The hum of the ventilator doesn’t disturb me any longer. After three months of sleeping next to it every night, none of it disturbs me. I know some people might think it strange, or maybe even crazy, to have an entire library turned into a state of the art hospital room complete with all of the sensors Rick had in the hospital, and then later on a bed put in for me. I consider it doing what I can to give him the best opportunity to live.

I’ve even hired two full time live-in nurses to monitor him and make sure he’s as stable as possible. Dr. Gordon didn’t have an objection after the first month, after coming out here and evaluating what we have. He says that Rick’s deterioration is constant, but slowed down, and this room is just as good as staying at the hospital.

Carefully, I swing my legs out of bed and with the help of the railing on my own bed, sit up. I might only be half-Chinese, but the two babies inside me are huge, and my tiny womb is currently overfilled, no more room in this inn. Sitting up is a challenge, and I feel like I have to run to the toilet every half hour sometimes.

“Good morning my love,” I tell Rick when I’m finally sitting up, going over to look at him. He’s shrunken some more, his body thin to the point that I’m glad the nurses cover him with a blanket. They say it’s to keep him warm, I think it’s to keep me from seeing the skeletal condition of his body… but still he doesn’t give up. His heart still beats, his brain is still working in its sleep, and I believe that as I talk to him, he hears me somehow.

“Your children are getting especially squirmy,” I tell Rick, picking up the blanket to take his unmarked hand and place it on my stomach, letting him feel. “They know that it’s a big day, and that they’re going to be able to help their Daddy soon. According to the hospital, they can induce labor in one month, and they’ll be able to say hello to you. And then the other half of the team’s ready.”

I clear my throat, putting Rick’s hand back under the blanket. “Rick, I know you maybe wouldn’t have approved of what I’m doing. Oh, on that… these hospital bills and all, technically you’re not a billionaire anymore. I had Freida check with the accountant, and you’re now officially only worth nine hundred and ninety four million dollars. K-S has seen a slight downturn in the stock price as well, so that’s part of it also. Don’t worry, Harvey’s been quiet. In fact he’s been too quiet, and Freida thinks that we might need to check up on him soon.”

I talk with Rick for another ten minutes before there’s a quiet knock on the door, and the nurse comes in. “Mrs. Kelley? I need to get Mr. Kelley’s food.”

I nod, leaving. I tried watching once, but the feeding tube and the gloop they pump into Rick’s stomach made me want to vomit myself, and I can’t risk that right now. Morning sickness was bad enough back in the first trimester, I wouldn’t want to know what kind of hell it’d be like now. Instead I pull on my robe and leave, walking down the hallway to the main living area, looking for food. With the twins putting so much pressure on my stomach it’s nearly impossible to maintain weight, but I’m doing my best. Freida’s helping too, and since two months ago the only fluids I get to drink are high calorie ones. Whole milk, protein shakes with vegetable powders, and more. Five star living, for sure.

I go into the kitchen where I see Freida already has my breakfast ready. “How’d you sleep?”

“Just fine. My back hurts, but it’s not like I can roll over easily,” I mock complain. “So… egg and weight gainer?”

“And I want to see if you can get a whole eight ounces down,” Freida challenges me. “If not, I’m not going to allow you to aqua walk today.”

I glower at her, picking up the glass of thick white liquid. “Wait, aren’t I the one that supposed to be in charge?”

“Yes,” Freida admits, “but I’m the one that’s supposed to look out for those two in your belly. And there’s no way my little nephew and niece are going to come out looking skinny because their mother can’t man up and swallow the thick white goodness of breakfast.”

“I should make you swallow some thick white goodness,” I grumble, sipping the glass. Ugh, yogurt flavor… I hate this one more than all the others. “Get you a line of strippers, you can get all their thick white goodness.”

Freida smirks, shaking her head. “Please do. I spend all my time with you, people are going to start thinking I’m a lesbian or something. I could use some time with men who don’t work around here.”

I smile slightly, forcing down half the glass before turning my attention to my scrambled egg. “Is there any way I can get some vegetables for lunch?”

“Sure,” Freida admits. “No rice though. Tiny as your stomach is getting, we need to make sure everything going in there is nutrient dense.”

I sigh, knowing I’m not going to win the argument. Still, at least Freida’s willing to mix up a half dozen of these tiny drinks a day, rotating the flavors so I don’t go insane as I try to keep my weight up. The hospital isn’t worried, they say it’s not unusual for a woman with twins to have the problems I am, but still, Freida and I are doing out best.

