“Jason!” she exclaimed, opening the front door and motioning for him to come in.
“Hi, Lila,” he said pleasantly, opting to stay on the front porch. “I was hoping you’d like to go on a drive with me.”
“Sure,” she said, smiling brightly. “Let me grab my purse and jacket.” She turned to get both off the rack behind the door. “I knew you’d come around eventually,” she said as she closed and locked her door. “I’m so happy!”
Jason nodded and led the way to his truck. Even though she didn’t deserve it, he opened the truck door for her and helped her up inside. It made his skin crawl, but he would do what he had to in order to get her cooperation.
“Where are we going?” Lila asked.
“I thought we could get some lunch, drive around, and talk. Make some plans about our future.”
“Oh, Jason! I’m so glad you’ve come to your senses,” Lila gushed, caressing his arm.
Jason faked a bright smile. “I’ve done some thinking the past few days, and I came to the conclusion that you’re probably right. She obviously doesn’t love me; otherwise, why would she leave without letting me explain myself? Right? And then I thought, well, Lila’s into me and she’s right here in Mosquero. Why not give this a chance?”
Lila clasped Jason’s free hand in her own and squeezed.
“Where would you like to go to lunch?” Jason asked.
“Let’s go crazy and go somewhere special to celebrate,” Lila said. “Do you have to be back anytime soon?”
“Nope.”
“Let’s go to Tucumcari. There are some fabulous restaurants there.”
“Great idea, I was hoping you’d want that,” Jason smiled shyly. “I made a reservation at Connor’s Seafood.”
“You didn’t!” Lila screeched. “That’s my favorite!”
“I know,” Jason grinned. “Why do you think I chose it?”
“How did you even know?”
“I have my ways.”
“You’re so sweet!”
Jason settled into silence while Lila chatted on, making plans for them and building a future Jason knew would never come to fruition. He responded when warranted and let her dig her own grave on the two-hour drive to the restaurant.
After lunch, that’s when the fun would begin. He had plans to take her to the OB/GYN office down the street from Connor’s and strongly suggest she take a pregnancy test. He’d make sure to put it across to her as if he was concerned for her health and the health of the baby and how good prenatal care shouldn’t be avoided. He hoped the lunch, plus the concern, would be enough to get her to agree.
Then, once they knew the results, he’d be able to move on to the next phase. Either cutting her off or somehow getting a DNA test. He hoped and prayed it didn’t come to that because he knew that would be harder to accomplish than a simple pregnancy test.
When they pulled into the restaurant parking lot, Jason continued his chivalry and opened the truck door, holding her hand all the way into the restaurant. He gave his name to the hostess, and she seated them right away at a table by the window.
She handed them their menus and told them their server would be right with them.
“I was so busy cleaning my house and doing laundry this morning that I forgot to eat breakfast. I just realized how famished I am!” Lila said.
“Mmm,” Jason acknowledged, trying to figure out what would be the least likely to cause him heartburn or nausea. Maybe a meal wasn’t the best idea when his stomach was churning with nerves.
“Oh, I think I’ll get the salmon salad and a cup of chowder,” Lila said, closing her menu. “What looks good to you?”
“I can’t decide. It all sounds good.”
“I know what you mean. I bet you were up with the sun and have already worked a full day,” Lila said soothingly. “You should get the steak and lobster platter and put back some of those calories you burned off this morning.”
Jason nodded, but the thought of so much food made his stomach churn even more. If he didn’t order and eat it, Lila would know something was up. And he wasn’t sure he could pull off the “I’m just nervous” act to explain his not eating.
“It’s a good idea, but I think I’m more in the mood for some pasta. It’s been a while since I had a meal of carbs.”
When the server returned, Lila put in her order and, to Jason’s surprise, ordered a glass of white wine.
“Just one to celebrate.” Lila winked.
Jason nodded and ordered the seafood pasta, thinking it would have the least effect on his churning stomach, and also requested a glass of wine.
