Red

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

Jacob

As soon as Rhi walked through the door, my mood fell. I was happy to see her, but just seeing how ill and tired she was, made me worry. Last night when she text me, she never said anything about feeling ill. So this was new.

I grabbed her bags, threw them into the bedroom and then joined her on the sofa. She was curled up instantly. I'm surprised her first priority wasn't the bathroom, she'd been throwing up all morning.

"How you feeling?" I touch her head and notice she's not running a fever, which I think is strange, and then check the rest of her over. She's not pale, but she's certainly weak.

"I'm not going to lie, I'm worried I'm going to puke again but every time I think I am, nothing is coming up." She throws her head back with quite a bit of force, and then snaps it back. Her eyes are wide and her hand has flew to her mouth. "Oh no."

I chase after her as she heads in the bathroom, holding her hair back and rubbing her back. I can't stand the smell of sick, and the noise coming from her is definitely not normal, but that doesn't matter because I care too much to leave her. I don't want her left alone in case she faints and bangs her head or something. Or worse, falls completely unconscious. Maybe I'm exaggerating but I can't help worry about her. The other most important woman to me almost died of cancer, so forgive me for being a little over the top, but I don't want to lose her. Anything could be wrong with her.

"I'm taking you to the doctor if this continues, this isn't right Rhi."

"I'll be fine." She chokes it out, then falls back on top of me. "Sorry."

I kiss her temple, then grab a cloth to wipe her face. What I think is weird, is that she doesn't have a temperature or feel warm. Apart from being sick and clearly experiencing fatigue, she's fine. Which is strange. Maybe she's just eaten something that didn't agree with her? To check, I ask.

"What did you eat last night and this morning?"

She pauses for a second. "Dont be mad," This can't be good. "I didn't eat last night, I didn't fancy what was being cooked, so I just didn't eat. And this morning I had a croissant."

Her eyes trail up to mine and I'm sure anger flashes through them. She didn't eat? Why would she not eat?

"What do you mean you didn't feel like eating?" I'm sure I sound fuming but I am.

She sighs and turns back to face the toilet. "I don't know, I just didn't fancy what was on offer and surprisingly wasn't that hungry anyway." She shrugs like it's not big deal.

"Baby, you're ill. This clearly started last night, I'm worried. We're going to a doctor."

I lift her up with me, careful as I lift her into my arms, and place her on the side so I can get my phone. "Don't move."

"No, wait," she grabs my arm to stop me, desperation in her eyes.

"What's wrong?" I cage her in, both my hands beside her thighs.

"Please do not call a doctor, I'll be fine. I don't want to see a doctor, at least not yet. I promise I will tomorrow, but tonight I just want you."

I don't want to argue, but I'm not waiting to take her to seek medical advice till tomorrow. No way. "Look, tomorrow is literally twenty four hours away, it's only twelve in the afternoon now. Tonight, we go the walk-in-centre, deal?"

I see her face drop but she know I'm not backing down. I'd rather take her now, but I'm clearly going to have to negotiate.

"Okay, tonight."

Thank god. "Good. Shall I run you a bath first?"

She smiles massively and nods her head. God I love her smile. "You're so beautiful. Don't move while I run it."

"I won't."

❣️❣️❣️

We walk into the doctors hand in hand, and I can feel her sweating. I clicked on that she doesn't like the doctors less than half an hour ago when she froze solid in the door way of my apartment. I had to force it out of her, but eventually she caved and confessed. Apparently, doctors freak her the hell out. When she was six, she had to have a series of blood taken from her as they feared she had severe anaemia, she said it was awful. She fainted and almost banged her head on the skeleton in the doctors room, apparently the thing already gave her nightmares that just made it worse. I had to hold back my laughter at that part, she was cute but in a funny way.

I squeezed her hand to reassure her and earned myself a timid smile. Still beautiful though, no matter how small and shy it was.

"It will all be okay, you've most likely got a stomach bug, baby."

She nods and takes a deep breath, what could she possibly be worried about?

We reach the desk and they take her full name, medical number, details of her insurance and a contact number. I stand by helplessly as she fills everything in by herself. I notice her hands shaking as she holds the pen, and I want nothing more than to do it for her and calm her down.

Once we sit down, her nerves peek through again. She's jiggling her one leg up and down and wringing her fingers. The confident Rhiannon has disappeared and I'm seeing a vulnerable side to her. She never shows this side to me, which means she's definitely stressed.

I grab her hand, kiss the back of it, and almost knock my teeth off her knuckle when the doctor calls her name. She literally jumped out her seat in fear. Her eyes have widened and her chest is rising.

"Beautiful, look at me," I pull her face towards me and stroke her red cheeks. She's hot because she's terrified. "Everything will be okay, I'm with you. Don't worry one bit."

She nods again, but waits for me to pull her towards the room.

She's practically glued to my side as soon as we enter the room. She's still shaking and her hands are soaked in sweat. I rub my thumb across the side of her hand to soothe her.

"Good evening, Miss Red. I'm guessing you're partner?" I nod and let him continue. "What can I do for you today?"

She swallows loudly before answering, stuttering on her words. "Erm, I think I've got a stomach bug. I've been throwing up most of the day."

"Okay, understandable you would think that. Let's check your temperature shall we."

He places the thermometer in her ear, waiting for it to beep before taking it out.

"Temperatures fine. Let me check your blood pressure."

She lets him continue all his checks, confirming that each one is okay. It's his next question that makes us both freeze on the spot.

"When was your last period, miss?"

I look from Rhi to the doctor, then back to Rhi. Her eyes have widened again and she seems to be stuck on the question. What could he so hard about that question? Unless... no. No way. She hasn't missed her period. She's on the pill.

"Erm, I don't know. I can't remember. I'm definitely not late though." She hurries the last bit, then I see her mentally calculating something in her head. She shakes her head and then does it again.

"Okay, well, just to be certain, can you please go do a urine sample please." He gives us both a nervous smile, and we leave the room both in shock. We don't speak, we go our separate ways: Rhi in the bathroom and me outside the door. Surely this isn't happening?