Us Against the World

46. The Due Date Nears

"Your chart is looking quite promising, Meera," Dr. Reeves, my general doctor, tells me warmly as she casts her eye over the clipboard balancing on the table.

"Thank you," I murmur, blushing. I swing my feet on the observation table. "Is there any progress, or...?"

"Well, not really," Dr. Reeves says. "But nothing has gone in the negative direction, so I'm marking that as a plus in my book. Also, you seem to be up to date on all of your vaccines, so there's nothing that I'm worried about at the moment." She peels her gloves off. "Although I must say, I'm impressed. Usually, you avoid coming to see me unless it's compulsory...or unless Chandini forces you to." She gives me a smirk. "What changed?"

"I guess...I just found things worth living for," I say, shrugging. "My family...friends, you know."

"Indeed." Dr. Reeves nods. "Well, regardless, I'm happy to see you improve, even if just slightly. Your breathing especially has improved the most. Is it the medication?"

"Yes, it's helped a lot," I reply. "And...I've also been taking the dosage required...after...er..."

"Ah, yes." She nods gracefully. "Well, it's good that you're taking care of yourself, Meera." She begins to clean up the table, then hesitates. "Actually, there's something that I've been meaning to ask you."

"Yes?"

"Are you sexually active?" She's blunt and stares stoically at me when I choke on my spit. "I should have asked you this in the beginning but it slipped my mind."

"I...yes?" I clear my throat. "I am."

"Often?"

"Er...once or twice a week, maybe?"

"Are you on birth control?"

"No..." I crack my fingers nervously, burying them in my lap so that the sounds are muffled. "Well, my boyfriend uses condoms, but I don't...I'm not on birth control."

"Okay. I'd say that's the best for you anyway," Dr. Reeves says. "Since your period is very irregular, birth control could worsen that aspect. But, anyway." She flips her stethoscope around her neck and strides to the door, her heels clicking in a professional sort of way. "Keep up the exercise, Meera! Your walking around is doing well for your body. I'll see you in...six months?"

"Alright, thank you," I say. I make a quick exit from the office, my face aflame with embarrassment. Dr. Reeves has never questioned me about my sex life, and I suppose it's because she thought I didn't have one...so what changed? I certainly don't look different, and I doubt having sex can change a person's physical appearance...can it?

Even though she's showered praise on me for walking around the city, there's no way that I'm walking the hour that it takes from my house to get to her building. I manage to grab one of the buses just as it leaves the port; it's the only bus that won't make more than five stops at ten-minute intervals.

Others have discovered my previously discreet tactic, as Bus 49 is filled with passengers ranging from all ages. Children toss coins at each other in the back seats and men stand in clusters through the isle, one of their hands gripping the handle that's attached to the ceiling.

"Oh, here you go!" A woman sitting on one of the benches gets up the moment she notices me. "Please, take my seat."

"Thank you," I murmur, bending my head and smiling at her. I take a seat and my phone rings almost immediately.

"I got some stuff," Riya says, sounding out of breath. "I copied all of them - all of the notes, the documents, whatever! I got them all, Meera!"

"Really?!" I can't control my glee. "That's awesome, Riya! Thank you!"

"It only took me a few days, but don't worry about it," Riya continues to brag, and I let her because she definitely deserves it. "When Erika and Kaylee open the file in court, they'll be showing the judges a shitton of cat memes...don't ask me where I got all of them."

"You have too much free time, Riya," I laugh. "But I can't thank you enough, seriously."

"Thank me in dinner for a month when I get there...and diaper duty," Riya chuckles.

"Speaking of...do you know when you're coming, exactly?"

"Yeah, in a few weeks," Riya says. "Two, I think. Ma and Papa will be fine here now. Plus, the little brat will be coming soon, so..."

"That's good. I'll need the help."

"Of course, you will," Riya says haughtily. Then, she goes quiet. "You know, I'm glad that you're returning to yourself. It makes me happy to hear you laugh."

"What do you mean? I've laughed before."

"Yes but..it's different. I can't explain it," Riya says, her voice contorted with static like her lips are pressed against the receiver. She sighs. "I'll call you later with more on my flight."

"Alright. Newark?"

"Sadly," she sighs again. "See you."

"Yeah, bye."

She leaves me by myself, stuck in a hard seat and cramped between a weathered man and a harried young woman. It's a hassle to try and keep the man from drooling on me, or to block the woman's arms from smacking me in the face (she seems to be the type of person who acts out her anger), but I manage to do so until the bus rolls into the dreariest part of town - my home. I step off the bus with help from the driver, although I feel as though I'm ready to throw myself out of the vehicle if it means that I don't have to melt in claustrophobia.

"Your sister was looking for you, Miss. Rajput," the bellboy remarks when I pass him. "I told her you were out."

"Oh, did she say why?" I glance at my phone. "Usually, she'll call me if she needs something."

"She didn't." The bellboy shakes his head. "I hope it's not anything serious?"

"I hope so too. Thanks for letting me know," I say, increasing the pace of my trot. The elevator takes its sweet time bumbling upstairs, and I all but fly into my apartment, uncaring if I just broke the lock.

"Chandini!" I call her name in panic. "Chandini, where are you?"

"Stop yelling," Chandini mutters, appearing like a ghost in the hallway. Her baggy clothes and unkept bun seem to have aged her, but she offers me a weak smile that instantly reinstates her youth. "What's up? Did Riya get your stuff?"

"Yes, but what's up with you?" I rush over to her and put my hands on her shoulders. "The bellboy told me that you were looking for me. Why didn't you just call?"

"Ah, I...I lost my phone..."

"Oh? Did you find it?"

"Yes, it was under the couch," Chandini says, fidgeting.

"Okay..." Suspiciously, I step back. "So...what did you need me for?"

"Well...er..." she blushes and grimaces. "This might surprise you...maybe not..."

"What?" My eyebrow lifts.

"My water broke."

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Hey guys!

Short chapter, I know, but we're nearing the end of this story! What do you think? What will happen at Ezra's court meeting? What about Chandini's baby? Will it be a boy or a girl? Do you have any name suggestions for either?

Hope you guys enjoyed and don't forget to vote/comment/add this book to your library and reading list!

- Sunny ❤️

WORD COUNT: [1162]