Sunday Snippet: Morning Sickness

Well, March definitely enters the year with a roar. We've had the crazy weather that hops back and forth between warm and cold along with snow showers, thunderstorms, and thirty-degree temperature changes in twenty-four hours. Weirdly, it's somehow fitting that March is my birth month. Volatile and a wee bit mercurial.

 

My focus is still all over the place, but I have multiple work projects, which helps when I need a change of scenery. It drives me batty when I read the same paragraph over and over because I keep getting distracted by everything. Being able to hop from one manuscript to another helps in a weird way.

 

Had a decent week of viewing. Still not quite getting a full slate in, but I'm happy with the shows I'm keeping up with. I'm having issues with one of the streamers on a device, but I got the show watched despite the tech glitches.

 

Started out with the finale of Agatha Raisin. I have a bonus behind-the-scenes episode to watch then it's on to a new show. I'll miss this one. I've had so much fun watching the characters interact and solve mysteries.

 

Caught another Silent Witness episode. So sorry about Jack's dad. And the whole deal with his mom is beyond sad. Very nice to see Nikki be there for him. I'm wondering about Simone at the moment and Sam is playing a very cagey game.

 

Enjoyed another Death in Paradise. I'd seen most of this one and enjoyed it the first time. I love Martha to bits and can't wait to finish Humphrey's run to start Beyond Paradise in the near future.

 

Watched another episode of Elementary. Interesting episode and I'm almost sorry the FBI lady will live to show up again in the future.

 

Caught an episode of The Batman. I had vague memories of watching this the first time but not everything. I'm still not sure how I feel about Batgirl. I think I end up liking her better once Robin enters the show.

 

Enjoyed another episode of Classic Rugrats. I didn't remember either of the vignettes, which I'm kind of happy about. The later seasons were kind of hit or miss for us when the kiddos were young.

 

Finished the second season of The Secret Life of Amy Benson and I'm really hoping we get a third. I'm invested in the characters and want to see what happens next.

 

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Morning Sickness, a novella that explores what happens when a couple isn't quite ready for parenthood.

 

Here's the miniblurb:

 

Dava Whales has all the classic signs of pregnancy, except she can't possibly be with child—she's a solider in the middle of a war and religiously takes her mandatory birth control shots. When Warren Carter suggests Dava get checked out, the pricklier than usual officer goes ballistic—especially since Warren is the other half of the parental equation.

 

And a sneaky peek…

 

Warren braced for anything when Dava waved a paper in front of him. "What are you giving me here?" He took the sheet but didn't look at it.

Her lips twisted. "Not a kid, so you can relax." She plopped down into a chair across from his desk and slumped against the backrest.

Warren didn't visibly react, but relief filled him … and maybe a twinge of disappointment. "Then what's going on with you?" A kick of worry crawled down his spine.

Did Dava have some kind of serious illness?

A vice tightened around his heart at the thought. He couldn't lose her … Wait, no, he couldn't lose his friend and pilot. They weren't anything more than that, with the exception of the benefits package they took advantage of.

Dava waved a hand toward the paper she'd handed him. "It's all right there on the page. I'm one of the lucky three percent of the entire population with a very specific reaction to the new birth control shots." Her shoulders slumped. "They make my body think it's pregnant … hence the morning sickness and crazy symptoms." She grimaced.

Warren finally glanced at the fitness report. "So, the mood swings, bouts of fatigue, and throwing up are because of the shots?" Damn, it sucked to be her right now.

Dava snorted. "Let's not forget the whole crazy impulse to jump you whenever you're within five feet of me. I mean—" She broke off, her eyes welling.

Warren put the report down, backed away from the desk, and rounded the edge to kneel in front of her. "Talk to me, Dava. Come on, let's work through this." He caught her hand in his and tugged her up and over to the small couch in the corner. "Tell me what's wrong." He got her settled then eased down beside her.

