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“I figured you might need some help. Or at least some sleep.” He gave her the hint of a smile.
“And how about your birth plan. Do you have it ready yet?” Ellie asked.
“I’ve started it,” Harper told her, grabbing a printed sheet from her purse.
“A start is good. You’d be amazed how many patients I see who leave it until the last minute, which is the absolute worst time to write it out. As your obstetrician, it helps me to know what you want, and to be able to let you know if it all is even an option. Can I take a look?”
Harper passed it over to her, and Ellie scanned it, nodding as she turned the page. “It’s looking good. You’ve got nearly everything covered.” She tipped her head to the side. “You don’t want your mom in the room? You’d be surprised how many first timers do.”
“No. I don’t want my mom there.” Harper’s voice was thick. “My friend Caitie’s going to be here to support me, along with James. And his parents will probably be in the waiting room.”
“You try stopping them.” James raised an eyebrow.
“And have you packed your bag yet? We recommend doing that around now. Just in case.” Ellie winked.
“I have.” She’d packed and unpacked it a dozen times. Right now it was by her bed, filled with everything she thought she needed.
“Then you’re one up on most women I see. Okay, so let’s get to the fun stuff.” Ellie clapped her hands together. “You guys want to take another look at your baby?”
* * *
“How worried should I be about my blood pressure?” Harper asked once they’d left Ellie’s office. They were standing in the main entrance of the hospital. James was still dressed in his green scrubs, ready to go back to work, but he’d insisted on walking her to her car.
“It’s concerning, but you shouldn’t worry too much. Because it will m
ake your blood pressure spike more. It’s one of those things that needs monitoring and if there are any massive changes we call Ellie. You don’t have any swelling to your hands or feet, and you aren’t showing any other concerning signs. Just keep trying to relax. Maybe do some yoga or other relaxation.”
“What happens if I get worse?”
“Then Ellie will want you to come right in and they’ll assess you. But you probably won’t. The majority of women who have high blood pressure have perfectly normal births.”
“And the others?”
“Might have to have an emergency cesarean to make sure they and the baby are healthy.”
Harper took a deep breath, trying to keep the panic at bay. She’d been as cool as she could in the office, but knowing there could be complications made her want to cry. “I’m scared,” she said quietly.
James stepped forward, as though he was going to hug her, and she found herself stepping away. God, it would be so easy to let him hold her, comfort her, pretend everything was okay. But she couldn’t do that. Not now.
She wasn’t her mom. She was stronger than that.
He dropped his hands back to his side, as though he’d thought better of even trying to touch her. “It’s going to be okay,” he told her. “Ellie is an amazing physician. She knows exactly what she’s doing. If she thought you needed more observations she’d tell you. Just do what she said, try to keep the stress to a minimum and relax as much as you can. I know it’s hard for you at the moment.”
“I don’t want to put the baby in danger, but I need to keep working for a few more weeks. I have no choice.”
“There’s always a choice.”
“Not if I want to keep a roof over our heads and food on the table.”
He looked at her, his gaze unwavering. “I can help you with that.” He sighed. “I know you don’t want my help, and I understand why. But you and the baby will always have a home and food. I’ll make sure of it.”
There was such a sweetness to his words, it made her yearn for him. “I know you would.”
“But you wouldn’t slow down anyway.”
She gave him a half-smile. “I’ll do whatever I can. I’ll speak to the event coordinator at Silver Sands and explain the situation. And I’m going to stop taking any more custom orders until the baby is born.” She patted her stomach. “Nothing is more important than this baby. I’m not going to risk losing her.”
He took in a sharp intake of air. The clouds came down over his face, as though he was remembering Jacob and Sara. Harper felt her heart clench for him.
