Chapter Nine
Cynthia closed up shop early that day. She pulled down the metal gate and locked it up. She pocketed the key and then walked the short distance to Sullivan’s antique shop. He was still open, sitting behind his counter, polishing one of his swords. His shop was crowded with a million different things. There were old dolls, furniture, clocks, silverware. The store was a little intimidating to walk into but Cynthia found the warm lighting and the soothing atmosphere welcoming.
Sullivan didn’t even look up, too enthralled with his current task. Cynthia tapped his muscular arm slightly to get his attention. He started slightly, his eyes wide as he looked at her before he smiled. “You scared me,” he laughed, pulling down his work to get up and wrap his arms around her, hugging her tightly before he kissed her lips. “It’s not even five yet, what are you doing here?”
“I decided to close up shop a little early today… there’s something I have to tell you,” Cynthia said, her voice serious. She sat down on an old, high-backed chair that looked like it once belonged to royalty.
“Oh?” Sullivan sat down next to her, fixing some of the knick-knacks he had on a glass table.
“Yeah…” Cynthia said, trying to find the right words to say.
Sullivan could sense the hesitation in her voice and reached out his hand, holding her face gently. “Whatever it is, you can tell me.” He smiled at her, encouraging her.
She nodded and gulped down the nervousness she felt. “Right. It seems I’m pregnant.” She looked into his eyes, seeing them widening to the size of the moon.
“You’re carrying my child?” he asked in disbelief. Instantly, his hand dropped from her face down to her stomach. “Are you sure about this?”
“I asked my magical sphere this morning. It gave me a definitive yes. It’s never been wrong before.” Cynthia explained biting the corner of her lip, toying with the little bit of skin she felt there. “You aren’t mad, are you?”
“Of course I’m not mad!” Sullivan exclaimed, lunging out and hugging her tightly. “I am very excited! I have been alive a very long time and I have dreamt of starting a family for a while now. I couldn’t be happier to start one with you.” His words were clear and confident. Cynthia smiled wildly. She hadn’t been expecting this sort of reaction. She wrapped her arms around him tightly and laid her head on his chest, hearing his rapid heartbeat.
“I love you…” she whispered softly.
He just kissed the top of her head and smiled.
***
They had gone out for dinner that night to celebrate the news but when Cynthia suggested they should go home together, Sullivan came up with a lame excuse as to why he needed to be alone that night. Cynthia found it odd that he was busy all of a sudden, but she didn’t question it. She had a bit of work to do herself.
So Sullivan drove home by himself, his mind already working in overtime. Cynthia was pregnant. That meant he had finally fulfilled the requirements for reclaiming his position in dragon society. He could finally return from exile. But did he want to?
He thought about his family that had been so quick to kick him out when he hadn’t found a suitable partner. It wasn’t his fault that none of the dragon women appealed to him. They hadn’t even listened to his requests, instead, they had just thrown him out, severing all ties he had with the other dragons. It had been a lonely experience in the beginning. He didn’t quite know how to interact with the humans and he became bitter, blaming his race for his miserable experience.
Still, deep down inside, Sullivan knew he wanted to go back. He wanted to sit on the throne and take control of the beautiful Kingdom of dragons. He wanted to once more have the right to transform into his true self and soar above the clouds. He closed his eyes and thought about the last time he had turned into a dragon. It had been forty years ago. Forty long years.
He ground his teeth, arriving at his home. He opened up the gate and drove up the long winding driveway. Would going back be worth it? He had finally settled somewhere and found someone he had fallen in love with. What if Cynthia didn’t want to join him? He sighed, contemplating his options. He could just as easily stay in the human world and no one would be the wiser for it, but at the same time, the thought of reigning as a King, with Cynthia as his beautiful Queen was almost too much to ignore.
Feeling frustrated by the turmoil he was feeling, he went into his house and laid down on his couch, turning on his TV. It was one of the greatest inventions the humans had come up with. Hours of entertainment all at his fingertips. He worked the remote and turned it to the History Channel where a man with crazy hair was talking about aliens. He chuckled, thinking it was absurd that humans believed in aliens but not in dragons.
He reclined, trying to lose himself in the TV but all he could think about was Cynthia. Should he tell her? Should he keep his heritage a secret? He sighed and closed his eyes. Maybe he should just push the thought out of his mind. It would be less trouble that way. Yet, as he started to doze off, his dreams brought him back to Northern Ireland where a glorious throne awaited him.