Medical malpractice case

Chapter 8 Noah

I look at her, waiting for her answer. I know she doesn't, that's why I asked. She can't refuse my offer.

"I...no..we can't." She says hesitantly.

"Jamie, I swear you say no. I'd throw you on my shoulders and March to the restaurant." I blurt out. I meant it. Like my life depends on it, I'd do it.

"You wouldn't dare." She says. I take a step forward.

"Try me." I say

"Just let me go change." She says reluctantly.

"I'll wait." I say. She heads to her car and settles in before driving away. I follow her with my own car. She parks her car in front of a building. Where I'm assuming is her apartment. She steps out the car and heads inside the building.

"Can I come with you?" I suddenly ask. She turns around to face me.

"Sure."  We head to her floor, and she unlocks the door. I step aside to let her in first. After she steps in, I walk in behind her.

"Make yourself at home."  She says before walking down the hall. I walk towards the couch and sit down. A few moments later, she finally comes out this time wearing a yellow sun dress with her hair let down to one side. The dress has a slit and it reveals her shoulders. I'm practically drooling. No, I'm not. I'm not right? I clear my throat.

"You look lovely." I say, still staring.

"Thank you."

_________

I guide her to my car, my hand on the small of her back. I open the passenger door for her, and once she's settled in, I turn over to the driver's seat. I turn on the engine, and the radio automatically turns on. To the song teenage dream. I cringe at the song. This is the kind of song a 7 year old sings. I lower the volume immediately and begin driving towards the restaurant.

"You don't eat, right?"

"I do." She says softly

"Jamie, I'm a doctor." I inform her.

"I know that." She says

"This doesn't look like eating." I glance at her from my peripheral vision.

"Huh?"  Without thinking, I grab her wrists.

"This Jamie this. This shows that you aren't eating. You're starting yourself?" I hold her wrist up to let her see

"I..."

"Jamie, please. I care about you. Don't do it. It will not affect you but the baby too." I say then it's followed by dead silence. I pull my hand away from her wrists and continue driving.  I pull up to the restaurant and park the car, turning off the engine.

"We're here." Don't know why I said it. She can literally see it. I step out of the car and walk over to the passenger side, and open the door for her.  I lend her my hand to help her step out. She takes it. The feeling of her skin against mine is just.... why am I feeling this? No. Snap out of it. I walk to the door of the restaurant and open the door for her.

"Hello. Table for two." I inform the front desk. They lead us to a table that overlooks the ocean. I pull her chair, and she takes a seat. I turn and settle in my own chair across her. I pass her the menu and watch as she looks through the options. After what feels like forever. The waiter comes to take our orders.

"We would like to have one white sauce pasta and one red sauce pasta." I inform the waiter.

"Any drinks?"

"Two waters." The truth is I wanted to get wine, but I knew she's pregnant and would rather not. The waiter writes down our orders and walks away.
Dead silence gets between us. So I decide to ask the first question that comes to mind

"Do you have any siblings?"

"A brother." She answers.

"Oh really? What does he do?"

"He's a secret agent."

"That's cool. That's actually an interesting job."

"Do you have siblings?"

"2 sisters and 2 brothers then me."

"That's a handful. How is it like dealing with them?"

"Cameron lives here with me and my sister she came for the court, but she's going back to her kids and husband. Isabelle moved back to the small town where Katie lives. And Bob lives here, too."

"That's cute." She simply says,"You're closest to Cameron, yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Are they all married?"

"Bob is engaged, but all the rest are. I'm the ugly duckling in the family."

"No, you aren't. You aren't ugly. And you were married. You said."

"Not ugly?"

"No, you aren't." Before I can even respond, the waiter places the food in front of us. I don't take a bite except when I make sure she's eating. She takes a bite but I can tell she doesn't like it.

"You don't like it?" I ask. She shakes her head. Without thinking, I grab her plate and switch it with mine.

"Try mine, and if you don't, we'll get something else or just go somewhere else."  She swirls the pasta on her fork and takes a bite, then nods. I let out a sigh of relief.

"Enjoy it." I say as I begin digging in with what used to be her food, but it's mine now. I'm eating with the same fork she used. Her lips were on this fork. Snap out of it.

We take the last bite at the same time. I put my fork down and watch as she does the same.

"You've got something on your lip." I point at the edge of her lip where sauce came on.

"Where?" She tries to wipe it, but misses.

"Here, let me -" I reach out my thumb and wipe it off her face. I let my finger linger there more time than necessary. I pull away and grab a tissue and wipe it off my finger. I clear my throat and down the water in one gulp.