Nate drives us. I ask him when Miguel’s coming back, and he says he isn’t sure but doesn’t care.
“You honestly don’t know?”
He clears his throat. “I might’ve given him six weeks off. I was planning on changing your mind about the divorce.”
“Why?” I ask. “I thought six weeks was the whole idea.”
“It was not. And I didn’t care for it. I don’t like going about my life with a set outcome. That limits your options, and I prefer to not kill off possibilities. Life can really surprise you if you approach it with an open mind.”
That’s a wise attitude, I decide with a smile. Maybe I should adopt it. “Regardless, I’m sure his wife appreciates the paid leave.”
“I deserve the Best Boss of the Millennium Award.”
“Want me to alert the media?”
He gives it mock consideration. “Probably best if you do.”
I smile. He might talk like that, but he doesn’t really want it. If he were the type to want credit for every good deed he does, he’d make sure to advertise how much he tips, how well he treats his workers and so on. The charity portion of Sterling & Wilson has its own PR team. But Nate never seeks the limelight. The team only focuses on the good the medical centers and hospitals are doing with the Sterling & Wilson fortune.
I check my phone to see if there’s anything urgent from the auditors or medical centers. I see a text from Kim asking to have lunch today, so I say yes because she’s likely dying to know how the party went, and I want to tell her about the baby in person. I let her know she has to come pick me up, though, and she says that’s fine.
That done, I confirm the day’s agenda on the tablet one more time while Nate drives us to the Sterling Medical Center.
Once we arrive, we go up to Dr. Wong’s office together. Her office is quite interesting. No frills, no nonsense. You’d think it should be sterile and creepy—in that you’re here because your body hates you and you’re going to die way—but it’s actually comforting, because the place is just like the good doctor herself. I’ve never seen or heard her sugarcoat anything, but she’s not unkind or cold.
Dr. Wong is a pretty woman in her mid-forties. Her glossy black hair is long and straight, and I envy how it sits around her face and shoulders like a sleek veil. My hair needs some serious spray help to stay neat.
I don’t think she has any makeup on her face, but she has pink color on her lips. She smiles when she sees me and Nate. “Hello, Evie. And Nate. Congratulations.”
“Thank you,” we say together, and take the seats in one of the three examination and consultation rooms.
“Let’s get you started. Pregnant already, huh?”
I flush, suddenly a little shy but also pleased and excited about the life growing inside me. “Yeah.”
“Well, that’s good. It’s easier when you’re younger. Try having a child when you’re in your thirties. Your body just can’t handle lack of sleep the way you used to in your twenties. Doesn’t snap back”—she snaps her fingers loudly—“like it did before.”
I laugh at her light, joking tone. Nate squeezes my hand. “I’ll get Evie whatever help she needs so she can take care of herself, too.”
Dr. Wong smiles. “I’m sure she’ll appreciate it. Sleep deprivation can be hard, especially when your hormones are fluctuating. Anyway, that’s all still to come, so let’s make sure everything’s fine with you now.”
She does the usual—draws blood, checks my blood pressure, asks me about my appetite, any signs of nausea and so on.
“Are you going to do that ultrasound thing?” I ask.
“It’s a bit too early for that. We can do
it next time, if you’d like.” She smiles. “And you should start taking prenatal vitamins as soon as possible. If you want, the pharmacy on site has some you can get on your way out.”
Nate is tapping on his phone.
“What are you doing?” I ask, wondering if something critical at work just popped up. Maybe he should’ve just gone to the office. Or maybe I should’ve just waited until it was convenient for both of us, instead of jumping through Barron’s hoops.
On the other hand, I still haven’t forgotten the man’s bulldozer-like ways or the way he commandeered the Vegas hotel. I had the disadvantage of being thongless, but I have a feeling that having underwear on wouldn’t have made much difference.
“Making notes so we don’t forget anything,” Nate says.
I stifle a laugh. He’s adorably cute. And usually it’s my job to take notes.