Choosing Sarah

Chapter 3

Sarah went to the doctor a few days later. Everything was fine so far. She had to take special vitamins and be careful with getting lots of sleep, but she knew that already. She was six weeks along, just as she had calculated. She was due for her first ultrasound in six weeks. Until then, she'd try to eat properly and take care of herself.

Sarah discovered that morning sickness did not just happen in the morning. She felt sick at any time of the day and her appetite dwindled away. She knew that she had to eat healthy meals, but the smell of some foods made her want to throw up. Some days all she could manage was some crackers and cheese. And she had never slept so much in her life! She had a hard time focusing on her work because she was so tired and sleepy. At least she worked from home so she could have a nap if she wanted to. She hoped her pregnancy wasn't going to jeopardize the quality of her work. She prided herself on her ability to do good work and her clients were counting on her.

One day she was having a tough time when the doorbell rang.

Not expecting company, Sarah was dressed in stretchy yoga pants and a sweatshirt. She usually dressed professionally if she was meeting a client.

"Who is it?" she asked through the door.

"It's Grant."

Grant? What was he doing here? He had called her a few times, but they never spoke for very long.

She opened the door. Grant smiled at her.

"Hi," he said, smiling again. "Can I come in?"

She'd almost forgotten how attractive he was. He looked great, even in blue jeans.

She let Grant inside. She felt her cheeks grow warm with embarrassment.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't expecting company," she muttered, leading Grant toward the living room. Her place was sparsely furnished, but very tidy.

"That's okay. I should have called first, but I was in the area and I thought I'd see if you were home."

She offered Grant some coffee or tea, but he refused.

He sat in an armchair and she sat on the couch.

Sarah fought the urge to fix her hair. She hadn't brushed it and it felt greasy. She hated being seen at less than her best.

"I won't take up much of your time," Grant said. "I have a proposition for you."

"You do?" Sarah couldn't help but be curious.

"Yes. I spoke to Greg last night on the phone and he thinks you shouldn't be alone right now."

"Why not? Women have been having babies for centuries. I'm no different than anyone else."

"Maybe so, but Greg doesn't think you should be by yourself right now."

"Why? I don't understand."

Sarah was confused. Greg hadn't even contacted her yet. Why would he care whether she was alone or not?

"He made me promise that I would fill in for him while he's away."

"But there's nothing he needs to do right now. I'm fine."

Grant looked at her, his eyes intent on hers. It caught her off guard.

"Really? You look tired. Have you been eating properly?"

Sarah felt offended. She knew how to look after herself.

"Look, Grant, I'm sleeping a lot because the pregnancy makes me tired. And I can't stand the smell of a lot of foods right now because I just want to throw up. But I am taking my vitamins."