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“No,” was all I could think to say.
“How about I take your vitals? Dr. Steinman will be with you shortly,” she said.
I slipped off my shoes out of normal habit when approaching a scale.
“Step on the scale and I’ll take your weight and blood pressure,” the nurse said, as if I didn’t understand the word “vitals.”
I climbed on the scale. My pulse sped up as we looked at the reading. My jaw unhinged. I didn’t weigh myself much, as I usually found the numbers depressing. This time the number was much less than what I anticipated. I thought back over the last few months and my reduced calorie diet, exercise, half eaten meals, and lack of appetite.
The nurse lowered her eyes to the clipboard. “You’re a bit underweight. Please have a seat and I’ll check your blood pressure.” I stepped down from the scale and sat down on the examination table. She put down her chart and wrapped the gauge around my arm. “Your blood pressure is a little low, too, sweetheart.”
She checked it twice digitally, then switched to manual, using her wrist and watch. Jonas grunted.
“Hmm. I’ll have Dr. Steinman perform a second check. Or an EKG. You say you’re not feeling well?” she asked again.
I met Jonas’s eyes. They were watery.
I stared down at my feet. “I’ve been really tired lately… lethargic.”
“Okay. You can put on a gown, and Dr. Steinman will check you over,” the nurse said, pulling out a gown from a hidden drawer under the exam table. “Take off everything but your panties.”
She eyed Jonas, then left the small room.
I started unbuttoning my suit jacket and hesitated, a blush creeping up my face. I could feel his stare on me.
“Would you turn away?”
“No,” Jonas said.
I frowned. “No?” I repeated.
“We are certainly past this, Lily,” Jonas said, crossing his arms.
I turned away from him and eased off my suit, jacket, and skirt. When I got down to my bra and panties, he let out an audible gasp. I dropped my chin. He was repulsed by me, just like Declan had said. I quickly put on the gown then I sat and put my head in my hands. Jonas was suddenly there, his arms around me.
“I’m really fine,” I promised. “I didn’t realize I had dropped that much. I’ll eat more.”
“You will,” he said with conviction in his voice.
He pressed a kiss to the side of my head before Dr. Steinman walked into the room. Dr. Steinman’s military precision, pewter-colored crew cut was tight to his scalp. The style matched his pristine white coat and shirt and perfectly cut navy slacks. He kind of reminded me of that marine leader with the scar in the movieAvatarthat I had a bit of a crush on. His steely gaze took us in.
“Should I come back?” he mused with a brow raised.
Jonas undeterred by his presence took his time letting me go.
“He’s my… fiancé,” I lied in explanation.
Dr. Steinman turned to Jonas.
“Yes, that’s right,” Jonas said with an air of authority as he took a seat.
“Fine.”
Dr. Steinman went straight to work, checking my thyroid, heartbeat, back, and stomach.
He sighed. “Lily. You’re underweight. Any more weight loss would be a danger to your health. You’re at risk of heart failure with your low blood pressure, not to mention, septic shock and neurological disorders. I’m taking your blood and testing for iron deficiency today.”
I touched my full hips. “I… My body is still….”
