Hitched & Hitched Again: A Comedy of Marital Mayhem novel Chapter 1606

The young nurse at his side was Benjamin’s assistant, who also happened to be his cousin. So she wasn't a stranger to Tarquin and Keaton. Hearing their discussion, the young woman’s eyes went wide. "Men can't get pregnant!" she said. "But they can get sympathetic pregnancy symptoms. It's called Couvade syndrome. Mr. Huber, is your girlfriend not having any morning sickness?" The high-society gossip mill had been churning with rumors that Keaton's girlfriend was pregnant. Being from the Lawson family, the young nurse was in the loop. And since Keaton had never bothered to deny it, she believed it was true. Keaton's face was sallow. Before he could even think of an explanation, she continued, "The symptoms can transfer. A lot of pregnant women feel light as a feather, full of energy, and can eat anything in sight, while their husbands are the ones throwing up their guts. It's a real thing, I swear." Keaton rolled his eyes, breathing heavily. He believed symptoms could transfer, sure, but the key point was that he didn't have a wife or a girlfriend! He was single! No woman was carrying his child! Just as Keaton was about to protest, Janelle and Richard rushed in. Seeing their son had lost so much weight and his face was so pale, the couple's hearts broke. "Honey! What's wrong? You look so sick!" This was the first time they had seen their son since the Huber family gathering. Keaton had been avoiding them, not knowing how to handle the pregnancy rumors. Keaton was taken aback. "Mom, Dad, what are you doing here?" Richard explained, "Someone from the Windham family mentioned they saw you at the hospital. I called Benjamin to ask and found out you were on an IV. What is it? What's wrong?" Janelle's gaze filled with a mother’s frantic concern for her son. "We haven't seen you in just over two weeks, and you've gotten so thin! Don't hide anything from your mother, sweetie. If you're sick, we'll get it treated right away! We'll sell the house if we have to, Mom will get you the best care!" "...Don't worry, I'm not sick," Keaton managed. "I just... can't stop feeling nauseous." Richard frowned. "Not sick? Did they run tests?" Benjamin quickly chimed in, "We ran a full panel. He's perfectly healthy." Richard was confused. "Then why does he look like this?" Benjamin explained, "He's been vomiting constantly and has no appetite. Anything he forces himself to eat comes right back up. That's why he seems so weak and listless. He's on a nutritional IV right now." Janelle couldn't understand either. "If he's not sick, why does he keep throwing up?" The young nurse interjected, "Mr. Huber might be having morning sickness!" Janelle and Richard: "?!" The nurse elaborated, "It's not that uncommon for the husband to get morning sickness when his wife is pregnant. Some men just have it for a month or two, but others can have it for the entire pregnancy." "!" Benjamin was speechless. Pursing his lips, he sent his cousin away on the pretext of fetching some medication. He'd asked Keaton and Tarquin about this whole pregnancy thing—it was pure rumor! But still, Keaton's symptoms were uncannily similar to morning sickness. How could a grown man have morning sickness when no woman was even carrying his child? Benjamin tried to explain logically. "Sometimes, environmental and psychological changes can cause vomiting. You shouldn't worry too much. As long as there's no underlying illness, it's not a major problem." He then administered another injection for Keaton and left to attend to his other patients. With no outsiders present, Janelle turned to Keaton. "So, is Winona eating like a horse?" Before he could respond, she answered her own question. "Yes, she must be. I video chat with her every day, and her appetite is fantastic. Not a single hint of morning sickness. It really must have transferred to you!" Keaton and Tarquin: "..." Tarquin, wanting no part in this drama, shot Keaton a sympathetic look and made an excuse to leave. He left Keaton to face the music alone. Keaton, still completely at a loss for how to handle this mess, wore a look of pure misery. "..."