The woman pays and leaves with a final, curious glance over her shoulder.
Silence fills the shop.
Enya glares at the mess I left behind on the counter, and then at me.
“You’ve been taking florist classes behind my back?”
“YouTube videos,” I admit.
That earns me a genuine smile, then just like that, she puts a hand to her belly.
“What?” I am instantly alert. Something is wrong.
Her shoulders hunch. She’s suddenly gone pale.
She tries to stand, sways. My stomach drops.
“Baby.” My hands are shaking as I hold her up.
Her eyes flutter, unfocused. “I’m fine.”
She is absolutely not fine.
“Sit down.”
“I said I’m—” She doesn’t finish. She fucking collapses.
I catch her before she hits the floor, scooping her up. Her skin is hot. Clammy. She’s breathing, but too fast.
“Enya! Enya, look at me.”
Her eyelids flutter. “Just tired….”
“Fuck this. We’re going to the hospital.” I pick her up and walk out the door. My car is parked on the street, and I manage to beep it open with the keys in my pocket.
Her head lolls against my shoulder. “I don’t want?—”
“Too bad,” I murmur, fear scraping down my spine.
It takes me fifteen interminable minutes to get to the ED at GWU, the George Washington University Hospital.
They take her immediately while I pace the hallway like a criminal waiting for sentencing.
When they finally lead me to her, she’s propped up on the bed, sipping water through a straw. She looks embarrassed and annoyed—and sweeter than ever.
The doctor is harried in the way only ED doctors are, already halfway through his day and mentally three patients ahead. He glances at her chart, then at me.
“Given the fainting episode,” he says briskly, “we’ll do a quick ultrasound. Just to be safe. But we listened to the heartbeat, and we don’t think there’s a problem.”
Enya’s eyes flick to mine. I smile at her, even though my pulse is already hammering. I missed the first ultrasound at twelve weeks. Cass went with her. Enya didn’t tell me—it was still too soon, and I was still paying for what I’d done. So, this is a gift.
“The gel will be cold,” the doctor warns her.
I take her hand in mine as the screen flickers to life.
Then—
A heartbeat.
