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I huff out a laugh. “You didn’t get yourself pregnant.”
“No. I know. I just…it wasn’t supposed to be this way. I already have one man tied to me because of a pregnancy, and now I’ve done it all over again. I swear I’m not looking for anything. I won’t stop you from being a part of their life, but I won’t force you to be a part of it either. They deserve better than that.”
I bend down as the door closes behind the sonographer and kiss her forehead. “We’re in this together, Emma. Whatever that might look like. I’m not going anywhere.” I pull back and cup her jaw. She doesn’t look like she believes me, but she bites her tongue. “Can I get you anything? Something to eat or drink, maybe?”
She sighs, looking at the cannula in her elbow. “It’s gonna sound stupid, but I’m scared to eat.”
“I get it. But you know you have to try.”
“I know.”
“Let me make a call, see what I can get brought in. If you have to eat hospital food, it might traumatize you for life.”
She offers me a wry smile but nods. “Okay, and maybe some ginger beer. The non-alcoholic kind, obviously.”
“Got it. I’ll be right back. Will you be okay on your own for a few minutes?”
She manages to look both amused and offended. “I’m used to being alone.” That is all she says, and there is no condemnation in it. It’s just the truth.
“Well, you’re not alone anymore.”
She doesn’t look convinced, but that’s okay. I have plenty of time to prove her wrong. But first, I need to make a few calls.
I squeeze her hand. “I’ll be back. Is there anyone you want me to call for you?”
“No, that’s okay.”
I look at her. “What about those women from Shooters?”
“They’re busy, and I’m not sure they’d be happy to see you, given what happened when we tried to track you down.”
“Fuck.” I think of both women. “Jessie was the one who hit Tash?”
Her face hardens when I mention Tash. “She hurt me. Jessie was just protecting me. You’re lucky she didn’t rip the ratty hair extensions out of your girlfriend’s head.”
“Tash is not my girlfriend.”
“Yeah? Well, someone needs to tell Tash that because I’m not sure she got the memo.”
“I’ve spoken to her, but I’ll speak to her again.”
She rolls her eyes and looks away.
“You don’t know me, so I’ll let it go for now. But when I tell you I’ll do something, I mean it.”
“Like being beside me when I wake up?”
“Fuck! I didn’t leave, obviously. I just stepped outside to make a call, so I didn’t wake you. I wanted to make sure the bar was covered because I’m staying right here.”
“Wait? What do you mean by ‘the bar was covered’? I thought you played gigs there. Are you a bartender too? And none of them could have just told me that when I was asking after you?”
“You’re not the first woman to come in looking for me. You’re not even the first to come in saying she’s pregnant with my baby.”
She recoils as if I slapped her.
“Shit, that wasn’t what I meant. I believe you, that was never in doubt. Not for me. I’m just explaining why the others might have reacted badly. None of them has spent a minute with you. If they had, they’d know you would never lie about something like this.”
She shrinks in on herself, looking unsure, but I have no clue what else I can say to reassure her. I decide to give her a minute or two of breathing room while I make my calls.