The server brought them their wine and a basket of dinner rolls. Jason raised his glass. “To our future happiness,” he said, tapping Lila’s glass.
“To us!” Lila corrected. “Finally!” she said as she took a sip of her wine.
The food was delicious; Jason couldn’t fault them that. But the service was exceedingly slow. At least, it seemed that way to him. He was about to get up and pretend to use the restroom just so he could talk to the manager about it, but realized if he did, the server or manager might make a special trip to their table and mention it. Plus, he was supposed to be here celebrating with Lila, and she’d be plenty suspicious if he complained. The waiting was driving him nuts though, and when the bill was finally paid, it took all his willpower to let Lila decide when it was time to leave.
“Will you do something for me?” Jason asked, once they were driving out of the parking lot.
“Of course, my love. Anything for you!”
“I have a friend here in town, he’s an OB. I don’t know who you’ve been seeing, but Mosquero is tiny and Doc Martin is old. I’m concerned for your health and the health of our baby. Would you mind if we popped in to see him?” Jason clasped her hand and squeezed. “I worry and I want this to work out. Do you mind? It shouldn’t take long.”
“I doubt we can just walk in to see him,” Lila hedged.
“He’s a good friend of mine from college. I bet he’d make an exception for me.”
Jason could see the wheels in her head turning, trying to figure out whether he was sincere and if there was a way out of this for her. He had a moment of panic when it looked like she was going to decline, but then he saw her face clear as if she didn’t think he was trying to trick her and that she didn’t have anything to lose.
“Well, I guess we can try. I don’t want you to worry and have our afternoon of celebrating ruined.”
Jason smiled. “Thanks, Lila.”
He drove down the street and, after four blocks, pulled into a parking lot behind a tall brick building. Still pretending to care, he went around to the other side of the truck and helped her down. His hand on the small of her back, he guided her through the doors, across the lobby, and to the elevators.
Jason gave his name to the receptionist and joined Lila in the waiting area. He looked around at all the women in the room, most of them pregnant, and wondered how many more of these visits he’d have to make with her. He hoped this was the first and last.
When their name was called, they followed a nurse back to an exam room. She took Lila to the restroom for a urine sample and stopped at the scale on the way back for a current weight. When Lila entered the room, the nurse took her blood pressure and temperature and then asked Lila a bunch of questions relating to her last menstrual cycle and her current symptoms.
Other than feeling slightly nauseous in the morning and being tired throughout the day, Lila said she felt great most of the time.
The nurse wished them congratulations and left, indicating the doctor would be in soon.
Five minutes later, a knock on the door alerted them to the doctor’s presence, and Jason bid him enter.
“Jason! So good to see you,” the doctor greeted, holding out his hand.
“Tim, man it’s been a while! How’s it going?” Jason asked, returning the hand shake.
“Good, good. Getting set up here and loving life. Livi
ng the dream, you know?”
Jason nodded, smiling. “Tim, this is Lila. Lila, my friend Tim from college.”
Tim shook Lila’s hand. “Nice to meet you, Lila.”
Thankfully, Jason had had the insight to call Tim ahead of time—not only to set up this appointment but also to tell him the situation. It would have been awkward if Tim had come in expecting Emily and found Lila.
Tim put Lila’s chart on the counter and sat down on the stool. He quickly opened the chart and scanned through the information the nurse had gathered, along with the urine sample results. His brow furrowed, he turned to Lila.
“Lila, when did you say your last cycle was?”
“September first,” she answered.
“Hm. That would put you at around ten or eleven weeks right now, but the urine sample is negative.” Tim stood up and walked over to the examining table. “Lie back, let me do an external exam.”
Lila did as she was bid, raising her shirt. Tim palpated her stomach and shook his head.
“I’m not feeling your uterus, and I should be at this point. Would you mind if I did an internal exam?”
Lila glanced at Jason. “I’m scared.” She pouted. “Did I lose the baby?”
