I Believe in You

About Time

Conrad and I called my dad when we got up the morning of August twelfth.
"Hello, Meggie." He answered cheerfully.
"You sound cheerful." I smiled.
"I am. Not sure why. What's up?" He asked.
"Conrad and I have news." I answered.
"Good news?" He asked.
"Great news. We're pregnant." I smiled again.
"I'm going to be a grandpa?" He asked.
"You are. Due in February." Conrad smiled too.
"That's fantastic you guys. You must let me take you to dinner." He said.
"Of course. Conrad is working a medic tent at the music festival today but we definitely will." I answered.
"Wonderful. I look forward to it."
After we hung up we called my sister and brother to let them know as well.
Conrad's father was also thrilled when we called him.
Conrad dressed in a long sleeved shirt with red sleeves and a black torso with the medical symbol on his shoulder and a pair of blue jeans.
"You're going to be hot in that." I sighed dressing in a white tank top that read Expecting  with a red heart over my stomach with February 2019 written in it and a pair of jean shorts.
"You are hot in that." He teased pulling me closer to him by my hips.
He kissed my neck.
"We need to get you to work." I sighed.
"Why did I agree to do this?" He asked.
"Because you're a glutton for punishment?" I suggested.
"Yeah, probably."
I drove us out to the festival and walked hand in hand with him to the tent where Devon waited to him.
"Hey. You made it." He sighed seemingly in relief.
"Hey, Meghan." He smiled at me then his eyes fell to the shirt I wore.
"You're pregnant!" He exclaimed hugging me.
"I am. We told our families this morning." I answered hugging him back.
"Be gentle with my wife. She's carrying precious cargo." Conrad laughed.
"Congratulations guys. You'll be incredible parents." Devon shook Conrad's hand.
"What are we talking about?" Nic asked walking up to us.
She stopped in her tracks when she read my shirt.
"Ah! Meghan!" She exclaimed hugging me.
"Baby Hawkins!" She pulled away from me and hugged my husband.
Suddenly we heard a series of loud bangs.
Conrad reached out and pushed me and Nic behind him closer to Devon.
"Conrad." I said his name cautiously.
After a short moment of complete silence the chaos began as what seemed like every single person ran towards the tent and ultimately around it.
"Conrad!" I exclaimed pointing to a man being trampled by the stampede of panicked people.
Conrad ran forward into action pushing his way into the crowd to the downed man. It wasn't safe for me as a pregnant woman to fight my way to where my husband attempted to help the man but as a doctor it was so hard to stand by and not help him.
After the last of the crowd ran passed us Devon, Nic and I ran out to where Conrad was working on the man lying in the grass blood everywhere.
Conrad tried to stop me from helping him.
"Conrad. I'm still a doctor. I'm pregnant not incapable." I looked into his eyes.
Reluctantly he nodded and we worked together to try to get the man breathing while Devon called for an ambulance.
Conrad rode in the ambulance with the victim while Nic, Devon and I drove separately back to Chastain.
We waited while the doctors on shift worked on the man whose name was Joshua Robinson.
"He'll likely never walk again." AJ told us before going out to speak to his family.
"Come on, Conrad. Let's go home." I urged.
"I should have done more." He sighed throwing himself on our bed when we got home.
"What more could you have done?" I asked from the doorway.
"I don't know."
"Have you even looked at yourself?" I asked.
He looked up at me.
"You are covered in bruises. There is nothing more you could have done for him." I insisted walking into our room and sitting on the edge of our bed.
Conrad's phone rang.
"Dad?" He answered.
"What?"
"No. I understand. Thank you."
He hung up.
"Joshua Robinson is suing me and the hospital for the loss of the use of his legs." He told me.
"What?" I asked looking at him.
"Don't worry. Dad says he'll help me take care of it. I don't want you to stress out. It's not good for the baby." He reminded me.
I nodded knowing he was right.
The next week Conrad and Marshall sat down with Joshua Robinson and his attorney.
"It's going to be fine." Conrad insisted kissing my forehead.
Shortly after the start of the meeting Marshall came out.
"He wants to speak to you." He told me.
I was taken aback.
"Speak to me?" I asked.
"He asked if you were Conrad's wife. He wants to speak to you." He shrugged.
I stood up and followed him into the room.
"I don't understand what my wife has to do with any of this."
"Conrad. It's okay." I said softly touching his shoulder.
"What's your name?" Joshua asked me.
"Dr. Meghan Hawkins." I answered sitting down next to my husband.
"How far along are you?" He asked motioning to my stomach.
"Fifteen weeks." I answered.
"Just barely in your second trimester."
"What's the point?" Conrad snapped.
"Conrad. It's okay." I assured him touching him again.
"I don't want to pursue the lawsuit against Dr. Hawkins." Joshua stated.
"Mr. Robinson." His attorney said.
"No. Look at her. She's pregnant. A long legal battle with her husband will only cause her unnecessary stress during the rest of her pregnancy. I doubt I'd even win against him." He insisted.
I watched Conrad's mouth drop open.
"I saw you two together out in the hallway before I came in and it got me thinking. If you'd let me die I'd never get the chance to have a relationship with as much love as you two have. I'd never get the chance to be a father." He explained.
"That's why I wanted to talk to you." He motioned to me.
"It's interesting to see how protective he is of you. It inspires me to be better. I think we're done here." He looked at his attorney and pushed himself away from the table.
"Wait. Mr. Robinson." Conrad stood up next to me.
He walked around the table and extended his hand to him.
"Thank you. I've been so worried about how litigation would effect Meghan and the baby."
Joshua Robinson shook Conrad's hand.
"Just take care of her, Dr. Hawkins." He smiled and looked at me.
I smiled at him then he wheeled himself out of the room.