There's No Way

In Sickness & In Health

[Shawn's POV]

- 2 Months Later -

Our Saturday started out as normal as any other day. I had gone to the gym for a while in the morning, stopping at the diner to pick up some breakfast to take home for my wife and I. Camila wasn't sitting on the couch watching TV like she usually was when I got home from the gym, which I found unusual—but the sound of the running shower quickly cured my curiosity. As I walked into the bedroom, I could've sworn I heard Camila crying in the shower but brushed it off and assumed I must've just misheard. Just before stepping out of the bedroom, I unmistakably heard Camila cry out for help—clearly sounding like she was in pain. Without skipping a beat, I ran toward the bathroom door and flung it open. Camila was standing in the shower, doubled over in pain and clutching her abdomen. Blood was running down her legs as she struggled to remain standing. I ran over and turned the water off before grabbing onto her to hold her steady.

"Hey, hey—I'm here. Talk to me, Mila...what's going on?" I said, trying my hardest not to sound too panicked.

"I-I don't know..." she choked out through her sobs. "It's n-not my period...it feels d-different," she stammered. I knew she was right; not only did she have a killer intuition, but she had just ended her period a few days prior—it was definitely too soon for it to be only menstrual pain. "I think I need to go to the hospital," she cried as I attempted to clean her up. The amount of blood was startling and the urge to start panicking was getting much stronger.

"OK—is it bad enough that you need me to call an ambulance or do you think it's okay for me to just drive you myself?" I asked. I had never seen her in this much physical pain before and it broke my heart.

"Just you taking me should be fine." We got her sufficiently cleaned up before I helped her out to the car and into the passenger seat. She put the seat all the way down and laid on her side, clutching her stomach. She grasped onto my hand as I drove, squeezing tighter each time another she would feel another sharp pain. I swallowed hard, trying not to let fear and anxiety over the situation take over. I could let myself be emotional about all of this later—right now I needed to be strong for her.

We pulled up to the ER entrance at the hospital and both got out, letting the hospital valet park my car. We hurried in and immediately went to the front desk to check-in. Camila tried to explain to the woman what exactly had happened, but she was struggling—so I attempted to fill in the gaps as I could. Luckily for us, it must've been a slow night there because they were able to take us back into a room right away. A nurse came in and asked Camila a few questions, the final of which being one that I knew Camila wouldn't appreciate.

"Is there any chance you're pregnant, Mrs. Mendes?"

I saw Camila attempt to swallow back her tears before answering.

"No."

About a week ago when she had gotten her period, she had been a mess. It had been a couple days late and she was so hopeful that she might be pregnant—but before she could even take a test, her body confirmed that she wasn't.

The nurse nodded and made a few notes on her clipboard before stepping out of the room. I walked over to the bed and took my wife's small hand into mine. I reached down and wiped away the stream of tears that had been running down her cheek.

"Shawn...what if something's really wrong? What if I can't..." Her words trailed off but I knew exactly what she was thinking.