Jason stood and took the three steps necessary to get to her side. He clasped her hand and gave it a quick squeeze. “There’s only one way to find out,” he said. “Let Tim examine you and we’ll get to the bottom of it.”
Lila sighed and nodded.
Tim pushed the button for the nurse. “I need to do an examination on her. Please help her get ready.” Turning to them, he pointed at the door. “I’ll be back in a moment.”
The nurse removed a gown from under the exam table and explained to Lila that she would need to remove all her clothes. Jason followed the nurse out of the room while Lila changed, and Tim was there waiting.
“She’s not pregnant,” Tim confirmed. “It’s as you suspected. I’ll do an ultrasound on her, but I already know what I won’t find.”
Jason’s eyes lit with a burning rage. “I knew it,” he said, clenching his fists. “Wouldn’t she be showing at this point, anyway?”
“Not necessarily, every woman’s body is different. Some don’t start showing until their sixth month. If Lila were pregnant, she’d still be in the first trimester, and other than feeling tired and sick, most women aren’t showing yet. Especially first-time moms.”
Jason nodded. “Is it time to go back in?”
Tim nodded and motioned for the nurse to follow with the ultrasound machine. He opened the door and walked inside, followed by Jason and the nurse.
Jason took up his spot next to Lila and reached for her hand. The nurse hooked up the machine and then retrieved a sheet from under the table. She draped it across Lila’s belly and legs and then lifted the gown to expose Lila’s belly.
“Rather than go through the discomfort of an internal exam, I’m just going to do an ultrasound,” Tim explained. “That will tell us all we need to know.”
“Um, okay,” Lila said uncertainly.
Tim squeezed the jelly on her abdomen and picked up the wand, rubbing it through the jelly.
“Ow!” Lila said, flinching.
“I’m sorry. I’m not seeing anything here.”
“What do you mean?” Jason asked.
“I mean, I don’t see a baby,” he explained, wiping the jelly from the wand and putting it away. He turned to Lila. “Not even any evidence of a recently miscarried baby.”
Lila sighed and rolled her eyes. She used the sheet to wipe the jelly off her abdomen and sat up.
“You’re clearly not pregnant.” Jason flung her hand away from him. “I knew you were playing me from the beginning, Lila. I knew I was too drunk to have done anything with you. And there,” he said, pointing at the machine, “is my proof. You’re not pregnant, you never were pregnant, and now this little game of yours can be finished.”
Lila turned stricken eyes on Jason. “But what about us?”
“There was no us,” he explained. “There was just me, trying to get to the bottom of this farce you’ve created.”
“But, Jason, you said you cared and wanted us to work.”
Jason shook his head. “Everything I said was to get you to agree to come here so I could prove you were lying.”
Realization finally setting in, Lila glared at Jason. “You bastard!”
Shrugging, Jason turned from her. He reached out his hand to Tim. “Thank you, Tim. I really appreciate you fitting us in.”
“What?!?!” Lila shrieked. “You set this up?”
Grinning, Jason turned to her. “Of course. The whole day was a setup, Lila.”
Lila launched herself at Jason, fingers curled to claws as she raked them down his face. Tim circled his arms around her waist and pulled her off Jason.
Jason touched a finger to his cheek and saw blood on his finger when he looked at it. Nodding, he sighed and cast a pitying glance in Lila’s direction. “Ah, there’s the Lila we all know and despise.”
Tim and the nurse opened the door to the exam room, and Jason followed them out only to stop quick and pop his head back in. “Tim and I are going for a drink. Find your own way home.” With that he quickly shut the door and laughed when he heard something land against it.
Jason followed Tim to his office and sat down heavily in the chair. “Thanks, man, I owe you.”
Tim shook his head. “Nah, I’m happy to help.” He reached inside his desk drawer and pulled out a bottle of Scotch and two glasses.
