“I’m fine,”I say for the third time as my family stands around the gurney I’m currently lying on in the emergency room. “This is ridiculous.” I start to sit up because I’m ready to leave, but my mother pushes me back down.
“We’re not leaving until we find out what’s wrong,” she tells me.
“I didn’t eat this morning. It’s no big deal.”
“You’ve never passed out before, Daphne.” Angelo stands near my feet with one hand resting against my leg. “We’re not taking any chances.”
“Come on,” I plead, hoping someone will have some common sense. “Dad dropped a bombshell on us. My body went into shock. It’s seriously no big deal.”
They’re staring at me like I’m a wounded animal, waiting for the moment I kick the bucket. I wonder if this is what it’s like to be old or dying, and I know I’ll hate every moment of it. I think of Carolyn, Angelo’s wife, and the way we sat vigil at her bedside for the last week of her life. I hope we brought her comfort, unlike what my family’s doing to me in this very moment.
“Ms. Gallo,” the doctor says as he pushes aside the cheap yellow curtain that has concealed us from the chaos of the hallways. “I have some test results back.”
“What’s wrong, Doctor? Is she okay?” My mother’s practically in tears, gripping her chest like she’s about to hear news of my impending death.
“Maybe it’s best if your family leaves the room so we can discuss the results in private.”
That is the worst thing the doctor could say.
“Oh. My. God. You’re dying,” my mother cries out and almost throws herself on top of me.
I run my fingers over her red hair, trying to soothe her. “I have no secrets from my family. Go ahead, Doc.”
“First of all, you’re not dying,” he says right away.
Well, that’s a relief. For a minute, I was wondering if he was going to drop some giant bombshell in my lap, turning my entire life upside down. For weeks, I’ve been worried about how my relationship with Leo could end up with one of us dying, but I never thought some crazy-ass disease would take me before that could happen.
“Oh, thank God.” My mother gasps and lifts her head from my chest. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
“Jesus. Everyone needs to calm down.” I pretend like I’m not worried. But to be honest, I was petrified after the doctor came in without a smile. Asking me if I wanted my family to leave meant the news wasn’t going to be something I expected.
“We’re concerned, Daphne,” my father tells me like I’m the one acting crazy.
The entire family is staring at the doctor, waiting to hear what the tests have revealed. “Your blood work came back, and surprise,” he says and finally cracks a smile, probably thinking this will be a happy moment. “You’re pregnant.”
My mouth falls open. “But I just had my period. The test has to be wrong.”
“How long ago?”
“I don’t know. Maybe five weeks.”
“So, you missed a month?” he asks.
“Not really. My periods are never on time.” After a year of tracking my periods, I chucked the calendar in the trash. There was something up with my ovaries, and I was never a regular girl with a twenty-eight-day cycle.
“The blood test doesn’t lie, Ms. Gallo. You are indeed pregnant. We’ll order an ultrasound to make sure the baby is okay since you passed out.”
“I didn’t eat this morning,” I tell him, still thinking he’s yanking my leg.
“You’ll need to be more careful about eating every few hours, and start prenatal vitamins right away. Other than that, you’re completely healthy.”
My world’s rocked. I blink a few times with my mouth still hanging open as the doctor walks into the hallway, leaving us behind.
“You were with the baby daddy last night, weren’t you?” Vinnie says as he pushes against my leg.
I glare at him.
“She was with Michelle,” Angelo says, and I instantly want to punch Vinnie in the gut.
