“Because for a little bit, you sheathed your claws, but I’m seeing the woman I met all those months ago peeking through,” he says. “You’re still you, Mindy. Maybe a bit battered, but honestly, you’re the strongest woman I’ve ever known, except for Sadie. While it’s not my story to tell, there’s a reason she chose the field she did. In fact, I know she’d be willing to talk to you as well if you want.”
I nod. “I think I’d like that, to be honest. I love Jolie, she’s my ride or die best friend, but in this area, she’s flying blind. Nothing like this ever even remotely happened to either one of us, or even any of our other friends. She’s great to cry on, though, but then she ends up joining in. We’re hot messes right now, two pregnant women who got that way by two very different avenues.”
“We’re going to love this baby, Mindy, because she’s a part ofyou,” he replies.
“You want a girl?” I ask.
“I want a healthy baby and a healthy wife,” he asserts just as the doctor and a nurse walk in.
I immediately shuffle backward on the table since the doctor who entered is a man, my entire body starts shivering with anxiety. Cruz immediately realizes the issue and says, “I’m sorry, but she’s going to need a female doctor, sir. She was assaulted not that long ago. Is that possible?”
The doctor steps back, earning my everlasting gratitude as he replies, “Normally, a patient has to see every doctor in the practice, however, we’ve had others who were in the same position, so we have contingency plans in place.” Then he looks at me and says, “Let me get one of our female doctors, Ms. Ferguson.”
“Thank you.”
My voice is small and weak sounding and I hate it, but I can’t help it right now. The fear inside of me has a grip that’s so tight it’s hard to breathe. I can feel myself getting lightheaded and then, Cruz is there, holding my hand, the warmth invading the terror that’s wrapped around me right now. “Breathe, kitten. That’s right, inhale with me, now hold it. Okay, exhale. Now, let’s do it again.”
Over and over, he talks me through my panic attack. I’ve had plenty of them at this point, but now that I’m pregnant, I usually suffer through the emotional turmoil, unwilling to take the medication I was prescribed because I don’t want to take any unnecessary risks that may hurt my baby.
“I’m having a baby,” I whisper as we drive toward the furniture store. I’m looking at the sonogram picture where a tiny bean is sitting. There are no discernible features yet, but the doctor who came in, Dr. Takagi, assured us both that everything’s on track. I have several prescriptions that they sent into my pharmacy, including one for any future panic attacks that she told me would not hurt the baby.
“We’re having a baby,” Cruz asserts, his hand tightening on mine.
I smile. It’s a small one because I’m still a bit rattled by the first doctor who came into the room, but it’s there.
Because his words further cemented the fact that he’s in this with me, for better or worse. Shaking my head, I ask, “What, exactly, are we buying today?”
“A new bedroom suite.” At my look, he continues, saying, “This is our new start, Mindy, and that means we’re getting something that we picked out. We can use our existing bedroom sets for the other bedrooms because I’m positive once we announce the pregnancy that my mother and likely Sadie will be frequent visitors, plus, of course, whenever Serena is between contracts, she’ll be there as well.”
“It’s a good thing we have a mother-in-law suite then, huh?” I ask as he pulls into the parking lot and parks his truck.
One of the bonuses of the farmhouse we bought is that in the back, there’s a tiny home of sorts that the previous owners built when they had to move in an aging parent. It’s a fully functional house, complete with a kitchen, two bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a living room. A covered walkway that has discreet railing leads to the back doors of the farmhouse.
“Who’s going to stay in it?” I ask as he helps me out of the truck. With my hand clasped in his, we walk into the store and head to the bedroom section.
“Honestly? I suspect once my parents know you’re expecting that they’ll be frequent visitors, or they’ll want to move here. If they wanted to do that, would you object to them taking that over?” he asks.
I start giggling because he’s told me a little bit about his mom and knowing she would be across the road from the two women that Jolie and I secretly call the Chaos Queens, life as we know it would obviously change.
“I wouldn’t at all, but can the town handle Maria, Josephine, and your mom?” I ask.
“Probably not,” he muses. “Still, they’re getting older now and I know my sisters and I would feel better knowing they were with family.”
“I’m fine with it, Cruz. What do you think about this one?” I question as I stare at what has to be a California king. “I like the headboard, and it’s neat that the footboard has storage space. Plus, having storage underneath means that we won’t have things disappearing under the bed.”
He chuckles as he looks at everything I’ve pointed out. “Damn big bed,” he replies, smiling down at me.
“I sleep like a starfish most nights,” I admit.
Okay, Iusedto sleep like that. Now I sleep in a fetal position, curled into myself with my back against a wall.
“Then this would be perfect since I’m not exactly a small man,” he says. “Plus, I like the color, it’ll go with anything.”
“Yes, let’s go get a clerk so we can get it ordered,” I reply.
