“I don’t know. I’m sure they’ll tell you now that you’re awake. Maybe you weren’t taking very good care of yourself. You and Doc work flat-out sometimes. Have you been eating right?”
“My stomach has been a little touchy lately so I haven’t been eating as much. But I swear I’ve been mostly fine until now.”
She shrugs but there’s a sly look in her eyes. “Well, I know when I was like that, I ended up like this!” She pats her big belly happily. “But I know that’s not the case with you.”
It’s like ice water thrown over me and the goosebumps dance up my spine. “Oh shit,” I whisper, paling. I’m late. At least a week. And I’m always like clockwork.
Spring studies me and her mouth drops open, shocked. “Are you telling me you might be…”.
I shake my head, feeling tears prick my eyes. No way! No! I’m on the pill and I take them every day on time. There’s just no way.
“Who? When? How?” Spring babbles.
But the doctor walks in the door. “Hello, Poppy! I see you’re finally awake. Good, good. Glad to see you feeling better. But you as a nurse should know better than to let yourself get run down like this when you’re pregnant,” he scolds.
My eyes water and I feel a sob rise up. His eyes widen. “You didn’t know? I’m sorry. Since you’re a nurse I thought you knew.”
Tears well up and I close my eyes, not wanting to face this future right now.
He sighs. “I’m sorry. Apparently this wasn’t a planned pregnancy. If you need anything just let us know. Would you like me to get you a counselor to talk to?”
“No.” I whisper. “I just want to go home.”
He nods, checking the charts. “I’d like to keep you another day or so. Just to make sure that the new meds we put you on to settle your stomach are working and you’re able to eat relatively normally.”
“Fine.” I cover my eyes with my arm and he silently leaves, patting my hand sympathetically.
As soon as he’s out of the room, Spring jumps up and hugs me. “Oh, Poppy. I’m so sorry. Who is it? I’ll kick their ass! Or I’ll make Clay arrest them!” I rest my head on her shoulder, letting myself feel what I’m feeling. Tense, scared. Just shocked. But I need to get it together.
I choke on a sob and eye her like she’s a crazy person. “For what?” I croak. “I participated. It’s my body. I’m the one that has to make a decision. Several decisions.”
“D-do you know what you’re going to do?”
I nod, wiping my eyes. “I’m keeping this baby. And I’m going to have to move. I’ll find another job somewhere and get situated and then I’ll have you come visit me. But I need to start over somewhere new.”
Somewhere where Dr. Knight has no idea that he fathered a baby. Because I can’t deal with him right now.
I just need to get myself straightened out and take care of myself and my baby.
He’s made it perfectly clear that he doesn’t want a relationship with someone. I have to think that includes a baby and a baby mama.
Spring studies me and then asks carefully. “Can you tell me who it was and why you’re running?”
“I’m not running.” I shake my head. “I just know how he feels about entanglements. He’s made it very clear. So I’m on my own here. But I’ll be fine.”
I clench my jaw and then smile wearily at my friend. “I can’t work with Dr. Knight anymore so I guess I’ll have to work quick.”
She nods but I can see the glint in her eyes that tells me she knows. But she doesn’t ask. “I know some people. I bet I can get you a job close by but not too close. Close enough that I can visit you.”
I nod, picking at the coverlet. “Thanks. I’d appreciate that.” I clear my throat. “You won’t tell anyone will you?”
She shakes her head.
“Good. I don’t want to talk to him about this.”
“You really should talk to him. He might be more amenable to this than you think.”
I shake my head sadly, a wry smile curling my lips. “No, that’s the last thing he would be.”