Kindred Spirits

Part 19

"Wait. Wait. Wait." Stevie's mind blanked as her hand came up in unbelief.

"I'm sorry, no." She shook her head, shock pouring over her like a bucket of lice water as a severe panic started in her toes and spread up her body.

"I must have misheard you."

The nurse's words had hit Joan as well, and she was numb in her chair.

"No. Your urine has a high level of the hcg hormone." The nurse repeated adamantly.

"I think you're pregnant."

"No, that's not possible." Stevie said, her brain tingling in her scalp.

"Your damn test is fucking wrong. Take another one. I cannot be pregnant. The only time I've had sex with a man in the last year was..." She stopped. She couldn't finish the sentence as she put her head in her hands.

"I can't be pregnant. I want a fucking kid someday, but now?"

"Okay, don't panic. I'm sorry I presented this to you in such a way. I didn't know it would be such a shock, but you need to calm down, alright? Let me get some blood to test, and we'll make sure alright?"

The nurse said, trying to calm Stevie down.

"Yeah, let's make fucking sure I'm not having a baby." Stevie snapped, her body now trembling from fear instead of desire. She hadn't felt like herself lately, but this was ridiculous. She'd just been sent to prison. Of course, she didn't feel like herself.

"I can do another urine test, or we can go ahead and do a blood test. That one will take a couple days to get back." The nurse explained, and Joan finally looked at her name badge.

"Can't you do both, Helen?" Joan asked, finally speaking and Stevie looked at her gratefully.

Helen sighed and shook her head to confirm. Stevie looked at Joan gratefully and saw a ghostly pallor had gathered on the other woman's face as well.

"When was your last cycle?" Nurse Helen asked, and Stevie had to think as the woman took her blood.

"It's been a couple months, but I have always had issues. I didn't even think I could get pregnant." Stevie said as she watched her lifeblood pour from her vein into the vial.

Nurse Helen didn't say anything as she labeled the vials.

"We'll do the other when you're done. I'll be back."

Nurse Helen retreated out the door as silence invaded the room. Stevie swept her hand over her face and leaned back, counting the bubbles in the ceiling tiles. She couldn't raise a child alone. What the fuck would happen if she got twenty years in prison? She couldn't raise a child in here!

"Fuck!" She gasped as she leaned forward. She felt sick again.

Joan had been silent as she sat watching the young woman and cursed her inability to know what to say in emotional situations. She also cursed her inability to change this situation. She wasn't governor anymore. Will Jackson was. The same man that had ripped Jianna's baby away. Joan's stomach turned at the thought as rage filled her bones. If Stevie was indeed pregnant, no one would take this child away.

"I can't do this, Joan. I can't. What if I'm convicted? These four walls are no place to raise a child. Fuck, I didn't even think about it before, but if I'm convicted, I'll never have a child. I'll be too old by the time I get out! How fucked is that?" Stevie asked, her nose running as she picked at the sheet on the bed.

"This is a nightmare that just won't stop."

"You'll be exonerated. You won't be here forever." Joan said, sure of that.