Page 175 of Stanton Unconditional

CHAPTER 26

Joshua

I wake to the sound of smashing glass. I sit up in a rush and flick the lamp on. Natasha isn’t in bed and I immediately jump up and run out into the living room.

“Natasha,” I call in a panic.

“In here, baby, I’m okay,” she calls from the bathroom. Relief hits me, thank God. I go to the bathroom and find that she is anything but okay. She is on the floor on her knees throwing up and her hands are shaking heavily as she tries to hold herself up.

I drop to my knees next to her. “What’s the matter?” I ask as I brush her hair back from her perspiration-clad forehead. “Migraine,” she whispers. “Can you get me my phone, please?”

I nod and run from the room. I don’t know anything about migraines. “Where is it?” I call in a panic from the bedroom.

“In the closet in my handbag,” she replies.

I run into the closet and flick on the light as my eyes dart around the small space. I’m getting her a new closet on Monday. This is ridiculous. Shit, there are about ten hand- bags all hanging from a shelf. “Which one?” I call but she doesn’t answer. “Natasha, which bag?” She doesn’t answer again, and I sprint back to the bathroom to find her throwing up again.

“What do you want me to do?” I ask.

She continues to throw up violently and I run my hands nervously through my hair.

“Max,” she whispers.

I screw up my face. “Huh?”

“Call Max,” she groans.

My eyes widen as she throws up again, she’s going to die any minute. I sprint to the bedroom and grab my phone off the bedside and dial Max’s number.

“Hello,” he answers.

“Max, get up here, Natasha has a migraine and I don’t know what to do.”

“I will call her doctor,” he answers calmly.

“Do you have the number?” I snap.

“Yes, this happens a lot.”

My eyes widen in horror, a lot…what does that mean? “Okay.” I hang up.

I run back to the bathroom to find Natasha holding her head and crying as her hands shake violently. What the hell is going on? I fall to the floor next to her and cut my hand on a piece of broken glass on the floor. “Shit,” I snap.

“I broke a glass. I’m sorry,” she whispers.

“Tash, you’re scaring me. What’s happening?” I pull her onto my lap and hold her head as she cries.

“The doctor will be here soon,” she sobs in a calming voice as if sensing my fear. What if she is having an aneurysm?

“It’s ok, I’m ok,” she whispers as she comforts me. “I’m ok, baby, go and unlock the door.”

I nod and ease her down onto the ground beside me and unlock the door. Max is waiting outside.

“Where is she?” he asks.

“In the bathroom,” I answer as I run back up the hall towards her.

Max goes to the kitchen and gets a large dish from the cupboard and goes and puts it in the bedroom before coming into the bathroom.