On A Thread

Chapter 15

“why didn’t you call in” Anna said, pulling away from the embrace, her hands cupped Brie’s face.

“i knew you’d be busy” she said and did a once over of her friend in her white doctor’s coat. “and look. You were!”

Anna sighed, then grimaced. “a busy life isn’t it?”

Brie smiled at her friend then took a seat at the desk. “just for the records, that coat was made for you.”

Her statement made Anna chuckle. She rounded the table and took her seat.

“so are those jeans,” she said shooting a pointed glance at the jeans Brie had on.

Brie laughed. “don’t try to flatter me Anna.”

Anna leaned in like she wanted to reveal a secret to Brie, her elbows rested on the glossy white desk. “seriously, have you seen your ass? I caught myself staring at it twice already.” she joked.

Brie stared at her friend, blinking in awe, “I'll tell Nathan.” she said and Anna laughed.

They laughed, Anna more amused than normal, maybe because her husband was too busy with his dissertations to even be available for Brie to report, but she loved how easy her friend and sister-in-law was with her family. Even little Josie and Vera asked about their aunty Brielle.

Anna must have noticed the tension that settled between them after the round of laughter and the way Brie had began rubbing her hands together as though she was trying to offer herself some comfort, she reached out and offered Brie some comfort as her hands covered hers.

Brie looked up at Anna. A fake smile tugged at the corner of her lips.

Anna smiled and shook her head.

“nope” she said, “you don’t have to do that with me Brie.”

That was all the cooing it took to free the tears Brie had been holding in. She bit hard on her bottom lips, willing the tears to stay in but they’d had enough of retraining and just flowed out. She bent her head low, an attempt to hide her overflowing brook of tears. The sobs were coming, hard and heavy.

Anna rounded the table, tutting at her friend like she would a baby. She hugged Brie and Brie yielded into the warmth her friend provided.

“i should be getting a sonogram today Anna” her body shook with sobs, “I could've been six months pregnant.”

Anna held Brie, her embrace offered her a bit of comfort.
She knew how much Brie wanted a child, she’d gushed and beamed to no end when she found out but all of that excitement was short lived.

Having a baby and being a mother was Brie’s only goal.

She loved her job, didn’t see any need to change it or go for more, she was content as long as she still had her dream of becoming a mom.

But all that was gone and she was no sitting for a checkup scan and not a sonogram, with her doctor sobbing harder than she was.

Everything she wished for was in polar opposites.

No sonogram,

No josh holding her hand.

How does one live with the loss of a child?

Anna ran her hands through Brie’s hair, tutting as she did so. She leaned back to get a good look at Brie’s face, her eyes were red from all the crying and her nose was more snort than oxygen, she flicked tears from Brie’s face using the pad of her thumb.

She smoothed her hair, “Brie I won’t pretend to understand,” her eyes dropped to Brie’s hands, “I won’t pretend to know what it really feels like, but I can tell you that, it gets better.” she was doing her best to be encouraging both as a doctor and a friend.