I Believe in You

Fear Finds a Way

I sighed heavily and opened my eyes to look at the clock; two twelve in the morning. I was supposed  to be up for work at six and I hadn't slept at all. I pulled myself out of bed and walked downstairs to turn the television on. I watched some true crime show while Ace curled up on the floor in front of me and Lily laid on my feet. I pulled out my phone and called the hospital.
"Chastain Park Memorial Hospital, Julie speaking." She answered.
"Julie, it's Dr. Meghan Hawkins. I'm not going to be able to make it in today." I sighed.
"Pregnancy troubles?" She asked.
"Yeah, you could say that." I chuckled weakly.
"Don't worry. I'm sure they'll be fine but I'll call in another doctor for you." She assured me.
"Thank you."
I hung up and went back to my show.
"Meghan? Meghan? Are you okay?" Conrad asked touching my shoulder.
"I couldn't sleep." I muttered.
"Devon called. Said the emergency room is full of patient's with the flu. I'd feel better if you stayed home today." He sighed brushing my hair off my forehead.
"Be careful, okay? Keep me updated. I can help with diagnosis even from here." I sighed sitting up.
"Will you let them out before you leave?"
"I'll be careful. I will call if I need help and of course I'll let them out." He smiled at me.
"Why don't you go upstairs and take a hot shower; I'll throw a towel and your plush robe in the dryer? I know you've been over heated since getting pregnant but maybe the heat will help you relax and you can sleep." He suggested.
I nodded and went upstairs to shower. The heat of the water helped  to release the muscles in my back and legs.
As promised Conrad was waiting for me when I shut the water off with a warm towel he helped me dry off with before helping me into the robe.
In the bedroom he'd turned on my favorite haunted story show and turned on the fan which always helped me sleep. He helped me into bed with my favorite fuzzy blanket on top of me and a large bottle of ice in a plastic bucket on the side table.
"What did I do to deserve you?" I asked kissing him.
"I ask myself that same question every day." He kissed my forehead.
"I fed the puppies so they should be okay long enough for you to get a decent nap in."
"Don't come home sick, Dr. Hawkins. I don't want to have to kick you out of bed." I teased.
"I won't come home sick. I promise." He kissed me again.
After he left I curled up in our bed the heat from my robe and the chill from the fan lulled me to sleep as I listened to a smooth voiced narrator talk about the haunted house story.
I woke later to a serious cramp in the back of my right thigh.
"Dammit." I sighed applying the best direct pressure my largely pregnant body could manage.
Finally the cramp subsided and I sat up to look at the clock. It was just after noon. I drank some of the water from the large bottle my husband left me and walked downstairs to make something for lunch.
I made pasta which was my main craving during my pregnancy.
After lunch I let the puppies back out and watched them play together before I decided I could put together the hospital bags for Conrad, our daughter and myself since I could do that in our bedroom taking rests as often as I needed.
I put on some country music on my phone and started with my own bag.
I needed all of my hospital paperwork, the birth plan, a pair of loose sweatpants and a loose tshirt, a pair of flip flops, some movies and music, a comfortable go home outfit, extra underwear, maternity pads, nursing bra and pads, snacks, and my pillow which I'd put in the back of the car before work around thirty nine weeks.
Conrad's bag held a copy of the birth plan just in case, his snacks, extra cash, an extra change of clothes, our actual camera, and both of our chargers.
I packed the diaper bag with about twenty newborn size diapers, a pack of all natural baby wipes, a pack of five onesies, a pink newborn blanket and her full going home outfit.
The outfit consisted of a long sleeved white onesie with 'little lovebug' written in gold with a small golden heart, a pair of white pants covered in red flowers and leaves and ladybugs with a matching hat and mittens and white booties.
I put the three bags in the corner of the room, brought my puppies back inside and laid in bed watching television again.
"So, you're not going to believe this." Conrad said walking into the bedroom a few hours later.
"What's up, my love?" I asked glancing at him.
"Three of our patients had the black plague." He said breathlessly.
"Excuse me?" I asked sitting up causing pain to shoot through my pelvis again as the bones shifted again.
It was going to be a long three weeks.
"What's wrong?" Conrad asked walking towards me.
"I'm fine. Back up." I insisted.
"I was tested before I left work. I'm completely healthy. No plague. You know no one, including myself, would put you and our child in danger of the plague." He sighed walking over to me.
"My pelvis is loose. It's normal but if I move too fast it slides and it's painful." I sighed.
"You really need to try to take it easy, babe." He kissed my forehead.
"I know." I sighed.
The three bags caught my eye.
"Will you do me a giant favor?" I asked batting my eyes at him.
"For my two favorite girls? Anything." He smiled at me.
"I put the hospital bags together. Will you take them down and put them in the trunk of the car so we have them?"
"Of course, my love. It's getting so close." He mused.
"Oh, I know. Roughly three weeks." I sighed looking at my husband.
"We're ready. We have so much support. It's going to be amazing." He assured me kissing my head again.