I nodded, and she watched me. “We’ve administered the drugs while you were unconscious so you can complete the miscarriage. I’ll need you to take another two tablets soon if nothing happens. You need to deliver. It won’t be long now. The baby will be very small, so some slight discomfort may occur as we wait until everything passes naturally. Do you have someone to call, someone who can be here with you?”
“Is my purse here?”
“No, honey, we didn’t have any way to contact your family.” She paused. “Do you have family?”
“Yeah.” No. Shit, I couldn’t phone my dad. He still didn’t know I was pregnant. No one knew. Fuck. What did she mean I had to deliver?
“I can get you a phone? Or you can write it down, and I can call them?” Susan stood and pulled out a notepad and pen from her pocket.
“No, um, a phone. Please.”
“Okay. I’ll be right back.”
She was as good as her word; she came back with a phone and a clipboard of admission papers. Ignoring them, I took the phone and then waited for her to give me some privacy.
When she was gone, I threw the covers back, and with a gasp, I fell awkwardly out of bed. My head was swimming. Did I have a concussion? The pain in my back was dull and aching, and I didn’t know why. I feltsomething move and cried out as a feeling of wetness coated my thighs, and looking down, I saw the blood run down my legs. Susan must have been right outside the door, because she was beside me within moments. Her hands caught me, and together, we made it to the adjacent bathroom, where she hastily put a bowl over the toilet and urged me to sit down. As I did, she pulled up my gown and started to clean my legs as best as she could. I was aware of the passing, and with care and gentleness, Susan helped me stand as she turned me away from the bowl and handed me wipes to clean myself while she covered the bowl and removed it from the bathroom. She came back almost immediately, and when I had a pair of underwear that were not mine and a pad for my bleeding, I was taken back to bed.
Numbly, I let her put me back into the bed and cover me up.
“That was quicker than I thought,” she said quietly. “Why were you out of bed?”
“I wanted to use the bathroom,” I lied easily. I wasn’t telling her I was trying to get to the window so I could check I was really in Nashville. My trust limits were very, very low at the moment, and my heart was breaking from everything that was happening since I woke up.
“You should have called for me,” she reprimanded gently as she handed me a cup with water. “Drink this.”
“What is it?”
“Quinn, it’s just water. I’m not going to hurt you.”
That’s what they said. I remembered why I was running, and I remembered falling. I remembered screaming as I fell and then nothing.
“Sorry, I’m just disoriented and,”my breath caught, “heartbroken.”
“I know, honey, I know.” She patted my hand and then handed me the phone. “I’ll let you make that call. I won’t lie, I’ll feel better when your fella turns up.”
Well, that would be a trick.
She left me again, but I saw the concerned look in her eyes, and I felt bad for doubting her. I stared at the black handset for too long.
I knew five phone numbers off the top of my head — my dad’s cell, myhome number, and three Santos. A tear fell over as I realized I’d been absently rubbing my hand over my abdomen. Hesitantly, I lifted the phone and dialed my house. Anne, my stepmom, would come, but could I trust her not to tell my dad? I hung up and called the safer option.
“Jett?” The tears flowed heavier. I heard his concern, and I was scared I wouldn’t be able to speak. “I need you, just you. Don’t tell anyone else.”
“Where are you?”
“Nashville Memorial.”
“Why?” He was already moving; I could hear him jogging down the stairs.
“Just come, Jett. I need you.” My voice was choked with tears.
I heard a thud and then the engine of his car starting. “Where are you, emergency?”
Squeezing my eyes tight, I said the word he wasn’t expecting. “Maternity.”
* * *
I sat on the couch in Jett’s room as he watched me, as Gray perched on the corner of his brother’s bed. When they were thinking or scowling, they looked so alike it made me smile. Well, sometimes it made me smile. Not at the moment.
