He sits across from me and clears his throat. “I’m going to take a half-day tomorrow,” he mentions casually. “I can drive you to work on my way there and pick you up after.”
Ben knows I have to park in the employee garage, which is a couple of blocks from the hospital. There are no shuttles to the building, and it’s about a ten-minute walk to get to my unit. If he drops me off in front of the building, it will cut down my commute by seven minutes.
Every minute counts, and I’m not too proud to accept the help.
“I’ll take you to your appointment on Monday,” Ben continues. He’s been to almost all of my doctor’s appointments so far.
“You don’t have to?—”
“I want to go.” His tone holds no room for argument.
“Okay,” I say meekly, though inside, I’m preening at his attention.
As someone who has been independent for so long, it’s nice to feel taken care of for once.
38
ben
Itook the day off today to take Emily to her appointment. She’s a stubborn woman, and she’s not used to being taken care of. My jaw clenches at the thought of her being alone for so many important things in her life. I’ll make sure she will never be alone ever again.
Last weekend, I dropped her off at the main entrance of the hospital where she works. I barely restrained myself from getting out, scooping her up, and shoving her back in the car. I clenched the steering wheel so tight I thought it would break apart beneath my tight grip. It pained me to see her in so much distress. She tries to put on a brave front, but I can tell by the strain on her face that each step hurts her.
I only agreed to her going to work because I knew she wouldn’t appreciate being told what to do. She needs to decide for herself what she is capable of doing. I’ve learned this about her over the short time we’ve been together.
She possesses a radiant spirit and a generous heart. She protects herself and keeps people at a distance. I’ve managed to penetrate her defenses and into her heart. It’s a place I have no plans of leaving. I would be a fool to let a woman like her go.
I’m so incredibly blessed; the feeling of being worthy of her love and attention is beyond words. Every shared moment is a testament to her affection and trust. Our child will undoubtedly be raised in a home filled with love and care; I know this without a shadow of a doubt.
Now that I know what being in love feels like, I can’t believe I ever tried to fool myself into believing Melissa and I were ever in love. We were friendly acquaintances who jumped into a relationship with no genuine connection. I never once felt my heart stop beating when she looked at me. Or felt the fire burning in my veins with the need to touch and consume her. The urge to be inside both her mind and body is overwhelming. I want to wrap myself around her heart and soul so we can never be separated.
Dr. Freedman’s entrance interrupts my thoughts as she enters the exam room. She’s an older woman who Emily and I have seen once before. Dr. Freedman has a team of rotating doctors so that Emily and I can meet everyone since we won’t know who will be on-call when she goes into labor.
I get up and offer my hand to Dr. Freedman, which she takes firmly before turning her attention to Emily, who is seated in the chair and not on the exam table. I know it’s because it hurts her too much to step up onto the stool. Since today’s visit doesn’t involve her needing to undress, she settles into the closest chair to the door.
“Hi, Emily. How are you?” Dr. Freedman asks softly.
I grab hold of Emily’s hand and squeeze it reassuringly. I see her take in a deep breath before she tells Dr. Freedman what has been going on. She details her symptoms and summarizes the research she’s been doing. I’m watching Dr. Freedman closely for any reaction, but the woman does not show any emotion on her face. I’m sure it has to do with her line of work.
“I’m having a lot of problems with working,” Emily admits begrudgingly.
“What is it that you do for work?” Dr. Freedman asks gently.
“I’m a nurse and work in the trauma ICU.”
Dr. Freedman nods in understanding. “Busy unit, I assume?” She doesn’t wait for Emily to answer before stating with finality, “Emily, I’m placing you on bed rest until delivery. Unfortunately, your symptoms will only worsen the closer we get to when the baby arrives. The stress on your body and gestational diabetes might speed up the due date.”
Emily sits in stunned silence. I’m not sure if she had expected this outcome, but I’m relieved to hear that she won’t have to put herself in any unnecessary situations that cause her pain.
I clear my throat and ask some follow-up questions about what that might mean for Emily. Dr. Freedman suggests physical therapy and some safe pain relievers, though the most important thing is to rest.
Dr. Freedman turns to Emily and tells her she’ll need to have some paperwork completed to take her out of work. Emily nods along, but I know she’s still processing the news.
I guide her out of the office, and we grab lunch nearby. She’s still quiet, and I watch her closely. After a few moments, she finally looks up from her salad and looks at me. She gives me a wane smile, and I reach across the table to hold her hand.
“I think we’ll be okay,” she finally says.
I nod in agreement because how can it not be?
