I'll Catch You

Chapter 5

In her mind, despite the motive, Opie's inclination toward violence and Paulie's words, Mae didn't believe Opie murdered Mitchell. It was probable, likely even, and she believed it during the call but until she had hard evidence, he was still her innocent Opie, the man who would not break his promise. Ignoring it all for a few weeks she worked and spent time with him, easing back into her new life and even having a few dinners with Opie and his kids as some kind of family. They weren't sure what was going on, but it was nice, and neither wanted to throw anything off kilter by asking any questions.

She sat, bored, swinging her legs from the exam table as she awaited her last round of STD tests from the rape. They'd given her antivirals and antibiotics, and the other tests are all negative but it was procedure, no matter how upsetting and triggering it could be.

"Miss Callahan, how are you?" The doctor strolled in, calm and smiling, and shook Mae's hand firmly.

"I'm okay, busy couple of months, but I'm doing well."

"That's wonderful." She clapped her hands together and nodded. "Therapist is helping?"

"Exponentially," Mae admitted with a smile. "Things are going really well."

"Have you had a period since the attack?"

Letting out a heavy sigh, she shook her head. "Nothing. I took two pregnancy tests, which were negative, and then two ovulation tests, I never got anything from them. I just think my body won't regulate. I'm not ovulating at all and I'm not getting a period so, I don't know."

"Alright, let me take a look at your blood results." Turning her back to Mae the doctor went through the electronic medical record system to pull up her file. "You didn't get a call from the office?"

"No," she said. Her voice shaking as she waited, terrified, for answers. "Is something wrong?"

The doctor turned with a blank expression. "You're pregnant."

"Oh shit," Mae's head fell. "Is that why? Is it from...from what happened?"

"Let's calm down." The doctor said, putting a comforting hand on Mae's arm. "You were given Plan B in the hospital, it's unlikely, but there's always a chance. Your HCG is still low, have you been sexually active?"

"Yeah." Mae's breathing was shallow. "But I can't..."

"Until we know, I suggest you try to relax, Miss Callahan. I can write you a script for an ultrasound to see exactly how far along you are, and go from there."

"I can't have a kid," she said plainly. "I'm just beginning to feel normal. I can't do this, if it's my boyfriend's or not, I can't."

Feeling for her patient and understanding the predicament as a women herself, the doctor sat and spoke candidly with her patient. "It's your decision, one hundred percent, but I think it's a decision that should be made with a clear head. You don't have that right now."

"I never have that." Mae said solemnly. "I only have it when I'm with him."

The doctor smiled at that. "It's wonderful you have him. Come in tomorrow, I can have the tech from downstairs see you, if that'll be of some help."

"It will. That would be very helpful. If it's Op," she paused to correct herself, "Harry's, it won't be such an easy decision."

"I'll have my receptionist call you when I speak with the tech. Try to relax, have a glass of wine, and I'll see you in the morning."

"Wine? What kind of OBGYN are you?" Mae forced the joke hoping it would ease her racing heart. It didn't.

"ONE glass is fine and if it'll help with the stress, it's probably better for you."

--

"Hey." Opie greeted Mae with a romantic, sweet peck on the cheek as he stepped into her house. He was meant to be on a tow but decided to stop knowing she had the doctor earlier. "How'd it go?"

"It was, informative." Mae forced a wonky smile. "Beer?"

"Nah, I can't. I just wanted to say hi and see how you're doing." Watching closely as she fidgeted Opie got the sense something was going on. "You alright?" Taking a step closer, Opie's thumb traced her cheekbone, as he looked at her intently.

"I'm great," she cracked a toothy smile. "Just hate the doctors, it always freaks me out lately. We should go out tomorrow night, just us. Dinner? Seafood? How's that sound?"

Scratching at his head, his beanie slipping off his head, Opie agreed. "Sure. Ellie's got a sleepover thing but my mom can take Kenny or something."

"That would be nice, just the two us, we could really talk without having to tiptoe around topics."

Opie grinned, her nervous behavior made his heart swell until he was reminded of why she was so anxious. "Get you out of your own head too."

"I really need that." Mae said sadly.

"Busy tonight?" He asked, heading back to the door knowing Rat was waiting on him in the truck.

Mae wanted to forget, spend time with him and take her mind off her pregnancy, but she had some serious thinking to do.

"Yeah, patient progress reports, sorry." She held his face in her hands hoping to wipe away the disappointment he wore. "We'll have a nice little date tomorrow though."

"It's cool." He kissed her fiercely with his thumbs hooking into her belt loops and holding her close. "See you tomorrow, babe."