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CHAPTERTWENTY
Oh my God, this can’t be happening… can it? I mean, I don’t even remember having sex with Eli, so how could I produce a baby with him?
Complete silence and shock fill the room as the nurse rounds the bed until she is able to position the machine right next to the doctor.
“With your permission, I just want to do a very brief scan to make sure the baby’s heart is beating and also to determine how many weeks you are. But, first of all, can you tell me when your last period was?”
Still unable to take in exactly what’s happening, I start to babble. It gets worse as I watch Eli, who’s completely silent, no emotion to tell me if he’s happy or sad. I can make out this almost curious frown, but that’s it.
“I… I really can’t remember.”
The doctor places a hand on my shoulder, a knowing smile on his face. “That’s fine. I know this is a lot to take in. Let’s take one step at a time, shall we?”
I nod my head, my mouth getting drier by the second. Eli, still watching as they pull my gown up to place jelly on my stomach, remains silent, a finger now resting on his lip.
With the machine switched on, the doctor places the probe on my stomach and it’s only then that my attention switches from Eli to the monitor. Nothing shows up at first, but then the doctor moves the probe around and some wavy looking white lines form with this hollow looking, black circle in the middle. Inside the hollow circle is this tiny blob where something seems to be pulsating. When the dub, dub, dub sound plays through the speaker, my eyes begin to well.
A baby.
No. Freaking. Way.
Gasping out loud, the doctor turns to me, smiling. “All looking perfect there. I would say about nine weeks, tops.”
I bite my lip, quickly turning to look at the monitor again, but the doctor removes the probe from my stomach. As the nurse is wiping the gel from my belly, I glance up to Eli, and I notice that he’s not here anymore and the door is closing behind him. He must have just left.
Why?
The doctor and the nurse, obviously noticing the same, offer sympathetic smiles before awkward silence ensues.
He left. I can’t believe Eli left. Why would he do that?
Clearing his throat, the doctor says, “Laney will check your blood pressure now, and if all is okay, you’re free to go home.”
At this point the doctor starts to fidget like he’s uncomfortable. He wants out of here as quickly as possible now.
“Okay, thank you.”
Just as I thought, the doctor rushes out and before I know it the nurse is checking my blood pressure.
“One-eighteen, over seventy-eight. Perfect.” She smiles at me before turning the machine off. “I’ll just unhook you from your fluids, then you’re good to go. Your clothes have been left on the chair over there.” She points to said chair, then proceeds to take the needle from my hand. Once I have a plaster over the pinprick, she sighs. “There. All done now. I will leave you to get dressed.”
“Thank you,” I answer, as they’re the only words I have the strength to say.
When the nurse leaves, I’m left with the enormity of what’s just happened in the past ten, fifteen minutes. I’m pregnant. Seriously? How did that happen? I tut under my breath. Of course, I know how it happened. I just… damn, why can’t I just remember already?!
Eager to get dressed and find out where Eli’s gone to, I jump into action, almost falling over trying to hop into my jeans. More haste, less speed as the saying goes.
As I open the door, I find Craig standing next to it as if waiting for me. His lip curves up into an almost smile, his eyes showing sympathy.
“Is everything good, Ms. Banks?”
“Where’s Eli?” I ask, ignoring his question.
He takes in a breath before responding. “He’s gone home but asked that I stay behind to make sure I get you back safely.”
With my nerves wracking me, I bite my lip. Why would he just leave me here at the hospital, knowing I’m now pregnant? What kind of man does that to the mother of his child?
Tears well in my eyes and when Craig spots them, he motions to down the hallway. “Let’s get you home.”
