Until November

Chapter 7

Jocelyn 

Whew and a Thank God. Last week I would have been all for this. First come the nurses, then the doctors, and the questions, the tests. I am moved from the ER to the maternity floor. A loose hospital gown covers my body. A thick band held together by Velcro is wrapped around my belly, the fetal monitor. All of the quick movements and fast-talking aside, I'm given the news.

False alarm.

"You scared me," I chastise my belly, my stress level ramped up to a 10. Leona's right. Ben and I came too close. We need a plan. He went to the waiting room after I was checked in but that was a while ago. I didn't protest because that would pile on a new level of weird. Maybe he left the hospital.

A woman's voice carries into the room. "She's in here..." The door closes. There's fumbling and the curtain opens.

No. He didn't leave. Ben's here. Right here, his gaze sweeping over me. "Hey."

Anxiety shoots through my center whisking my blood pressure along for the ride. His appearance relieves none of the stress knotting in my stomach. "I thought you would have gone to the hotel."

He ignores my assuming and checks out the monitors with his studious eyes, giving me a chance to accept the perfection of the way he wears a suit. The tense plane of his jaw leaves my hand wanting to see if any part of him is soft. He comes to the side of the bed. He's so near, so focused on me, I blush beneath his intense gaze. "How are you?" he asks, never leaving my gaze.

I'm at a loss for what to say. "You didn't have to stay."

That sharp gaze of his drags down my face, my shoulder, and pauses at my stomach. "You're my ride home."

Laughter breaks through my lips. My head lolls against the pillow. "You might be here for a while then." I can't believe he had to bury his brother and Hannah today. I can't believe any of this is happening. "I'm sorry about your brother. And Hannah."

"Thank you." His exhale is long. He rubs his temple. A flicker of mourning is in his eyes. "Any word on if you're going to have the baby today?"

"Not today, from what I've heard."

He breathes a sigh of relief.

The door opens and voices cut us off. The curtain is pushed back and an army of five enter wearing white coats and faces without expressions. It's the residents, they've been tagging along through every test. There goes my privacy.

But oh do the doctor's eyes light up like a live wire at the sight of Ben. "Well, well, well. Mr. Ryan," he says, extending his hand with a smile. It's the most I've seen all of these doctors smile combined. "Truly a pleasure. A huge fan. I'm Doctor Sheer."

Ben forces a smile. Not that I know his smiles. I am becoming fluent in his scowls though. "Great to meet you." Ben drops his hand and the doctor continues with his athlete crush.

"My wife and I saw you play at the Ruby Open in St. Andrews a few years ago. Impressive. Of course, my golf handicap isn't anything to brag about. I'm not you."

"No, you're not." A note of satisfaction is thick in Ben's voice.

Doctor Sheer is unaffected by Ben's jab. "I must say, that hit at the PGA tour? Second to last." He shakes his head as if he's hatched a modern miracle.

He shows no signs of turning his attention to the actual patient. "Ahem." I clear my throat, getting his notice. "Can you tell me what's going on?"

Doctor Sheer walks over, though I have a feeling he's disinterested in the situation in my oversized belly. "Good news, Jocelyn, the baby is fine. She's healthy."