by Kimi Flores
Bri stepped away from him, smirking. She looked over her shoulder as she tied her top.
“That look isn’t helping,” he grumbled.
“What if I go to the restroom while you compose yourself? And I’ll meet you in the living room.” She headed toward the door.
“Okay, see you in a few minutes.”
As she walked through the door, closing it behind her, he thought, man, girls have it easy. They can be all over a guy and you’d never know it a second later.
Once he was presentable, Josh smoothed his hand down his shirt as he walked down the hall to the living room, where everyone else seemed to be saying their goodbyes.
“I think we’re going to head out too.” He yawned and stretched for good measure. “It’s a long drive home.” His mom eyed him as if she knew what he and Bri had been up. Bri joined them, looking like nothing had happened. Except now he knew what she was wearing under that innocent outfit.
Yep, time to go.
“Well you don’t be a stranger.” His mom was holding Bri’s cheeks. “Tell my boy he needs to call his mama more often.”
Bri smiled shyly. “I will.”
The women embraced, and Bri stepped out to say goodbye to Alison, when Josh’s mom pulled him aside.
Pointing her finger at his chest, she warned, “Don’t you go tarnishing my trophy room again, you hear?”
Oh shit, what did she hear?
“I’m proud of it and of you,” she said fiercely. “That is one fine lady you’ve got yourself too. Get goin’ and make sure she knows how much you love her.” His mom swatted him on the ass as he turned to walk away.
He frowned, looking back at her. “Seriously, Mama?”
Narrowing her eyes, she pointed her index finger at him. He just chuckled and kissed the top of her head. He’d learned long ago to never challenge his momma.
As quickly as he could, he made his way out of the door, swooping Bri away and into the car.
Settled in, Josh pulled out of the driveway and onto the street. Bringing Bri’s hand to his lips, he asked, “So lemme hear that accent.” A huge smile broke out on his face.
Moving the hem of her skirt up above her tattoo, she leaned forward, exposing just enough of her cleavage. “I don’t know about an accent, but after those kisses, I’m ready to get home and sop you up like gravy with a biscuit.” She winked seductively.
Oh shit.
Josh’s eyes widened. His gaze returned to the road in front him just in time to swerve, avoiding an oncoming car. “Maybe not the best time to say something like that, babe. But you better believe I’ll be taking you up on that offer when we get home.”
Giddy-up.
Bri got up for the fourth time tonight, kneeling over the toilet. She wanted to throw up and relieve her nausea once and for all. She’d been in this same situation too many times to count since she’d first started her period at twelve years old.
In addition to the fibroid in her uterus, three months ago her gynecologist found a cyst. The pain deep on the side of her abdomen confirmed that it hadn’t gone away on its own like she’d hoped.
Bending forward, she held onto her stomach, trying not to wake Josh. He’d already been up with her once.
I can get through this. I’ve done it so many times in the past.
But it had never been this bad before.
A sharp pain cut into her, and a loud whimper escaped. Doubled over in agony, she didn’t realize Josh was standing above her until he picked her up from the floor and carried her to bed.
“What can I do?” He looked at her, helplessness in his eyes.
In between her labored breaths, she got out, “I think I need to go to the emergency room. It hurts too much.” She clutched her stomach, her legs drawn up in fetal position as sobs broke free. This was the worst physical pain she’d ever felt in her life.
“Baby, please don't cry. There's a hospital not too far from here.” He already had one of her loose peasant dresses in his hand, ready to pull over her head. “Sweetie, lemme help you put this on. I can’t take you to the hospital half naked.”
Once she was covered, he threw on his jeans, T-shirt, and shoes. “Can you walk?"
She shook her head. Grabbing his keys from the dresser, he tucked a pair of her flip flops in his back pockets and scooped her up, carrying her down the stairs and into his truck.
He drove like a bat out of hell, running the few red lights on the deserted streets as he dialed Stefen.
“Hello?” Stefen answered groggily over the speakerphone.
Bri didn’t want to worry him too but was glad Josh had thought to call him.
“Bri’s in pain. She thinks it’s a cyst. I’m taking her to the hospital in Solvang. It’s the only one here.”
“Shit, okay I’ll find it,” Bri heard Stefen say. “We’ll be there.”
The line went dead while Bri rocked back and forth, trying not to scream out from the pain. If she had to compare the feeling, she imagined this was what childbirth would feel like, except she wouldn’t get to leave the hospital with a beautiful baby in her arms.
Her lower back began to throb and the top of her thighs felt like they were on fire.
Pulling up to the curb in front of the emergency room, Josh ripped open the door and tried to help her out. "I can't move. I’m in too much pain," she yelped.
"I know, babe. I just can’t get a grip on you. Can you scoot over so I can carry you?” She moved close enough for him to scoop her up, gently carrying her through the lobby until they found a wheelchair. A small crowd started to gather, but Bri tried not to pay attention as he lowered her down.
