Cady's stomach lurched as she dashed to the bathroom, barely making it to the toilet before she threw up. She leaned back against the cool tile, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. Even the thought of her favorite foods made her stomach turn.
"Cady, are you okay?" Hephaestus called out from their bedroom.
"I'm fine," she replied, flushing the toilet and rinsing her mouth. She stood up and looked at herself in the mirror. Her skin was pale, and there were dark circles under her eyes. She sighed and opened the cabinet, pulling out a pregnancy test. She had been feeling off for a few days now, and she wanted to rule out the possibility of being pregnant.
She took the test and set it on the counter, pacing back and forth as she waited for the results. Her mind raced with a million thoughts. How could this have happened? They had been careful. She stopped pacing and looked at the test.
Positive.
Cady's heart skipped a beat as she stared at the test in disbelief. She was pregnant. She wasn't sure how she felt about it. She was excited, but also scared. She had always wanted to be a mother, but she wasn't sure she was ready for it yet.
She took a deep breath and mustered up the courage to tell Hephaestus. She found him in their bedroom, working on a new invention.
"Hephaestus," she said, holding up the pregnancy test.
He looked up from his work and frowned. "What's that?"
"It's a pregnancy test," she said, her voice shaking.
His frown deepened as he took the test from her. He looked at it for a few seconds before his face broke out into a huge grin. "Cady, we're going to be parents!"
He scooped her into a tight embrace, spinning her around in circles. Cady laughed, but she couldn't shake off the feeling of uncertainty.
"Hephaestus, I'm not sure I'm ready for this," she said, pulling away from him.
He looked at her, his eyes full of love and understanding. "It's okay, Cady. We'll figure it out together."
Cady couldn't help but smile at his words. She playfully insulted him, joking that he'd be the one to teach their kids how to burn things in the kitchen.
Hephaestus laughed and agreed, promising to be the best father he could be.
They spent the rest of the day in a happy daze, planning for their future as parents. A week later, Cady went for an ultrasound and discovered that she was carrying twins.
Cady and Hephaestus were in disbelief but quickly came around to the idea of having two little ones running around. They decided to break the news to their family, starting with Athena, their wise and respected goddess of wisdom.
Athena was thrilled for Cady and Hephaestus and offered her support and guidance. Next, they told Zeus, the king of the gods, who was initially skeptical but eventually warmed up to the idea. They continued to tell the rest of their family, including Hera, Demeter, Poseidon, Aphrodite, Ares, Hermes, Pershephone, and Hades.
Each god and goddess offered their congratulations and support, making Cady and Hephaestus feel loved and welcomed into this new chapter of their lives. Cady couldn't wait to see what the future held for them.
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