“Okay, if you need anything, call the office. I’m writing you a doctor's note, as I need you to take it down a notch at work. Twenty-four hours a week. Longer breaks, and make sure you’re wearing those compression socks.”
My head feels like a damn bobble head with all of the nodding I’ve done at this appointment. For a girl who never shuts the fuck up, I sure am having a tough time finding words about this all.
She heads out of the office and her nurse comes back in, handing me a pamphlet, my pee jug, and a slap on the shoulder.
I walk out to the car feeling more overwhelmed than ever and I know just the guy who can make it all better.
Chapter 32
Rhett
Isit in my garage, finishing the last touches on the crib before I prime it for paint. Mav and I finished early today on the ranch, not early enough to get to Aspen’s appointment, but early enough for me to get some work done. Time is flying by faster than I can grasp it. It’s like every day that passes drags so long it feels more like a week, and now my baby will be here in a little over a month.
I feel like there’s still so much to figure out. For one, how is all my stuff and her stuff going to fit in her two-bedroom house? If it doesn’t fit, I could use this house as a storage unit. God knows that woman is only going to give me two drawers and about seven hangers for my clothes.
My phone rings, and I can’t help but smile when I see the name. “Hi honey, how was your appointment?”
“You must be done with work?” she asks by way of greeting. In the background, I can hear her car door closing. She must’ve just gotten out of the clinic.
“Yeah, I’m at my place now.”
“Oh good. Well, it went okay. I have to pee in a bucket for the next twenty-four hours to see if I have pre-eclampsia. My blood pressure is a little elevated and my feet are looking more like balloon animals by the minute.”
“Is pre-eclampsia serious?”
“It can be. The good news is we caught it. She told me what to look out for. The nurse gave me a pamphlet on the way out so you can have some new baby reading material.”“Is there anything I can do to help you?”
“Treat me like a princess and make me want for nothing,” she jokes, but I’m taking this very seriously.
“You’re not helping me.”
She dramatically sighs. “Keeping my stress low is important to help with my blood pressure. No strenuous activity. If the test comes back positive, I'll have to go to light duty at work and cut my hours down to two shifts a week.”
For a girl who likes to go go go, this is going to be painful for her. “Alright, I’ll see what I can do with all of this. Are you headed home now?”
“Yes, but I have to make a pit stop by the hospital first.”
“Oh okay, do you have an idea of when you’ll be home?”
“About six or six thirty.”
“You picked up a shift?” I ask.
“Only a few hours; one of the girls didn’t feel well and since everyone has been awesome about me taking time off or covering half my shifts for appointments, I thought I’d do my part.”
“Okay, well don’t work too hard. I’ll be at home, ready to rub your feet.” The ask is moot because that woman doesn’t know how to dial it back. She’s got a work ethic of gold.
“And that's the reason one hundred and forty-two that I love you.” I feel like I can hear the smile on her face, and it sends a pang of longing through me. How can I miss her when I just saw her this morning?
I scoff. “That’s a mighty long list.”
“And now you have four hours to write your list of why you love me. When I get home, we can compare notes.”
This makes me belly laugh. “I’ll go sharpen my pencil. I love you, drive safe, okay?”
“And I love you. I’ll text you when I get to work.”
The line goes dead and I find myself smiling like an idiot. Damn, do I love that girl.
