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Harper: You too. Night, Ryan.
My thoughts flit around in my head as I put the phone on my nightstand and rub a hand over my face. This is my new life now. Learning things about pregnancies, getting to know Harper, and thinking about becoming a father in less than a year.
All while training for another Olympic Games.
How am I going to manage it all?
After another night of restless sleep, I’m getting my clothes out of the closet when my phone rings on the bed. Walking over, I glance at the screen and frown. It’s Harper. We’re supposed to meet in half an hour, so why’s she calling now? Has she changed her mind and she doesn’t want to see me after all?
Swallowing the lump in my throat, I pick up the phone and push the green button. “Harper?”
“Hey, Ryan,” she talks so quietly I can barely hear her.
“Hey. What’s going on?” My heartbeat picks up at the thought that something bad happened.
“Yeah, I’m fine.” She lets out a long breath. “Listen, I’m sorry, but I probably have to cancel for today, or at least push it back.”
Her voice is shaky, setting off my alarm bells. My chest tightens in response, and I hate the constricting feeling.
“Harper.” Her name comes out in a half-growl, and I close my eyes and take a deep breath, trying to get a grip on my simmering anxiety so I don’t lash out again. “Fuck, sorry . . . please tell me what’s going on.”
“Promise me to stay calm?”
I pace back and forth across my bedroom, suddenly feeling too hot in my skin. “I promise.”
I probably shouldn’t make that promise after I almost lost my shit already, but I do it anyway.
“Remember, no freaking out, but I’m . . . I’m at the hospital.”
Unless it’s time for the baby to be born, or there’s a scheduled appointment of some sort, no one wants to hear about a pregnant woman being at the hospital. Nausea rolls like poison through my stomach at the possibility of something happening to either Harper or our baby.
Pressing my lips together, I wait until I’m more in control of myself and force my voice to come out as normal as possible. “What happened?”
She sighs. “It’s stupid. I think I got out of bed too quickly this morning and got dizzy enough to faint for a moment. Seems like I banged my head on the floor while somehow also managing to hit myself in the eye. And since it’s Sunday, the hospital was my best option. They checked me out, and everything seems good. But they still want to take an ultrasound to be absolutely sure.”
The gush of air she lets out after her little speech gives me enough time to try and calm down my racing heart as well as my manic pacing.
Fuck.
Deep breath.
She’s all right, and they think the baby is, too.
My body doesn’t seem to believe a single thing I just heard, still in full-on panic mode.
I brush my free hand through my hair, probably rougher than necessary, but it alleviates some of my tension.
“Which hospital are you at?”
She rattles off the name, and I frown when she adds a surprised, “Why?”
“Obviously I’m coming, Harper. Give me fifteen minutes.”
“But . . . but you don’t have to. It’s all good. My pride is probably more hurt than anything else. I’ll just go home and lie down for a bit or something.”
I stop on my way to the closet, rubbing my hand over my forehead. “Wait. You’re there by yourself?”
Total silence for a few seconds.
