Free Loneliness Trilogy Bundle Boxset by Alison Cole Page A

you’re abstaining now, your little one is very likely to be just fine. But, because of the link between alcohol and fetal alcohol syndrome, you’ll want to stay completely away from any kind of liquor. No illicit drugs, either.”
    “Oh, definitely not. I’m a member of a The Lonely Lovers and we have a strict zero tolerance policy on drugs.”
    “I’m going to your concert tonight, actually! My fiance and I bought tickets as soon as we heard you had set up a tour here in the U.S.,” says Dr. Martinez.
    “Oh, bless you! You are going totally going to enjoy some of our new music!”
    “Thank you! Now, you need to start putting weight on. Your baby needs all the nutrients he or she can get, so whatever your stomach tolerates, eat it. Spicy and greasy foods, as well as caffeine are out.”
    I thank her and even call in a favor to get her a couple VIP passes for the show. After giving me a list of the foods I could eat, as well as prenatal vitamins, the doctor congratulates us once again and Marcus and I return to our room. We have ten minutes to make it downstairs to meet the rest of the band to go to practice.
    “Can we stop for some snacks?” I ask Tim.
    “Sure. I’ll let the driver know,” he says, not thinking anything of my question.
    Every couple hours, I stop, making sure to keep myself hydrated. I realize that I really do feel better, keeping food in my belly. I make it through the practice and we go back to the hotel. I need to nap, so I have a lie-down for several hours. When I wake up, we venture out into the humidity to find a restaurant - I am suddenly craving salads. After we order, Marcus calls Tim, letting him know where we are. I shake my head at him slightly, letting him know that I don’t want to say anything to the band yet about my pregnancy.
    “Marcus, we need crackers. And some fruit so I can snack,” I tell him.
    “We’ll stop in a store on the way back to the hotel. Just make sure you take some food with you to the concert,” he reminds me.
    That night, even though I keep food on my belly, as soon as the intermission begins, I bolt backstage and lose my dinner in the bathroom. The band realizes what happened and they look at me in concern. It’s time. I look at Marcus and we communicate silently with each other.
    “Tim, Laslow, Linny…we need to talk,” I start. We sit in the green room, where I carefully eat an apple and drink some warm tea. “I’m pregnant. I got the diagnosis today.”
    Laslow looks at his older brother and lets out a raucous whoop! Tim and Linny let out a laugh of relief.
    “Oh, my God, thank God it’s nothing more serious,” says Tim. “I honestly thought you had some deadly illness. How far along are you?”
    “Four months. Meaning my dresses won’t fit me much longer,” I say, carefully stretching the delicate fabric.
    “We’re nearly done with our tour and we’ll be flying back to England in two weeks,” Tim says.

    As excited as I am about our band’s success, the early part of my pregnancy wears on me and I am beginning to feel exhausted. Even though I’m careful to keep food in my stomach and stay well-hydrated, this leads to some pretty harrowing moments of sickness. One day is especially bad. I just cannot stop vomiting and Marcus takes me to the emergency room of the city we’re in for that day - Denver, Colorado. When the doctor comes in to examine me, he’s concerned because I am so dehydrated. He wants to admit me to hospital! When I panic and tell him that I have to sing that night, he gives me a glare and tells me that he’s going to re-hydrate me and give me a medication to stop my stomach from acting so badly. Then, he tells me to rest as much as I can. As it turns out, it’s not just morning or all-day sickness. I am having trouble adjusting to the high altitude, something he calls “altitude sickness.”
    Great. So now, I have two reasons to be drinking lots and lots of water. Instead of being admitted to hospital, the