“I’m Dr. Howard. When you were brought in, you were unconscious. We ran some tests.” He stopped and finally looked me in the eye. “Did you know you were pregnant?”
“Yes, nine weeks,” I confirmed. King held my hand tight.
“We don’t have a doctor listed. Were you planning on seeing one?”
His question threw me for a loop. “Of course,” I insisted.
“Can you tell me why you haven’t yet?”
“Because they said it was too early. I had an appointment in two weeks.”
“Well, maybe if you had advocated for your health, you wouldn’t be here.”
“What the fuck did you just say?” King growled out. He tried to release my hand, but I held his tight in mine.
“Prenatal care is very important.”
“And she just told you she had an appointment. Are you blaming her?”
“Mr. Peterson, please,” the doctor stammered.
“My name is O’Rourke. Not Peterson.”
“I see,” the doctor said. “Would that appointment happen to be at an abortion clinic?”
“You motherfucker!”
“King, please,” I begged, holding on to his hand as tight as I could. He turned to look at me and his angry eyes softened. “Please,” I repeated.
He sat on the bed beside me and put his arms around me. I didn’t want to be alone right now and if he hit the doctor, he’d be in jail. I wasn’t sure even his brother could get him out of that kind of assault.
“Go get another fucking doctor, right now.”
“I am the physician who treated Mrs. Peterson.”
“I don’t give a fuck if God himself gave you that diploma. Get another doctor, now!” His voice got lower with every word, and the doctor huffed before walking out.
A few minutes later, another doctor walked in.
“Hello, Mrs. Peterson. My name is Dr. Adams. I am so terribly sorry for your loss.”
I didn’t say thank you.
I didn’t say anything.
I laid there wrapped in King’s arms, safe against his chest.
It should have been Jude sitting here with me. Except, I shouldn’t be sitting here at all. I should be at home, making dinner, waiting for Jude to come home.
But he wasn’t coming home.
Ever again.
“Dr. Howard said you asked for another doctor?”
“Yes,” King confirmed.
“Can I ask why?”