“I thought that only happened in movies.” Jason grinned, indicating the hidden booze. He toasted Tim with his glass before throwing the contents back. It burned its way down his throat, but Jason was glad for it. He needed it and as the Scotch warmed his stomach, a feeling of freedom exploded within him. He was so damned happy the situation with Lila was over.
Tim poured them each another glass, and sitting back against his chair, he studied Jason. “So, what are you going to do about Emily now?”
“I’m going to do my best to get her back.”
“How?”
“No idea. But this should help,” Jason said, raising the glass.
The nurse came in with cleaning supplies and sat down next to Jason.
Jason shook his head. “I’m all right.”
“Let her clean them up. Who knows what kind of poison she has under her nails.” Tim laughed.
“Good point,” Jason acknowledged and tilted his head so she had better access to clean the wounds.
Forty-five minutes later, Jason practically skipped out of the office building to his truck. Slamming the door shut, he rolled down the windows to get rid of Lila’s perfumey smell that had been trapped in there all day.
Relief flowed through him along with a new sense of purpose. He’d conquered one battle. But he still had the war to get through. It was time for him to finalize his plan of attack to win the love of his life back.
Chapter Ten
Two weeks later
Emily was beginning to wonder if Sadie would ever make an appearance. She was two days late and exhausted. Stepping from the shower onto the cold tile floor, she reached for her towel when she felt a trickle of something running down her legs. “Grace? Unless I just peed myself, I think we’d better head to the hospital!” As soon as the last word was out of her mouth, a flood erupted from her body, creating a puddle around her freshly showered feet.
“Okay, darling, stay calm,” Grace soothed, rushing into the bathroom. “First babies usually take their time,” Grace explained, guiding Emily into the bedroom.
“It couldn’t have happened just thirty seconds earlier while I was still standing in the shower?” Emily asked as she started to pull on her clothes.
“Where’s your Go Bag?”
“In the closet. My phone and charger are here, and my purse should be in the foyer.” Emily pulled her hair into a bun and waddled out to the living room. “Do you feel comfortable to drive or should I call a
taxi?”
“Let’s call a taxi so I can focus on you during the ride.”
“Sounds good to me. Ready?” Emily asked.
“As we’ll ever be,” Grace grinned.
At the hospital, they were first seen by a doctor who didn’t seem older than a teenager to Emily.
“You’re only three centimeters dilated so far,” the young doctor announced.
When Dr. Robbins finally arrived, an hour later——thanks to another baby who decided to show up four weeks early—she did her own exam. “You’re still at three centimeters, Emily. I think it might be a long night.” She smiled.
“Are there any concerns about the preeclampsia?” Emily asked, twisting the blankets in her fingers.
“Yes. We want to keep you safe, which is why we’ve got the blood pressure cuff on to automatically check your numbers. And the fetal monitor will tell us if Baby Girl is under any stress.”
“Can I get up and walk around once the pains start?”
“I’d rather you didn’t. I don’t want another excuse for your blood pressure to go up.”
When Dr. Robbins slipped out, Emily rested her head against the pillows and closed her eyes. There was no pain yet, and she figured she’d better get some rest now.
Grace walked over and placed a cool cloth on Emily’s forehead. Emily smiled and reached for Grace’s hand. “I love you, Mama G.”
Just then, pain, unlike anything she’d ever known, ripped across her stomach. Gasping for air and clutching the blankets, she panicked. Alarms started to sound, the noise doing little to calm Emily down.
Grace shot to her feet and grabbed Emily’s hand. “Breathe, Emily. In through your nose and out through your mouth.”
Emily sucked in air and let out a whimper as the contraction subsided.
The nurse barged into the room. “What’s going on?”
“I think Emily had her first real contraction,” Grace told the nurse.
The nurse took Emily’s vitals, checked the printout on the fetal monitor, and set the blood pressure cuff to start. Three seconds after the cuff started to constrict, another contraction ripped across Emily’s stomach.
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