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Broken arm...
"I won't be able to go to the doctor with you today, Isabella," Justin informed her while they were breakfasting in the dining room the following morning. She would never have admitted it but she had really been relying on having him there that day. She was in her sixteenth week of pregnancy and had been scheduled for a precautionary amniocentesis that day.
Because of her previous miscarriage, her doctor wanted to take no chances. She was a nervous wreck about the procedure and even though she knew the risks of complications were very low, they were still there. Also even though her logical mind told her that her baby would be fine she was still dreading the possible outcome of the test.
Justin had been a rock during her first ultrasound the month before, holding her hand while he listened to the whooshing sound of their baby's heartbeat for the first time and squeezing it tightly when they had caught sight of the fragile fluttering on the black and white monitor. It had been too early to tell the baby's sex but Isabella was confident that it was a boy and had said so. Justin had remained quiet during the entire procedure but he had been a comfort to her.
"Why not?" She asked casually.
"I have to go to Italy next week and I have a lot to finish at the office before I leave," he informed her tightly and she lowered her eyes back to her plate.
"Is your father okay?" She asked softly and he hesitated before responding.
"Yes. My visit is unrelated to any family business," she shut her eyes in pain, suddenly knowing that he was going because of that phone call last night.
"Okay," she nodded, battling to sound nonchalant about it. "It's just... I'm getting the amniocentesis today." He swore quietly beneath his breath.
"I'm sorry, Isabella," he murmured, seeming almost stricken by the news. "I completely forgot."
And that, of course, brought the major problem with their marriage into sharp relief. While she had been worrying about the procedure, stressing about possible complications, terrified of the slight risk of miscarriage it presented and suffering through sleepless nights thinking about the birth or genetic defects the results could reveal, her husband had simply forgotten about the test.
And this just when she had started to rely on him to be there for her. Of course, she would never reveal just how much she had depended on having his solid, stoically silent presence there so she shrugged carelessly.
"I'm sure Lisa will go with me," she nodded firmly and his eyes shone with naked relief.
"That's a great idea..." he nodded enthusiastically. "I'll be at your next appointment. I'll only be gone for a week or so. I'll be back before you know it."
