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“We have him set up in your suite. He's ready with an IV drip for hydration,” the housekeeper said.
I carried Joey up the stairs to our suite. He had not said anything for quite a while, just leaning against me, absorbing my strength.
When I lay him in the bed, the doctor pushed me out of the way as he checked Joey's vitals and started asking him questions.
“Any cramping or discharge we should know about?”
Joey shook his head.
“When's the last time you had a full meal?”
“Two days ago, I had crackers and soda.”
“Water?”
Joey shook his head and closed his eyes. “I just throw it up.”
The doctor got an IV started. “He needs hydration and rest. We can do an ultrasound, but it's a little early to see much of anything. I'll try a Doppler to check the baby's heartbeat.”
“Okay.” I reached for Joey’s hand and held it, only slightly reassured when he squeezed mine. “Do whatever you need to, Doc.”
The doctor got the tool out and put some gel on Joey's stomach. He pressed the Doppler to it.
I waited with bated breath.
Joey seemed to as well.
“It always takes a minute,” the doctor said. “Stay calm.”
Finally, there was the glorious thump-thump of our baby's heartbeat.
The doctor listened for a moment before nodding. “It's within a healthy range for the gestation age. The baby is likely doing fine. You just need to keep hydrated and get some rest. Preferably in your own home and not anywhere you could be in danger.”
“I can do that,” Joey said softly before he closed his eyes again.
The doctor turned to me as he cleaned up his equipment. “I'll give you some time, but I’ll be back to check on him in two hours. I’ll probably need to change out his bag. Once he gets fluids though, we'll likely see a big improvement in how he looks and feels.”
“You're sure he just needs fluids?” A million things could have gone wrong while he was gone.
“Yes, I've seen extreme morning sickness before, and it looks like this.”
I took a deep breath, hoping he was right. “Thank you.”
Joey’s breath evened out as he drifted into sleep.
After watching him for a while, I slipped out of the room to check in with Louie. I found him in the sitting room. “Did you catch sight of Mennetti’s men?”
He nodded. “They were closing in, but Orsino managed to head them off. He sent a nice message to let them know we won't be messed with. I think that'll hold them off for a while, but eventually, we are gonna have to deal with that problem in a more permanent way.”
I ran my palm over the back of my neck, suddenly feeling a pounding in the base of my skull. “Yeah, I don't suppose negotiations will work.”
Louie shrugged. “Time will tell. They're just trying to make a play for our territory because you're taking over.”
I groaned at the reality of my new life. “This is not what I want to deal with, but here we are.”
“Take care of Joey. Figure out why the hell he took off. We can deal with the Mennettis on a different day.”
“Thanks, Brother. I appreciate it.”
