Trust in Love

Chapter 15

As the days passed, Justine thought she would feel better about everything, but instead she felt worse. She lost her appetite and she felt like throwing up all the time.

She finally went to the doctor and he sent her for blood work. A few days later his office called to set up an appointment for her. She didn't care if it was bad news. She deserved to be sick after the foolish way she had behaved.

She told Nigel she had to go to the doctor and he gave her the rest of the day off.

She went to her doctor's appointment and dreaded what he was going to tell her.

'Good afternoon, Justine,' Dr. Sampson said.

'Hi, doctor,' she replied.

He asked her to describe her symptoms while he glanced at her chart.

'There's a simple explanation for what you're feeling,' the doctor said. 'You're pregnant.'

'I'm what?' she asked incredulously. That was not the news she was expecting.

'Do you remember when your last cycle was?' the doctor queried.

Justine frowned as she concentrated.

'I think it was in early February,' she replied.

'That would make you about six weeks along,' he explained. He went on to describe the vitamins she would need to take along with folic acid.

Justine's head was spinning. How had this happened? She and Jared had always used protection. Except for a few times on their honeymoon, however. That must have been when it happened. She couldn't think straight.

'You're going to need to have an ultrasound in about six weeks,' the doctor continued. 'The front desk will set that up for you.'

He asked her if she had any questions. She shook her head. How was she going to tell Jared? He wasn't even speaking to her.

After her appointment was over, Justine decided to drive to the university campus and go to Jared's office. He couldn't refuse to see her if she was there in person, could he?

She parked her car and walked to Jared's office.

His office door was closed, but his assistant was at her desk out front.

'I need to talk to Jared,' Justine told the assistant. 'It's urgent.'

The assistant nodded and picked up the phone.

'Mr. Compton? Your wife is here and she says it's urgent....Okay, I'll tell her.'

The assistant hung up the phone and said, 'He's in an important meeting and he can't be disturbed. I'm sorry.'

He was refusing to see her? How harsh could he be?

Justine thanked the assistant and walked away. She felt tears come to her eyes. Jared must truly hate her. She assumed the worst because that is what she deserved.

She went back to her car and drove home. She changed into her most comfortable blue jeans and put on her running shoes.

'I'm going for a walk, Mom,' she called.

'Okay dear,' Ada replied. She was in the kitchen.

There was a bluff not far away from their house and Justine liked to hike up there occasionally. She thought it would be a good place to contemplate her situation.

When she got to the top of the bluff, she was breathing hard. She went over to the bench that had been put there and sat down.

She spent a few moments catching her breath and looking at the view. It was breathtaking. It never failed to inspire her. The houses down below looked so small and insignificant. She wished her problems were insignificant.

She heard someone coming along the trail.

It was Jared. She was surprised to see him.

When he arrived at the bench, Justine asked, 'How did you find me?'

'Your mom told me you like to come up here sometimes,' he replied, panting slightly.

He sat down on the bench next to her. She hadn't seen him for weeks. His face looked drawn and tired.

'I thought you had a meeting,' she stated tersely.

'I finished it early,' he replied just as tersely. 'So what's the big emergency?'

'I'm pregnant,' she blurted out, angry at his impatient attitude.

'That's impossible,' he denied. 'We always used protection.'

'Not every time,' she responded. 'Not when we were on our honeymoon. There were a few times when we didn't use anything.'

'This is just a ploy to get me back,' he said bitterly. 'It's not going to work.'

'The baby isn't a ploy, Jared! And I know I'm not going to get you back. But you are going to be a father,' she stressed, feeling tears roll down her cheeks.

'How can I believe anything you say after the way you behaved?' he demanded.

'I've never lied to you, Jared!' she cried. 'I've always been loyal and steadfast. I don't care if you don't believe me. I will raise this baby by myself. I don't need any help from you!'

She stood up and stomped away. Jared called after her. She ignored him.

She jogged down the trail, tears blurring her eyes. She couldn't stop crying.

She tripped over a rock and lost her balance. She fell off the side of the bluff, her momentum carrying her down the mountain. She rolled over and over, unable to stop herself. She felt rocks and branches digging into her everywhere as she rolled over them. She crashed into a huge boulder and everything went black.