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“Any further along in her pregnancy, I can’t promise the baby would have survived. Organs in the body move as the baby grows, to make space, and the bullet would have likely hit something vital to the baby’s survival.” He smiles. “This may be one of those rare occasions when the father gets to let the mother know they’re pregnant.”
I must look like a fucking goldfish as I stare at him, taking drags of my Marlboro as I try to process what I’m being told.
“Miss Kennedy has been very lucky,” he goes on. “But, like I’ve said, it’s going to be a long, grueling road to recovery. Add a pregnancy to that . . .”
“Okay,” I murmur. Another drag.
“She’ll need to be closely monitored throughout.”
“Okay.”
“I recommend she doesn’t return to work.”
“Okay.”
“And regular scans during the first trimester especially.”
Another drag. “Okay.”
“I think I’ll leave you to your thoughts for now.”
“Okay.”
He holds out a card, and I look down at it for a beat too long, making him pass it to Danny instead. “I’ll be overseeing Miss Kennedy’s care while she remains in the hospital. Once she’s discharged, I’m available day and night. Any worries, anytime, you just call me.” He nods and leaves, and I stare at the closed door. Frozen.
Pregnant?
I turn my wide gaze onto Danny.
And see it.
“Don’t you dare fucking laugh.”
Air seems to burst from every orifice he has, his arms clenching his belly. If I had it in me, I’d punch the cunt. But I don’t, so I drop to a chair and stare at the floor, in a mindfuck to challenge all others, while Danny falls all over his chair. I’m speechless. I light up another cigarette, smoke my way through that pretty fast, Danny’s laughing dying down until he’s watching me walking circles around the room again. Pregnant? Jesus Christ, she’s on birth control! How the fuck has this happened? Jesus, it was the shower. I thought I pulled out on time.
I take another drag and drop the butt into a cup, listening to the sizzle of it going out.
And then the door opens, and the doctor appears again. “I just got word she’s coming round.”
“Coming around.” She’s coming round and I’m not there. I dash out of the room, running aimlessly.
“It’s this way, Mr. Black,” he calls, making me skid to a stop and run full pelt back the other way. “Last door on your left.”
I burst through, causing the staff to startle, and nearly fall on my ass when I see her on the bed, flat on her back, machines bleeping all round her. “Oh my God,” I breathe, walking to the side of the bed, taking in every inch of her. The odd mix of anger and relief is too much.
“Here.” Danny pushes down on my shoulder, and I lower, not checking there’s anything to sit on.
“Sir, it’s one person at a time, I’m afraid.” The nurse looks over her glasses at Danny as she fiddles with one of the lines into Pearl’s arm.
“It’s okay, Lyn,” the doctor says, appearing on the other side of the bed. “So long as they don’t get in your way.”
“I thought you said she was coming around.” I stare at Pearl’s eyes, seeing total stillness. And then, as if she’s heard me, they open. The greenness I love looks directly at me, and she blinks, before gazing around at the rest of the room. “Jesus, Pearl,” I whisper, moving in and taking her hand, careful of the canula on the back. “You scared the fucking shit out of me.”
I see her swallow, flinching as she does, trying to wet her mouth to talk. It’s painful just watching the effort it’s taking. In the end, she sighs and settles, without the strength to speak.
“Give her time,” the doctor says, wandering around the bed and machinery, checking everything. “It’s an exhausting business being shot.” He glances at me and Danny in turn. “Something tells me you’re familiar with that.”
“Oh?” Danny says. “What’s that something?”
