“Um… I don’t know what is normal or not when it comes to this,” Quinnlyn said.
“Is she crying every day?” he asked.
“Yep,” he said, giving me the side eye.
My cheeks flushed with heat.
“I’m right here,” I said.
“You are, but I don’t think you’re being honest,” Dr. Arthur said.
“You want to hear that I cry every night? Then yes, I do. Every night, multiple times a day. I think of Izayuh and cry. It’s getting better each day, though,” I said.
“Thanks for the honesty. Thatis what I wanted to hear, and it’s normal to feel emotional even if your baby was here, even more so because he isn’t,” he told me. “What are your plans for birth control?”
Quinnlyn choked out a cough. I gawked at Dr. Arthur, eyes and mouth wide, no words coming out.
“You’re eighteen, and were pregnant. Let’s not be naive here,” he said, looking between us.
“Oh, nothing is going on betweenus!” I said.
“Yet, you two are living together. Most women take a pill daily, but some opt to do a shot that lasts several months. You have five weeks before you can have intercourse, so think about it,” he said.
“Um… okay,” I said.
“You can start doing more things like exercising. Don’t lift much more than twenty pounds for another week or so, then you can start increasing activity if you want. If your bleeding picks up, you’re doing too much. You need to eat and take care of yourself,” he said.
“Got it.”
“I want to see you back here in five weeks to give you the all clear,” he said.
“Thanks,” I said.
“If you need anything, you can come in here or reach out to Lina. You can go out the exit to the right of the room, avoiding any of the stares. I’ll see you in five weeks, Zalayuh,” he said, then he walked out the door.
Quinnlyn and I both stood up and walked out the door. Part of me really wished I’d made him stay in the truck. Having him hear all of that left me feeling exposed in a way I hadn't since the cell. I quietly got in the truck and shut the door.
Quinnlyn drove us back to the cabin. I was taking in the drive, remembering the turns and landmarks. It didn’t take us very long before we pulled into the driveway of the cabin. I tilted my head at the little porch, where two outdoor chairs sat.
“Were those there this morning?” I asked him.
“No,” he said, then let out a small laugh. “My uncle must have stopped by while we were gone. He told me he would bring some outdoor chairs,” he said.
“Oh, okay,” I said.
I got out of the truck and made my way over to the chairs, rubbing my hand along the armrest before taking a seat in one of them. The leaves were mostly gone from the trees, allowing you to look more into the woods. Quinnlyn sat down in the other chair.
“What would you like for supper?” he asked, breaking the silence between us.
“You know I can cook too, right?” I said, furrowing my brows at him.
“I never said you couldn’t. I was asking a simple question,” he said.
“I don’t like relying on you,” I told him.
“You’re not… I’m just trying to make up for my part in all of this,” he muttered.
“Yeah… how’s that going for you?”
