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“Hate me all you want. I’m still your fuckin’ husband.” He releases me with a shove that sends me tumbling down the stairs. My head knocking against the hard floor, and my whole body feeling broken when I land at the bottom. I don’t know if I black out for a while, but there’s a ringing in my ears when I open my eyes, and Caleb’s face is the first thing I see.
“Leia.” His hand taps my cheek frantically as I try to focus.
“Shit. Leia, talk to me!” He checks me over frantically. “Why did you do that? Why did you have to say those things?” He’s still sounding angry as I try to sit up, but my body feels so heavy.
“Are you in pain, does your stomach hurt?” he asks, his primary concern being for the child he thinks I’m carrying.
“I’m fine.” I use the arm he offers me to struggle up onto my feet, and despite feeling a little wobbly and aching all over, I don’t think anything’s broken.
“We gotta get you checked out at the hospital.” Caleb snatches his keys off the table by the door, and it instantly makes me panic.
“Honestly, Caleb, there's no need. I’m fine.” I can’t go to hospital, they’ll want to do tests and when they do, Caleb will know I’ve lied to him.
“Youmay be fine, but we need to check the baby.” Caleb comes toward me, all his anger seems to have vanished when he rests his hand flat against my stomach. His tone is soft and his touch gentle, as if he isn’t the whole reason this has happened.
“I’m fine.” The tears building in my eyes make my voice crack, and when Caleb's hand lifts up to stroke through my hair, I realize all that energy I had at the top of the stairs is gone.
“Come on, darling, don’t cry. I’m sure you haven’t hurt our baby. But we do have to get you checked.” I have no words for him and no understanding of how someone can be like him. When he takes his suit jacket and drapes it over my shoulders, leading me out to the car like a tentative, loving husband, I have no choice but to let him.
* * *
“Remember what I said, you tripped on the top of the stairs and fell,” Caleb reminds me as he opens the car door to let me out. Then taking my hand in his, he guides me toward the emergency room entrance. The nerves in my stomach are unbearable and the voice inside my head telling me to run is so loud it’s making my temples throb.
“My wife needs a doctor, she fell down the stairs at home, and she’s pregnant,” I hear him explain to the receptionist as I look around at all the people here waiting. I want Wade so badly I could cry. Caleb could have killed me back at the house, and that was when he thought I was carrying his child. I can only imagine what he’ll do to me when he finds out I’m not.
I take a seat on one of the plastic chairs and he takes one beside me, holding my hand in his and squeezing it tight. I can feel everyone staring, so I keep my eyes on the floor, ashamed of how I might look and how weak I’ve become.
We’ve been waiting for about half an hour before Caleb loses his cool and gets up to ask the receptionist how long it’s going to be before we get seen.
“Did you not hear what I said? My wife is pregnant. I’m Caleb Mason, my father is Ronnie Mason. He funded the new children's ward three years ago!” He slams his fist hard onto the counter, making her jump.
“Please take a seat, sir, a doctor will be with your wife as soon as one’s available.” Caleb paces the floor, pressing his phone to his ear while I sit in a daze and try to ignore the pain in my ribs.
“Mrs Walker.” Eventually, a lady doctor calls out my name. She has a friendly smile and warm eyes, and when I look up at her and nod my head, I have to try really hard to hold in my tears.
“It’s Mason, actually. We were married over a month ago. Your files should have been updated,” Caleb snaps, and though his brashness seems to take her by surprise, she smiles at him regardless.
“My apologies, once we see that your wife here is okay, we can get that changed for you. Would you like to follow me?” She leads us both down the corridor and into a side room, and once we’re inside she closes the door and gestures to the bed.
“I understand you took a tumble.” She pulls on some gloves.
“Yes, she tripped on the landing, carrying too much washing in her hands. I’ve been telling her to take things easy but she doesn’t listen.” Caleb laughs, almost sounding nervous.
“Do you mind?” The doctor gestures to my top, and when I nod back at her she lifts it so she can examine me.
“You have some nasty bruising.” She checks over my injuries and although it feels tender when she applies pressure, the pain is bearable. “I don’t think anything’s broken,” she assures me.
“And what about the baby?” Caleb directs her to what he deems most important.
“Of course. We can check the baby, sir. Try not to worry.” She calmly moves toward the phone on the wall by the door and lifts the headset.
“Hi, Rena, can we have a sonogram machine bought into room fourteen, please?” She places the headset down and lifts her clipboard from the table beside me while Caleb waits impatiently.
“Have you had any bleeding or cramping since the accident?” she asks, and I shake my head, knowing that I’m about to be in some serious trouble. If I’d miscarried due to the fall there would be some evidence of it.
“And have there been any other recent falls or incidents?” The look Caleb gives me from behind her warns me to answer carefully.
“No, just this one. I was being clumsy.” I fake a smile for her.
