily across my waist, his face relaxed in a way that only happened when he slept deeply.

I watched him for a long moment.

Then, unable to stop myself, I leaned over and kissed his forehead.

His eyes opened almost immediately.

“…Morning.”

“Morning.”

His voice was still thick with sleep.

“You’re smiling.”

“I know.”

“You’ve been smiling since last night.”

“I know.”

He chuckled quietly.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you this happy.”

I rested my forehead against his.

“You really mean it?”

He didn’t even ask what I meant.

“I do.”

“You want this with me?”

“I do.”

My eyes filled with tears before I could stop them.

He brushed one away with his thumb.

“Hey…”

“No crying this early.”

“I can’t help it.”

He smiled.

“I know.”

⸻

The moment I arrived at the hospital, I found myself walking towards the reproductive medicine department instead of my own.

I’d already researched the specialist weeks ago.

Not because I wanted to pressure Adrian.

Because I wanted to be prepared whenever we were both ready.

Now…

We were.

I smiled to myself as I spoke to the receptionist.

“I’d like to arrange a fertility consultation for my husband and me.”

She checked the schedule.

“We have an appointment available this afternoon at two.”

“I’ll take it.”

As soon as I stepped outside, I sent Adrian a message.

Jude: I booked us an appointment with a fertility specialist today. Two o’clock, if you can make it.

A few moments later…

Adrian: I’ll move whatever I need to.

I’ll be there.

Three simple words.

They made my heart swell.

⸻

At five minutes to two, Adrian walked into the hospital lobby.

Still wearing his suit.

Tie slightly loosened.

Looking every bit like the powerful businessman everyone admired.

The moment he saw me…

His serious expression softened.

“There you are.”

“You made it.”

“I said I would.”

He reached for my hand naturally.

Ready.

Steady.

Present.

Whatever fears still lingered in his heart…

He had shown up.

That mattered more than anything.

⸻

The specialist greeted us warmly.

She was an experienced omega physician whose practice focused on fertility and reproductive care for secondary-gender dynamics.

After reviewing our histories, she smiled reassuringly.

“I’m glad you’ve both come in before trying.”

“Planning ahead gives us the best opportunity to support you.”

For the next hour, she carefully walked us through what lay ahead.

She explained that pregnancies involving male omegas could require closer monitoring and that every person’s body responded differently.

She discussed the importance of nutrition, maintaining a healthy weight, regular check-ups, and ensuring that any future pregnancy would be followed closely by an experienced medical team.

She recommended prenatal vitamins to begin before conception, along with other supplements tailored to Jude’s needs after appropriate tests.

Turning to Adrian, she added with a smile, “Your health matters too. A balanced diet, regular sleep, exercise, and any supplements we recommend after your assessment can all contribute to preparing for this journey together.”

I scribbled notes almost faster than she could speak.

Adrian noticed.

He smiled to himself.

“You’ve already filled three pages.”

“I don’t want to forget anything.”

“I didn’t think you would.”

The doctor laughed softly.

“I can see who’s going to keep everyone organised.”

My cheeks warmed.

“I just want to do everything properly.”

“That’s a good attitude,” she replied. “Preparation doesn’t guarantee everything will be perfect, but it helps you feel informed and supported.”

By the end of the appointment, my notebook was overflowing.

Appointment dates.

Blood work.

Nutrition advice.

Questions to ask later.

It felt real.

Wonderfully…

Beautifully…

Real.

⸻

As we walked back towards the car park, I couldn’t stop talking.

“So we need to adjust my diet.”

“And start those vitamins after the blood tests.”

“And apparently sleep is important.”

Adrian laughed.

“You’ve summarised an hour-long consultation in thirty seconds.”

“I’m excited.”

“I can tell.”

He opened my car door for me.

“I’m happy you’re excited.”

I looked at him carefully.

He smiled.

A genuine smile.

But…

It wasn’t quite the same as mine.

Mine felt like fireworks.

His felt quieter.

Gentler.

Thoughtful.

I knew him well enough to understand.

Part of him was still adjusting.

Still making peace with a future that looked different from the one he’d imagined.

That didn’t mean he wasn’t trying.

He was.

With everything he had.

And somehow…

That made me love him even more.

⸻

On the drive home, I reached across the centre console and intertwined our fingers.

“Thank you.”

He glanced at me.

“For what?”

“For choosing this with me.”

He squeezed my hand.

“I’m choosing us.”

The words settled warmly in my chest.

Us.

That had always been enough.

⸻

That evening, after dinner, the house felt lighter than it had in days.

We curled up together on the sofa with cups of tea, talking about the appointment and laughing over how many notes I’d taken.

Eventually, conversation gave way to quiet affection. Adrian brushed a strand of hair behind my ear, kissed my forehead, and drew me into a long embrace.

“You’ve been smiling all day,” he murmured.

“I can’t stop.”

“I don’t think I want you to.”

I rested my head against his shoulder.

“I’ve dreamed about this for so long.”

“I know.”

“But…”

I looked up at him.

“I’ve dreamed about it with you.”

“Not with anyone else.”

His eyes softened.

“Thank you for waiting until we were both ready to begin this journey.”

I smiled.

“It wouldn’t have felt complete without you beside me.”

Later, we retired to our bedroom, where the excitement of the day gradually gave way to tenderness. They held each other close, sharing quiet kisses and whispered hopes about the future, finding comfort in simply being together after such an important step.

Before drifting to sleep, I rested my hand lightly over my stomach.

There was no baby yet.

No tiny heartbeat.

No nursery.

No names.

Just hope.

Hope that one day this room would hold more laughter.

Hope that one day Adrian would discover there had never been less love for him waiting on the other side of parenthood.

Only more.

I turned onto my side and looked at him.

He was already watching me.

“What?” I whispered.

He smiled.

“I was just thinking.”

“About what?”

He leaned over and kissed my forehead.

“No matter what happens…”

“We’ll face it together.”

I smiled so widely my cheeks hurt.

“Together.”

Always.

And as I fell asleep beside the man I loved, my heart was already quietly imagining the day we might become more than just husbands.

We would become fathers.

And somehow, that dream no longer felt distant.

It felt like the next chapter of our story had finally begun.