Tears spilled over lashes, and she shook her head. "Nothing. Everything. I have no idea." She rubbed at her cheeks.

Warren wrapped his arm around her, and she buried her face in his shoulder. He stroked his palm over her head, letting her cry because he could only imagine the emotional roller coaster she couldn't stop. Hell, his head spun, and he didn't have the excuse of pinging hormones.

When she finally exhausted the waterworks, her head lifted. "Geez, I'm such a mess." She dabbed at her eyes with her shirtsleeve.

Warren huffed out a laugh. "At least we know why." He hugged her close. "I'm sorry you're going through this. What can I do to help?"

She raised her chin and held his gaze. "Brace for impact. Because Kellerman said it'll be three months before they can get the old version of the shots." She patted her pocket. "I have meds to keep me from throwing up, but everything else…" She exhaled on a long sigh. "Is still going to be a problem." Her lips twisted in a wry smile.

Warren let out a low whistle. "So … the mood swings and fatigue…" Damn … for three months.

Dava gave a nod. "Yeah, they aren't going anywhere for a while." She flashed a smile. "On the flipside, neither is the impulse to get you naked so there's that." Her eyebrows waggled.

Warren's lips quirked. "I'll try very hard to be accommodating whenever the urge strikes." The least he could do.

Their life would be rather interesting over the next ninety days…

 

Warren is in for a bumpy ride, but Dava is worth the rollercoaster experience.

 

That's it for this week. Catch everyone on the flipside.

 

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Morning Sickness

Weird weather week with sun followed by a huge middle finger FU from Mother Nature with snow and rain. At least I got a lot of stuff done around the house and had time to get a good bit of writing in also.

Decent week for television. I caught another episode of Picard and thoroughly enjoyed it. I loved getting some additional background on Chris. I'm honestly not completely sure how I feel about the Romulans but I love the intrigue of everything that's going on.

Watched another episode of Chicago Med and also loved getting more background about Rhodes. I'm a fan of the actor and I'm a total sucker for characters who have dad issues.

Since it snowed this week, I watched a Passionflix holiday Quickie. A Holiday Lift ended up being pretty fun. I love the whole stuck in an elevator trope.

Ended up watching a complete episode of Blue Heelers and started another one. I love stumbling across actors who got their start on this show. A favorite from City Homicide guest starred in one of the episodes.

Finished up the second part of Silent Witness and it went in a direction I didn't expect. I love it when shows do that.

Caught another episode of No Offence. Again, the show went in a direction I completely didn't expect it to go in. Excellent stuff!

Watched a full arc of Classic Who. I ended up getting annoyed with Four again. Sometimes he's just a bit too full of himself.

Enjoyed another episode of UFOs: The Lost Evidence. This one focused on possible earth landings and linked several ancient cultures to the mythology. Very fun episode.

Caught two more episodes of The Muppet Show. I'm almost finished with the first season and really enjoyed Ethel Merman's stint as a guest star.

Last, but not least, I watched another episode of Peak Practice. I'm not quite finished with it yet but it's going to have a sad ending so I'm putting it off. LOL

That's it for life and television updates this week. Tonight's post is from Morning Sickness, a novella that got a start with a writing community prompt.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Dava Whales has all the classic signs of pregnancy, except she can't possibly be with child—she's a solider in the middle of a war and religiously takes her mandatory birth control shots. When Warren Carter suggests Dava get checked out, the pricklier than usual officer goes ballistic—especially since Warren is the other half of the parental equation.

And a sneaky peek…

Dava's fingers gripped and released the side of the gurney. "What the hell is taking so long?" Koffman had drawn blood over an hour ago.

At least she'd made it past the queasy stage, which meant she'd be fine the rest of the day. If everything played out the way it had the past few days. She'd throw up in the morning, get something to eat then spend the rest of the day like normal.

With one exception. "I never used to have the urge to bone Warren all the time." Occasionally, yes. That's how friends with benefits works. Or is supposed to.