I finish off the small glass, burping as I set it down. “Oops. Excuse me. Why the yogurt?”

“Supposed to be good for digestion,” Freida says. “Clean digestion means less gas coming out the back end. You’re getting a little… well, you know.”

I can’t help but blush, nodding. It’s not like I’m trying, but with all the high protein foods, vegetable powders, and more, I’ve become somewhat of a gas bag. Thankfully, my huge waist more than explains it to anyone who sees me. “Well, let’s get my morning aqua walk taken care of, and then we can look at anything relating to K-S that we need to take care of.”

I guess it would seem strange that I do a half hour water walk while wearing a daring bikini, but it makes a certain amount of sense. My stomach is growing almost by the day, and having a bottom that ties on the sides while avoiding my stomach is helpful. Extra long strings especially complete the ensemble.

I get to the pool, setting the pace on the current and start my walking. It’s more of a waddle now, even with the relief of the water taking some of the weight off my body I’ve got something the size of a basketball sticking out of my stomach, and I have to deal with that.

“Well, well, well… I didn’t think a woman as advanced as you could still be seen as beautiful, but I must admit, I was wrong.”

I whirl around, reaching for my towel and barely keeping my balance. Harvey’s standing in the doorway, dressed in a sharply pressed business suit and eyeing me like a piece of meat. I half stumble, not used to trying to move this quickly right now, and sit down on the edge of the pool. “What are you doing here?”

“I came to see Rick. I’ve been trying to find out more about his condition for months, but I seem to be getting stonewalled at every turn by his assistant. I guess she’s your assistant now,” Harvey says, ignoring the strangeness of the situation as I reach over and pull my robe on, getting out of the pool. “For years, I thought they were fucking.”

“I’m sure a lot of people thought that,” I reply, refusing to get baited. “But that doesn’t explain why you’re here, unescorted. This is my house.”

“Not all of the staff is as stubborn as Freida,” Harvey replies easily. “And this isn’t your house. You’re just a paid for piece of adornment. Kind of like the sofa or the paintings on the walls.”

“Excuse me?” I ask, getting angry. “I’m Rick’s wife!”

“You’re a mail order slut who fucked her way to a sweet life,” Harvey says dismissively. “You must be number one sucky-sucky too, considering the shit that Rick’s gotten up to since he met you. Punching out Drew Washington, dropping that million to avoid Amanda Rhett… he made more waves and more enemies since meeting you than ever before. Which, considering Rick, is quite an accomplishment.”

“Your rudeness isn’t helping your case, whatever it is,” I interrupt him. “Don’t make me call for your removal.”

“Oh, I’m not worried about it at all,” Harvey says. “You see, I know that pretty soon, I’ll be untouchable.”

“What the hell are you talking about?” I ask, walking towards the door to the swim room. I have a weird feeling about Harvey, and I don’t trust being alone with him. Harvey though moves in front of me, blocking the door. I stop, trying to keep the stutter of concern out of my voice. “Let me pass.”

“I don’t think so,” Harvey growls. “You see, I had a team of lawyers go over a couple of documents, and you don’t have any power.”

“I have enough to shut you down,” I retort. “I can make sure that you’ll never, ever be able to twist Rick’s ideas into death machines.”

“I’m not worried,” Harvey says. “Rick’s dying, he’s not going to last more than a month or two. And you only have power as long as he’s alive.”

“I have enough to make sure you retire wealthy but impotent,” I growl back. “And don’t try to bullshit me, Harvey. I’ve spent the past three months studying Rick’s designs. Sure, it took a little bit of help, but let’s be honest, I can afford the best explanations Cal Tech, Stanford, MIT and more can give me. And Rick was right, so many of his inventions could be twisted to evil ends. I’m going to make sure that doesn’t happen.”

“No… you won’t,” Harvey says, smirking. “You see, once Rick dies, the real power goes to two people… the twins inside you.”

Before I can do anything, Harvey strikes, his foot catching me in the stomach. Immediate, giant pain flares through me and I drop to my ass, holding my belly. I look up, but Harvey kicks again, a custom made Italian leather shoe catching me under the chin and sending me sprawling backwards. I can taste blood, and in my stomach I feel the babies cry out inside me. Harvey steps forward, and I try my best to curl up. “No….”

“No heirs, no power,” Harvey says before kicking me in the low back. The pain makes me scream, straightening out, and the next thing I feel is Harvey’s heel stomping my stomach again… and then the blackness.