Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 92841 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 464(@200wpm)___ 371(@250wpm)___ 309(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92841 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 464(@200wpm)___ 371(@250wpm)___ 309(@300wpm)
“Jamie,” Shane starts, but I stand, not wanting to cause anyone stress, least of all Taylor.
“It’s okay,” I tell him. “I actually have a doctor’s appointment I need to get to.”
With everything going on, I forgot about it, until the calendar alert on my phone went off and reminded me while I was in the gift shop.
“Everything okay?” he asks, clearly having forgotten that I mentioned going to the doctor this week to get checked and get on birth control.
“Yeah, just a routine checkup.”
“Okay, I can drive you there …”
“No need.” I plaster a smile on my face. “It’s actually in the west wing of the hospital.”
“Oh, okay. Do you want me to go with you?” He glances from me to Taylor, torn between staying with her and coming with me, and I shake my head.
I didn’t plan on him going, but even if I did, I wouldn’t pull him away from his daughter.
“Nope.” I lean on my tiptoes and kiss his cheek. “Stay here. Taylor needs you.”
“All right, well, when you’re done, if you want to come back here—oh!” He pulls out a phone. “Before I forget, give me your number. I’m using my mom’s phone until I can get mine replaced.”
I relay my number to him and then walk over to Taylor. “I love you, kiddo.”
“Love you too,” she says. “When I’m better, do you think we can still go see NYU?”
“Of course.” I squeeze her hand. “Just focus on healing.”
I turn to leave, and as I walk by Jamie, I’d like to glare at her, but instead, I shoot for the higher road and say, “I’m glad you’re okay.”
“Thank you,” Jamie murmurs. “If you could turn down the lights on your way out, I think that will help with my headache.”
When I get to the doctor’s office, I fill out the paperwork, give them a urine sample, and then head back with the nurse so she can get my weight and blood pressure.
She hands me a paper gown since I’m due for a full checkup today, and after getting undressed and putting it on, I hop up onto the medical bed to wait for Dr. Greenburg.
“Kinsley,” the doctor greets me a few minutes later. “How are you, dear?”
“I’m good,” I tell her as she takes a seat and opens her laptop.
“And how’s your mom?” she asks, looking up at me.
The thing about living in a small town is that everyone knows everyone, and since there are only a few gynecologists in Brookside, all of whom are part of the same practice, the women in my family—who live in town—come here.
“She’s good. I think my dad is close to retiring for a second time,” I say with a laugh. “She mentioned them doing some traveling since all of us are grown and out of the house.”
She told me this after I told her I was moving in with Shane. I think she’s been wanting to travel, but she was afraid to leave me. I’m glad they’ll finally get to enjoy their retirement. They deserve it.
“That sounds like fun,” she says, “but I expect she won’t be going too far since she’ll be a grandmother soon.”
She smiles warmly, and I look at her in confusion.
Did my sister get pregnant and not mention it? I didn’t even know she was serious with anyone.
Oh my God, did my brother knock someone up? No way. Mom would’ve told me.
“I’m sorry,” I say. “I think you’re confusing my mom with someone else because nobody in my family is pregnant.”
Dr. Greenburg’s brow furrows. She looks at her laptop, types something, and then murmurs, “Oh, dear.”
“Everything okay?” I ask, getting a little antsy.
“Yes, I thought you were here for a new pregnancy appointment, but I misunderstood.”
“Oh, no,” I say with a laugh. “The opposite actually. I’m planning to get on birth control.”
Dr. Greenburg stands and walks over to me. “The reason I thought it was a new pregnancy appointment was because the urine sample you gave tested positive for pregnancy.”
It takes me a moment to wrap my brain around what she’s saying, but once I do, I shake my head. “That doesn’t make sense,” I tell her. “I was told that due to the accident and the placental abruption, it would make it harder for me to get pregnant.”
Dr. Greenburg nods in understanding. “How about we do an ultrasound, and that way, we can know for sure and go from there?”
She pushes the ultrasound cart over to the side of the examination bed, and suddenly, I really wish Shane were here with me.
“Since you didn’t know there was a chance you were pregnant, I’m going to assume you wouldn’t know how far along you are?”
I try to do the math in my head, but Shane and I have never used protection—despite saying we would start—and my periods have always been irregular. I was on birth control for it when I was younger, but after I lost Brenna and Brandon, I wasn’t in the right state of mind to deal with it.