𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐝, guy germaine

𝐒𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐍 | a bitter pill

Fall 1996 (one year later)

TODAY WAS SET TO be an interesting day. I had my first meeting with a country producer in the area (Mr. Tibbles had found him for me). Honestly I was terrified - what if all the same things happened again? What if they couldn't market me?

But Guy was set to come with me, especially because before I went I had other business to take care of. I had to go the clinic and get blood drawn for a test.

Since I had never had it done before, my doctors thought it might be a good idea to see that my levels were normal. However, I am terrified of needles, so it will definitely be uncomfortable and scary. That's why Guy was coming to support me.

Ever since that night in the hospital, he always came with me to the doctors or dentists office. It kind of had a way of triggering me or being emotionally overwhelming, so even knowing he was in the waiting room was helpful.

I sneezed walking in the door to the clinic ahead of Guy - it seemed I never stopped being sick - and went up to go sign in and fill out the paperwork.

I sat back with Guy in the waiting area, leaning my head on his shoulder. I was tired and he was always warm.

In the year we had been together, we hadn't progressed very far. Of course, we started to go out on dates almost every week and we spent a lot of time together, but we still didn't do anything more than kiss and cuddle. That was cool with me, but I always worried I wasn't totally satisfying him.

"How are you feeling? Still nervous?"
"Yeah, I hate needles."
"Well I've had my blood drawn before... it's just a quick prick and it's done. I'll be right there to hold your hand."
Guy kissed my head, just holding me as I started to doze off. He picked up a magazine, one of those family ones that seemed to solely exist in waiting rooms, and he poked through the pages. There was a family on one of the pages, parents and two little babies. They were awfully adorable.

"That'll be you and I someday." Guy teased. "'Cept we'll have more kids than I can count."
"Ain't my fault a big family was good for me." I smiled.
We had talked about having kids a few times, and most of the conversation was me saying I wanted a lot of kids like mama. It was more so because it seemed like mama couldn't stop having kids - I wanted him to be prepared for that possibility.

"And we'll all be very, very happy."
"Mhm... we'll get our dream jobs, get married, and then settle down to have kids sometime later." I said, explaining our usual plan.
"Sometime later... so specific."
"I dunno how long gettin' famous'll take!"
"I think you'll be famous tomorrow. Time magazine next week for most influential girl in the world."
I just grinned, sighing deeply with a wheeze in my chest.

"Your breathing still isn't sounding good... they're sure it isn't anything?"
"Just another cold. They aren't sure why I keep gettin' sick, maybe the tests will tell them why."

We were soon called in, and I was sat in a chair. The nurse insisted it would be very quick, and it was. Guy held my hand and I looked at him rather than the needle when the blood was being drawn.

"You're doing so good, Opie... just another minute and we'll get you an orange juice."
He just smiled at me and I felt the earth move. He always knew how to make me feel better, how to treat me. I wanted to do anything I could to make him happy, anything he needed. After all, he was always whatever I needed.

The nurse got a piece of gauze and a band-aid on me, handing me an orange juice and some crackers.

"We'll call with your test results in a week or two, hon. I think it'll be all good."