"Whales, do you ever do anything the normal way?" Dr. Koffman ducked into the alcove brandishing her chart.

Dava's stomach dropped. "Um, is that rhetorical? Depends on the day, I guess." How could she be joking when her entire life depended on what Koffman told her?

He flipped through several pages. "Today's not your day." He snapped the pen off the top holder and withdrew a sheet of paper.

Her mouth went dry. "Does that mean—" She broke off, unable to actually voice the question.

Koffman's gaze flashed to hers. "What? Oh, no. You're not pregnant." He scribbled several things and checked a bunch of boxes.

Dava almost fell over with relief. "Then what the hell is wrong with me?" If she didn't have a kid on the way, why did she have so many symptoms?

Abe sent her a raised-eyebrow look. "Apart from the usual?" He crossed his arms over his chest, tucking the chart under his shoulder. "You, Dava, are one of the three percent of the entire population that has a very specific reaction to the updated birth control shots." His mouth twisted in a wry smirk. "Your body thinks it's pregnant and is exhibiting all the symptoms for that reason."

Dava gripped the gurney again. "For how long? I mean, this isn't gonna be a permanent thing, is it?" She couldn't imagine heaving her guts up every single day.

Koffman tilted his head back and forth. "Well, I'm not sure how long it'll take but we'll start you on the previous version as soon as we can get some sent out." He flipped to another page in the chart. "In about three months." He grimaced.

Dava jumped off the cot. "Three months? I'll be throwing up every day for three months?" She didn't miss the irony of the time span, which equaled a trimester.

Didn't mean she liked the situation one bit.

Dr. Koffman waved a hand. "No, we'll give you something for the nausea. Should stop any mad dashes to the head." He handed her a bottle of tablets. "Everything else though? Mood swings, sensitivity, whatever else you've been experiencing, you'll have to tough those out." He grasped her shoulder. "I'd do more if I could, but I don't have a lot of information to share with you. I'll consult with some colleagues and see if I can narrow the window on how long to expect your hormones to balance out."

Dava exhaled slowly. "Appreciate it." She shook the container of pills. "And thanks for this. I didn't know what I was going to do when I started first watch rotation next week." She started to head out of the alcove. "Am I clear for duty?"

Koffman gave a nod. "Yeah." He handed her a half sheet of paper. "Take this to the CAG and I'll file my copy with the commanding officer."

Dava lifted her chin and left the curtained-off space. "At least I've got an excuse to see Warren." Not that she needed one, but the clearance would give her something to break the ice with while she tried to filter through the words to tell him he wouldn't be a dad anytime soon.

That's a good thing, right?

Right.

So why did a ripple of disappointment roll through her?

I gotta say, this story is so much fun to write. Dava and Warren are in the clear as far as being parents, but they're definitely not out of the woods where their feelings are concerned. So much fun!

That's it for this week. Catch everyone on the flipside.

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Morning Sickness

It's amazing what a dusting of snow on the ground can do to boost holiday spirit. We got just a tiny bit last night and it looks so pretty today.

Gotta say the mid-season finales for my shows pretty much pulled out all the stops. The Flash left Barry hanging in a very precarious place. Not sure I'm totally down with where everything is going, but it's fun to watch. Lost a good character on Legends of Tomorrow in the form of two goodbyes. I do appreciate the revolving door aspect of the show and look forward to seeing how the others interact without their friends. The holiday trimmings of the shows provided a nice backdrop.

Arrow killed it. James is setting up quite the legion of doom in Star City. I'm very interested in seeing how that plays out when the season returns. If his little cohort who got him out in the first place tries to harm Felicity or Curtis, I'll be really pissed. Just saying.

Riverdale shook things up with breakups all over the place. Yikes. I have another interesting theory about Alice Cooper. Can't wait to see if I'm right. Oh, and this theory doesn't involve FP, at least not about their past.

