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“Do you think he suspects?”
“I don’t know.” I thought for a second. “He might, right? Some people can tell when someone’s pregnant just by looking at them. What if he realizes? Or worse, tells my dad?”
“Calm down, Ava.” Linea tossed the jacket on the couch and grabbed my arms. “Look at me.”
Sympathetic hazel eyes held mine. “It’s okay. We’ll get through this.”
“But how?” I broke away to pace around the space. “Not only is Liam my baby’s father and my dad’s best friend, but he also replaced the town’s doctor. What am I to do? Who do I turn to?”
The pacing only amplified my worry, but I couldn’t stop. “I’ll be all alone. No one to help with the baby’s delivery. What if something goes wrong? I can’t do it, Linea.”
I spun to my friend. “I can’t go the natural route and do this by myself. Some women may be that strong. They never see a doctor through the pregnancy and push the baby out on all fours in their living room.”
Linea’s brow went up.
"Hell, they may even have someone playing drums and another standing with a delivery basket to catch the baby, but that is not my style. At all.” My heart was racing, breath heaving from my lungs.
“Are you done?”
I planted my feet, my shoulders slumping. “Linea, I don’t know what to do. I don’t—”
“Hey, first, shh. You’re not going to be pushing out your baby on all fours.” She winced. “Thanks for the imagery, by the way.”
“Lin…”
“Come on.” She took my hand and lead me to the couch.
I plopped down, feeling the tension slip out of me slowly. But not completely. I still had the matter of…everythingto figure out.
Jesus.
“Liam’s not the only doctor in Hannibal. You can go see another one. Hannibal isn’t that small.”
“No, I can’t.” I scooted closer until our knees brushed. “What if word gets out?”
“Doctors have to keep their patients’ details to themselves, Ava.”
I gave her a look.
“But yeah, this is Hannibal. Somehow, shit always gets out.”
"Yeah, and Dr. Rogers kept a tight lid on everything. I hoped a new doctor wouldn't be roped into the nonsense, but then the new doctor turns out to be Liam. The last person I want to see at the moment."
“Ah, your worry makes more sense now.”
“And even if I wanted to brave it, what would I do if Dad finds out, or Liam?”
“But, Ava,” Linea chewed on her lip, “Aren’t you telling them at some point?”
“Well, yes.” My heart rate sped up. Just the thought of it…how would I break it to them? I shut off the thought before I resumed pacing again.
“Not yet. Definitely not now.” I carried on, “I need to know the baby’s fine and healthy. I want to get a handle on things before bringing Dad and Liam into it. But I don’t want them hearing it secondhand from a gossip.”
“Okay.” Linea paused for a second. “I have an idea.”
She left swiftly, returning with her laptop. “What if—” she popped it open and typed “—we find you a doctor in a town close by?”
The anxiety fisting my chest loosened. “That’s a great idea.”
