Two seconds later, her door flew open, and Kassie rushed to her side.
“What’s the matter?” she said, kneeling beside her.
“I don’t know. I’m cramping, and my head’s killing me. I woke up at four with a migraine. Leo called, and I changed into clothes so he'd think I’m at work. I didn’t want to worry him.”
“I’ll call Dr. Greene,” Kassie said, running from the room. She returned a minute later, and stayed with her best friend until Dr, Greene entered.
“Let’s see what we have,” Dr. Greene said patiently. “When did the cramping start?”
“This morning,” Catherine said, while Kassie gripped her hand. “I got a headache, and shortly after it started, the cramping started.”
“Did it wake you up?” Dr. Greene asked her as the aide rolled the ultrasound machine in.
“Yeah,” she said, as she peered at her best friend. “I figured it might be stress because the guys spun up.”
“Your blood pressure’s still high,” Dr. Greene said in her motherly voice. “Kassie, let’s get a full blood panel to rule out anything else.”
“Shall I start an IV?” Kassie asked.
“How’s the morning sickness?” Dr. Greene asked as she lifted Catherine’s shirt.
“It hasn’t decided on what time of day it wants to hit me,” Catherine admitted. “Ty’s soup seems like the only food I can keep down.”
“Hmmm,” Dr. Greene said as she placed the ultrasound wand on her stomach and moved it around. “Everything appears fine. Have you experienced any bleeding?”
Shaking her head, Catherine said, “No. Do you think I’m losing the baby?” she asked with fear in her voice.
“Let’s start an IV, and we’ll keep a close eye on you. I’m concerned about the blood pressure. We’ll start you on some medication and see if it helps with the headaches. I know you have a lot on your plate, young lady, but if you want a healthy baby, I’m afraid you’re on bedrest until we get you stabilized.”
“Nooo,” she groaned. “It’s way too early for this.”
“Sorry, kiddo. I’m not happy with those numbers,” Dr. Greene said, patting her hand.
“What will I do about the kids? They can’t keep bouncing from one house to another. I thought you only planned to keep me a couple of nights,” she said. “Leo will have a stroke if he thinks something’s wrong and he’s thousands of miles away.”
“Addyson already agreed to picking up some of your shifts, and the other nurses will cover the rest,” Kassie reassured her. “I’m not completely helpless, you know. “The kids will be cared for as always. We’re family,” Kassie reminded her. “I’ll call the women, and we’ll have it figured out in no time. Right now, you and the baby must be your only concern.”
“Kassie, we all have kids, or we’re having them. You have your own zoo, and we don’t have the men here to relieve us,” Catherine worried.
“Since when do we need a man? I love my husband, but if I waited for him with his schedule, nothing would get done,” Kassie teased.
“With Claire and Gabby expecting, they must be tired, too. Gabby has little Marcus,” Catherine said, attempting to stop Kassie from calling everyone.
“I have a teen helper coming in the afternoon to watch Marcus while Gabby rests, and Claire’s glowing,” Kassie reported. “Stop stressing. It’s not good for the baby.”
“If Leo calls, please don’t tell him. He’s on a mission,” she glanced up as Dr. Greene left the room. “After how we left things, I don’t want to scare him.”
“I won’t say anything for now, but it’s not like you can keep it a secret for long. Let’s hope they’ll return soon,” Kassie promised.
Catherine lay back against the pillows and watched the monitor. The turmoil over the last few months felt insignificant compared to the growing life inside of her and her absenthusband. When Leo returned, they needed to prioritize their lives and their marriage.
I love you, Leo. I know we’ve argued lately, but I’d rather be right here than anywhere else in the world. She texted.
I love you, Kit Kat. I promise we’ll work on this together when I get back. He replied.
I’m holding you to it. She said, adding a kissing emoji.
You won’t have to. He replied.
