You rescued him, nursed him to health, and after many passionate nights, he disappears. You go on with your life and find out you are carrying his child. Just as you think you've moved on an inch, he reappears.
You get on the train, heading for the doctor's office. You luck out and get a seat, looking around as you get comfortable and your hand rests on your small but growing womb almost protectively. Days like this couples seem to jump out at you on your short ride. Morning sickness and hot weather stopped you from walking or riding your bike as usual, and you are so weak, the doctor called you in for a special visit a week ago, and now he wants to see you again.
You select a magazine from your bag and start reading, but your mind's eyes aren't on the pages of advice and pictures. You're remembering how you got here:
You'd had it. You sat by the pier one night, trying to contemplate things. How would you hold on to your small apartment? How would you keep working at the rescue shelter when they cut your hours, not because they didn't need you, but because you didn't sleep with the head vet?
Dr. Saul Gregory was handsome, well-to-do, and highly intelligent, but you never seemed to see affection in his eyes unless it was toward an animal. You told yourself your working relationship was growing because of your excited and growing knowledge of animals, that you were getting more hours because of it, but when you turned him down, it all changed quickly. Your savings was disappearing and you may be forced to leave your dream job. You were running out of money and time, and even dog walking and sitting wasn't helping as much as you'd hoped.
Suddenly you hear a splash, not close by, but enough to awaken you from your train of thought. You are startled, and look at your watch. The pier and beach have been officially closed and you are reminded that it can get dicey out here at night. You remember Saul would warn you about that.
Your ex-boyfriend, Peter, was probably laughing at you these days. You saw him sometimes at the supermarket with his new girlfriend. He was openly affectionate and attentive, yet could be cold and cruel behind closed doors. You were happy to leave the man, but it felt like a knife twist when you saw how well he was getting on without you...
You stand up quickly, taking your leave, walking off the pier and onto the sand.
"Help."
You look around, alarmed.
"Here, under the pier."
You see a shadow amongst the pillars that hold up the pier. "H-Hello?"
"Help me, please."
You come closer and see a man halfway in and out of the water like a mermaid, with a face that belongs in magazines. His hair is long and curly, you can tell, the ends curling about his neck and ear. His beard isn't too long or short, just some delightfully rugged work length. You see his muscles flex and pull as he tries to pull himself to his feet by holding onto the thick wood. You race to his side as his blue eyes widen with surprise that he is about to fall, and you manage to become an instant crutch. "Let me call you an ambulance—"
"No!" he shakes his head. "No ambulance...not a good idea."
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