I'm all caught up on Gotham. Gotta say it hurt to watch Alfred and Bruce tear each other apart. I get where Bruce is coming from, I do, but the whole being a brat is kind of pissing me off. That said, rock bottom isn't always an easy trip to take so I'll be patient. Sophia is proving to be a formidable force. I had a sneaking suspicion she was more of a puppet master than anyone originally thought. It's also fun to see the stories with Butch and Tabitha and Ed and Lee unfold. Seriously, Gotham upped its game and I'm loving it. Having Harvey walk away though… yeah, that one hurt, too.

Murdoch Mysteries continues to be excellent. I can't wait for the holiday episode. I think I'm looking forward to it more than Doctor Who this year. I really can't wait for the new doctor and new showrunner. Honestly, I'm so very disappointed in where Moffat took the show. It lost the heart I always loved. Yes, I'm sure I'm in the minority.

I've started watching my stash of holiday shows. I had to get a new laptop and I'm slowly but surely getting all the episodes transferred over. My Plex server is getting a lot of use this week. Also looking forward to The Trouble with Mistletoe when Passionflix premieres the movie!

That's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Morning Sickness, a novella that started with a writing community prompt of write anything involving pregnancy.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Dava Whales has all the classic signs of pregnancy, except she can't possibly be with child—she's a solider in the middle of a war and religiously takes her mandatory birth control shots. When Warren Carter suggests Dava get checked out, the pricklier than usual officer goes ballistic—especially since Warren is the other half of the parental equation.

And a sneaky peek…

Warren maintained his calm until he got to his office. Then he lost his shit. Breaking out into a cold sweat, he paced the length of the floor. Back and forth. Back and forth.

Scrubbing one hand through his hair, he shook his head. "Dava can't be pregnant." He resumed pacing.

She never missed a birth control shot. And he would know. He had copies of all the records. But what if?

"Geez, the timing couldn't be worse."

Carrying a baby in the middle of warzone couldn't happen. The shit he'd get for not keeping his dick in his pants would be monumental. And Dava wouldn't fare any better. Her career would be all but ended.

He paused again. "Or, she could terminate." She'd only miss a brief stint if she did.

How did he feel about a possible abortion? Would she even tell him? Ask his opinion? She didn't have to.

"Her body, her choice."

And he'd support whatever decision she made. He couldn’t do anything less. His part in whatever happened next would be dictated by her lead.

He crossed the floor and sat down behind the desk. His knee bobbed up and down, the nervous tension needed as escape. Sitting back, he imagined what a kid between them would look like. Her dark hair with his amber eyes. His sandy hair with her gray eyes.

His lips quirked. "We'd make beautiful babies." Shit!

Stop! No. Just no. Zero thinking about offspring and little Davas or Warrens running around. Cripes. Could he be any more stupid?

Probably not. If he'd actually planted a seed in her womb, no, he couldn't be any more rash and irresponsible.

He grabbed some paperwork for a distraction. Anything to stay busy until he heard from Dava.

Hopefully soon.

She can't be pregnant. Right?

Right.

Or maybe not.

I'm actually having a lot of fun with this one. The conflict is built right in and gives me a lot to draw from for ideas.

That's it for this week. Catch everyone on the flipside.

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Morning Sickness

Once again, Bitten turned in a great episode. I'm loving the subtle shift to more dark and scary this season. Arrow and The Flash both had great episodes, too. I'm really looking forward to watching Oliver and Thea train together. I'm also thrilled Laurel finally told Lance about Sara. That particular storyline dragged on a lot longer than it should have.

A few new teasers have been airing for Orphan Black and my interest is growing by the day. Here's hoping be get some backstory for Paul. I'm really looking forward to seeing more of him this season.

Tonight's post is from Morning Sickness, a novella where my main characters face a challenge neither expect.