Josh was starting to panic, seeing how much pain Bri was in. "Excuse me, can you please help?" He looked at the receptionist's shocked face.
"Ohmigosh. Josh Tucker?"
Good, he could use his previous fame to his advantage tonight. "Yes, please help me. My girlfriend is in excruciating pain and needs to be seen away."
She scanned over the empty waiting room. "Um, ok give me a second."
Picking up the phone, she whispered into the receiver, but he couldn't hear what she was saying. In the meantime, Bri was moaning and crying, her eyes clenched shut. It was driving him insane that he couldn't do anything more to help her.
He leaned over and rubbed her arm, kissing her cheek from behind. "I’m so sorry, baby."
"Bring her in over here." The receptionist led him to a door where she entered a code and handed him a clipboard with forms. "Fill this out right away, please."
A nurse approached them as soon as the door opened. "Right over here." She brought them into a private room. "Make sure to fill out those forms so we can see her immediately."
Josh nodded and sat in a chair by the examination bed. He pulled Bri toward him so her body was facing his, but she didn't look up. She was still in fetal position, her head on her knees and her arms hugging her calves.
Josh filled out as much as he could without her help, when a doctor appeared. Standing up, he shook the doctor’s hand, introduced himself, then gave him the forms. "I put down as much as I could."
"Why don't you tell me what happened." The grey haired heavy set doctor asked.
"When we went to sleep, she started to feel nauseous and said she had cramps. I thought she finally fell asleep, but then I heard her crying and found her on the bathroom floor. She also has a fever and said she thinks it’s a cyst since her doctor found one on an ultrasound."
"Okay, let's just take her directly into the ultrasound room, and we’ll take a look."
Josh pushed Bri down a long hallway, making a couple turns as they followed the doctor. When they entered a dimly lit room, Bri was still quietly sobbing and moaning.
"Here’s a gown.” The doctor handed Josh a threadbare hospital gown. “Can you help her get it on?"
He nodded, holding onto the baby blue gown.
"It opens in the back,” the doctor continued. “She can keep her bra on, but everything else needs to
come off. She'll have to lie down on her back." He paused a moment, lowering his glasses to the bridge of his nose. "I normally have a tech do this part, but I understand you’re somewhat of a celebrity, and I’m sure you would appreciate privacy. I'll be back in a minute."
He thanked the doctor and turned his attention back to Bri, squatting down in front of her. "I'm sorry, but I have to help you change." He carefully pushed her forward in the chair, pulling the dress off her. He slipped her arms through the holes in the gown, pulling the thin material over her shoulders and tying the back as good as he could.
Now for the hard part—getting her on that table. Slowly, Josh picked her up again, bringing her onto the table. She cried out loud.
"I’m so sorry," was all he could say. After laying her down, he covered her with the robe and pulled her panties off. He never imagined the next time he’d be undressing her would be in a hospital emergency room.
There was a knock at the door.
"Come in." Josh rubbed Bri's leg and intently stared at her as she continued to whimper.
The doctor entered, a nurse behind him. "I apologize, the procedure is normally painless but probably won’t be this time." He grabbed a large wand attached to a machine and put what looked like a condom and lubricant on it.
What the hell is that?
Catching the look on Josh’s face, he explained, "I need to see what's going on inside of her uterus and ovaries."
Josh sat down to face Bri, grabbing her hand. "It’s going to be okay. Hold my hand."
She finally looked into his eyes, her own filled with tears. "It’s never been this bad before. I’m scared."
He pulled himself closer to her, kissing her forehead. Without saying a word, he hoped she felt his support and his need to comfort her.
With a nurse standing close by, the doctor started to examine her, which brought on a whole new army of cries and tears.
"That's exactly what I thought,” the doctor said with confidence “You had an ovarian cyst rupture. The good news is that you do not have any internal bleeding."
"What does that mean?" Josh was lost. The only girl Josh was raised with was his mom and, besides women telling him about their periods, he was clueless when it came to this other female stuff.
"Let me get her something for the pain first so she can comprehend what I'm saying." The doctor left for a moment and returned with a syringe. After plunging the medication into Bri's hip, he waited a few moments for the meds to kick in then started to explain.
"Ovarian cysts are small sacs filled with fluid. Most don’t really cause too many problems. They just disappear on their own within a few months. However there are some that grow larger and, when they rupture, it’s extremely painful.”
On the edge of his seat, Josh looked at Bri, then the doctor. "Is it dangerous? Will she be okay?"
"She'll be fine.” The doctor nodded. “I'll prescribe some pain medication and antibiotics." He turned to address Bri, who was still facing the ceiling, squeezing her eyes shut. "Even though you aren't far along, it didn't and won’t affect the baby."
Bri’s eyes went wide, and Josh’s attention jerked from her to the doctor. "What baby?"
