The Arrangement

Chapter Ten: It's Not Food Poisoning...

I successfully made it through the whole week with my mother without arguing, which was a damn miracle if you knew us.

The nausea and throwing up stuck around the whole week, and I had to get up on the plane several times to go to the restroom.  It was beginning to make me really start believing that I was pregnant.  Normally, I get over things quickly, but I've been throwing up for two weeks now.

"I think you should go to a doctor," Maverick said as he held my hair back while I threw up.  Once again. "On the website, it says food poisoning usually only lasts ten days.  It's been fifteen now."

It's so kind of you to bring this topic up while I'm hunched over a toilet puking my guts out, unable to respond.

The vomiting ceased, and I went to say something before throwing up again.

"Do you think you can make it through today?  I'll pick you up at five o'clock," he asked.  I tried to nod before throwing up again.  He rubbed my back gently.

I'd survived a week.  I'm sure I can make it another day.

Finally, I stopped throwing up and brushed my teeth before we left for work.

Maverick's been staying at my penthouse as per his request.  He said he wanted to be here to take care of me if I needed anything.  I told him I was fine, but he insisted.

I just wanted to figure out what was going on, so my heart could stop racing at the thought of my own itty bitty baby without a definitive answer.  But I also didn't really want to find out whether I was pregnant or not.  I planned on taking a drugstore pregnancy test when we got back from my mom's, but I got scared and chickened out.

My heart was coated with love and eagerness at the thought of being pregnant, but I didn't know what Maverick would think.  I didn't want him to leave me because I loved him, so I never took the test.

I was fighting back the urge to throw up again when the door opened and Maverick walked in.

"Oh- I didn't realize it was already five," I said, fighting back the vomit.  He nodded with a worried smile.

I rolled my chair back and went to grab my purse when Maverick grabbed it before I could.  I went to give him a look, but he was offering me his hand as help.

"Maverick, I'm just throwing up.  I'm not dying," I said, standing up on my own.  I smoothed out the dark red skirt that I put on this morning.  It was flowy compared to my usual pencil skirt since I didn't want my stomach to feel constricted.

Maverick kissed my cheek as he wrapped an arm around my waist.  We walked down to the black BMW waiting for us, and Maverick opened the door for me.  I got into the car, and he followed behind me.

When we arrived at the hospital, the nurse called us back almost immediately.

She checked my vitals before stepping back and asking, "So, what seems to be the problem, Mrs. West?"

I didn't have the courage to correct her, so I didn't.  It might've also been because I liked the sound of that name...

Maverick didn't say anything either.

"Well, I've been nauseous lately, and I've been throwing up," I said.  She nodded.

"How long have you been throwing up?" she questioned.

"Um- about two weeks," I answered.  She nodded once again.

"And have you missed any periods, Ma'am?" she asked.  Hesitantly, I nodded.

"Yeah, two," I replied, my voice sounding weird because of how dry my mouth was.

"And have you been keeping hydrated?" she asked.  I nodded.  She smiled. "I'm going to have you take some tests to see what's going on, okay?"