Here's the tagline:

Dava Whales has all the classic signs of pregnancy, except she can't possibly be with child—she's a solider in the middle of a war and religiously takes her mandatory birth control shots. When Warren Carter suggests Dava get checked out, the pricklier than usual officer goes ballistic—especially since Warren is the other half of the parental equation.

And a sneaky peek…

Dava expelled the contents of her stomach, a cold, paralyzing fear settling in her bones. Grabbing a wad of toilet paper, she wiped her mouth and tossed the crumpled tissue in the bowl. Easing back, her head hung low, she swiped the sweat and tears from her face.

Heaving a shaky sigh, denial burst forth. "No. No, no, no. No way." Planting her hand on the wall, she rose on wobbly legs. "There's no way in hell I'm pregnant."

Okay, so why did she experience all the classic signs? Fatigue, headache, sensitive joints, and now puking three mornings in a row?

Exiting the head, she made a straight shot for quarters. "Son of a bitch. This can't be happening." She made a left at the causeway junction and charged forward, keeping to herself and not making eye contact with anyone.

Anyone who knew her would know something had her in a major agitated state—especially Warren. She did not need to bump into him right now. Taking her next right, she dashed into quarters and headed for her bunk. Head still down, she slammed into a wall of flesh and glanced up.

Warren. Shit.

He reached out and steadied her then settled her onto the mattress. She turned her head to the side, refusing to meet his gaze.

He sighed and kneeled down. "Did you throw up again?"

Her gaze shot to his. "How the hell did you know?" She hadn't seen him for three days, he couldn't possibly be aware of—

No. Not pregnant.

Warren rose from his position and sat beside her. "You've been in such a haze you completely missed me being in the head yesterday morning." He grabbed her hand. "And today, like clockwork, you made another mad run for the bathroom." His fingers squeezed hers. "What's going on, Dava?"

She jerked her hand away. "Nothing. Absolutely nothing is going on, Warren." She wouldn't get into anything with him right now.

Warren frowned. "You'd better go see Doc Koffman, as a precaution."

Dava wanted to punch Warren. "Is that an order, Captain? Or are you trying to back me into a corner so I have to talk to you?" God, could she push his buttons any harder?

His lips thinned to a slash across his face and he leaned in close. "I'm not trying to force you into anything, but the sooner you figure out what the hell is going on, the more options you have." His voice became a gruff growl. "Wait too long, your choices are limited."

A red haze of anger settled over her vision. "So, let me get this straight. By choice, you mean ridding ourselves of something, right?" Where did the ball of rage in her gut come from?

Warren jerked back. "Good God, that's not what I'm saying at all." He got up, pacing back and forth. "You're all over the place, Dava. Whatever emotional turmoil you've got going on is clouding your brain." He pinned her with his gaze. "I'm concerned, not only as the CAG, but as your friend." He stopped, his voice going low. "And yeah, also as the potential sperm donor—"

She shot up from the bunk, her hand slamming over his mouth. "Shut up. Just. Shut up, Warren." She turned her back on him. "You and I are not going to talk about this anymore." Damn him for shoving reality in her face.

Warren strode forward, pausing directly behind her. "Get checked out, Dava. Or I will make it an order."

Her shoulders slumped. "Fine." She spun around and jabbed a finger in his shoulder. "I'll go. But you back off and let me go alone." She moved past him, heading for the hatch. "If there's anything you need to know, I'll come find you."

Warren opened his mouth then snapped it shut again, giving her a terse nod.

Dava exited quarters and heaved a sigh of relief then followed it with a sharp intake of breath. A mix of fear and trepidation hit her square in the gut. Exhaling slowly, she took a step followed by another. She'd go to sickbay, wrangle Doc Koffman into drawing some blood, and put the whole idea of being pregnant to bed, once and for all.

Right? Right.

Or maybe not.

This one is taking a really cool turn. Can't wait to write more.

That's it for this week. Catch everyone on the flip side.

ML Skye