Chapter 446

"Erik. Erik I'm terribly sorry to interrupt your call but there's been an accident and I need to talk to Christian." Charles rushed into Erik's office.

"An accident? What accident? He will be back any moment from lunch. Is there something I can do?" Erik put down the phone and stood up. "Is Pearl alright?" Erik felt his heart begin to pound.

"Yes. No. I don't know. There's been a fire. At the Wyoming estate. I've been told Dylan is… Dylan has passed away. And I can't get ahold of her majesty."

Erik grabbed his keys and ran past him.

"Erik!" Charles called out but Erik was already down the stairs and almost to the door. Christian walked past him and Erik grabbed his arm and pulled him with him to the car.

"Erik, what is the meaning of this? Where are we going?"

Erik put the BMW into drive and sped to the airport.

"It's your mother. And Dylan. There's been an accident. We are going stateside."

"An accident?" Christian asked.

"Yes." Erik said, looking over at him. Erik could barely keep his thoughts together. His mind and his heart were aching with pain and fear but he wanted, needed to be strong for Christian.

The flight was torture. Both of them had asked for a sedative to get through it without going completely mad. They arrived at The Wyoming Medical Center in Casper not far from the ranch several hours later. The hospital had closed off a section for Pearl and security was tight. Everyone parted when they saw Christian and Erik arrive.

"Where is she? Where is she?" Erik stammered as he made his way through the staff and security.

"Where in the bloody hell is she!" He cried out.

"This way, sir." A nurse said quietly, leading him to a suite in the back. He saw her lying there, asleep, with oxygen tubing in her nose. He felt a wave of nausea and panic come over him as he ran to her and grabbed her hand.

"Pearl. Pearl." He whispered, shaking as he squeezed her hand. He looked down at her bracelet.

"Pearl Chamberlain." It read. He smiled. She never changed her last name, he thought. Then he looked over at a check mark on the bracelet. Next to the check mark was the word "pregnant". He was confused and trying to process that as she opened her eyes.

"Erik." She said quietly.

"Pearl. My god. I am so glad you're alright. I've been in agony. Complete agony." Erik said, shaking and kissing her forehead.

"He's dead." She said as she began to sob. He held her for as long as she needed to cry.

"He was my best friend." She said in between sobs. Christian walked in and took her other hand.

"I know, I loved him too. We all did." Erik said.

"I'm so sorry mum." Christian said, beginning to cry.

They had all loved him and it was devastating to lose him like that.

"I feel sick." Pearl said as she tried to sit up. Erik handed her a basin to throw up in. Christian excused himself and went to lobby to call Nora.

A nurse came in and checked her vitals and pulled Erik aside.

"She says you are her emergency medical contact. The doctor would like a moment with you to discuss her pregnancy if that's alright." Erik looked over at Pearl. His confusion was taking over his ability to think clearly. He nodded and the nurse left the room.

"Pearl. Pearl I don't understand." He said.

"I don't either. I'm 57 years old. I don't know how this could have happened." She said, beginning to sob again.

"You haven't? I mean, do you still…"

"Get my period? Yes. But it's sporadic." She said.

"And is this healthy? I'm worried." Erik said.

"I don't know. I've been in and out of it all day. I just found out myself, it's very early on I guess. I'm only a few weeks along."

Erik smiled. He was terrified at the news but also elated.

"And am I, am I the father?" He asked. She nodded.

"And you're sure… you're certain it's mine?" He asked.

"Yes." Pearl said.

"The doctor wants to speak with me, if that's alright?" He asked.

"Yes. Please. I want to sleep." She said.

He nodded and kissed her cheek. "I'm so glad you are safe and okay, my love." He said.

**********************

"Erik, correct?" A surly looking man in a lab coat said to him.

"Yes." Erik said.

"I'm doctor Davis. Please, have a seat." He motioned Erik to a chair in front of his desk.

"Pearl says you are the one to speak to about medical issues?" He asked.

"Yes. I am her attorney and… confidant." He added.

"I have some concerns and some serious confusion." Dr. Davis scratched his head.

You're not the only one, Erik thought.

"She is expecting. I have her at approximately 4 weeks gestation." He said. Erik nodded.

"Nearly impossible for a woman her age. Not impossible, but nearly. Usually if a woman conceives at that age, there is medical assistance. Fertility treatments, etcetera. But she insists she's had none. I ran tests. Many tests, and I've come to the conclusion that her age isn't accurate."

Erik shook his head.

"I apologize. It's been a terribly heavy day with the loss of our friend and now the pregnancy news. I'm sure I'm confused." Erik stammered the words as his brain couldn't keep up.

"I think her age, her birth record, is incorrect. Her body, bone scan, blood work, full examination tells me she is a woman of merely 50, if that."

Erik wasn't sure what was going on at this point.

"This is all confidential, of course. I understand with her status in the world this is a delicate matter. But I encourage you, as her attorney, to look into this deeper. This could jeopardize her medical history, this baby's health, and her entire life existence as she knows it. Here is the file on what I've found medically. I trust you with it as she has given you the authority to have it. I'm going to recommend she see a specialist when she arrives home. Even if she is younger than her record, she is still very much a high risk pregnancy at her age."

"Have you told Pearl any of this?" Erik asked.

"No. In her state I thought best to leave that to you. She's been through a lot." Doctor Davis shook his hand. "Between us, congratulations."

Erik put his face in his hands and began to cry. "Thank you." He said with red eyes as he wiped his face. The doctor patted his arm and walked him out of the office. Erik stood outside of Pearl's room, the file in his hand, wondering how life could possibly get any more complicated.

"What is going on, Pearl?"

He said to himself. He picked up his phone and called his partner office in New York.

"I need a meeting with Sydney. Sooner than later. Also, tell him we will need the private investigator we used for the senator. Yes. Thank you."

He hung up and opened the door.