"Here, see?" The doctor turned the monitor to face them, pointing so they could see the frozen image. There, on the screen, was a small black and white picture of what looked like a tiny peanut.
"You're pregnant?" Josh’s heart pounded in his chest as the room spun around him. Oh shit, am I gonna pass out?
"What?” She looked at him, incredulous. “No, I’m not. I started getting those birth control shots to help with the cysts and my fibroid a few months ago."
The doctor shook his head. "Sorry, I didn't mean to surprise you guys, but it looks like you are about six weeks along."
Josh knew right then and there that it was true. It was exactly six weeks to the day since they'd first slept together in Catalina.
"I can't be pregnant.” Bri was still in shock. “We aren't even married. I'm not that girl." She began hyperventilating.
“Although the shot is a very reliable birth control method, like any other, it isn't completely foolproof. Have you been on any medications like antibiotics lately?"
She shook her head.
The doctor raised his eyebrows. "Have you missed any appointments?”
She shook her head again. "No, I’ve only had the one shot. I’m due for another, but..."
"There could be any number of reasons as to why it wasn’t effective." He turned to Josh with a sympathetic look. "She can get dressed now. Meet my nurse at the nurses’ station so she can give you follow up care instructions. I've placed an order for some antibiotics and pain medication that will be safe for the baby and will be ready in the hospital’s pharmacy shortly. Please call me if you have any questions, and you'll need to follow up with your OBGYN to make sure the antibiotics worked." He nodded a goodbye and left the room.
Bri winced as she sat up and grabbed on to Josh. "How is this possible? I’m not ready to be a mom. I’m not sure I’ll ever be ready. I’m barely getting used to being a live-in girlfriend. Now both at one time? What’re we going to do?"
Raking his fingers through his hair, Josh realized he wasn’t helping by acting so freaked, but he couldn’t hide his nerves. "I’m just as stunned as you are. It’ll be fine.” He let out a breath. “This isn't the way I planned it, but…it will all work out. We’ll be fine.”
She stared at him like he was insane.
Blinking hard, he tried to focus on her. “Really, babe. It’s going to be okay. You’ll be an amazing mother. Look at how much you care about everyone else. Remember what I said about how you are with the special needs kids, with Madison and Max? I trust you.” He swiped her hair away from her eyes. “You look exhausted, let’s get you home and in a warm bath. That’ll help the pain meds relax you."
She attempted to scoot to the end of the bed unsuccessfully. "Most men would be ready to bail when they hear their girlfriend just got knocked up."
“Bri, this is my baby too. I’m still a little shocked but you and I made a little person.” It started to sink in. Wow, we made a baby. How crazy yet incredible.
She struggled to get down when he lifted her off of the table and into the wheelchair. "Can I help you with your dress?"
“I think that’s how we got into this situation in the first place.” She giggled, then winced.
“There she is, my snarky girl.” He kissed her on the neck.
Bri sighed. Those pain meds must’ve really been kicking in. “Yeah, that’s definitely how we got into this. Wait, I need to get dressed.” She lifted her hip showing that the gown was not fully wrapped around her. “My bare ass is almost touching the seat. It doesn’t have paper like the table. Gross.”
He knelt down, helping her into her panties, then let her finish the job. “Did I tell you how much I liked those?”
“Yes, you did.” She grinned sleepily. “Multiple times. Now hand me my dress please.” She took off the gown and held the balled up material up to her chest.
His eyes couldn’t help but land on her small tummy. Our baby is in there. Before she had a chance to pull the dress completely over her, he leaned in kissing her belly.
Smiling, Bri placed her hand on his cheek and mouthed the words, I love you. He slipped her flip flops on her feet, got up and made sure she was completely covered before he started to wheel her out of the room to the nurses’ station.
“Well, we came in here as a couple and we’re leaving as a family. What do you think about that, mommy?” he asked, a proud glow to his face.
“As scared shitless as I am about screwing up another human’s life, I’m also very thankful that you will be by my side. I’m a very blessed woman, daddy.” She exhaled with a smile.
Once they had the follow-up instructions, they were ready to head toward the pharmacy, when the nurse stopped them. “Hold on. Here are the ultrasound pictures.” She handed the thin pieces of photo paper to Bri.
/> Josh still couldn’t make out much, but he did see that tiny lima bean in the center. He bent down and kissed the top of her head as she stared at the photos. The moment they entered the waiting room, Stefen, Caleb, and Leah shot out of their seats. Josh cringed. He’d forgotten he’d even called Stefen. Just when these guys started to accept me, they’re gonna find out I’m the bastard that knocked up their girl. Fantastic.
Stefen squatted down in front of Bri. “Are you okay? Did the doctor say what’s wrong?”
Nodding, Bri blinked quickly. “Yeah. It was the cysts again, but I’m better. The doctor gave me some pain medication.”
