Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 94279 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 471(@200wpm)___ 377(@250wpm)___ 314(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94279 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 471(@200wpm)___ 377(@250wpm)___ 314(@300wpm)
The technician who had done the scan walked back over. She started to say something, but when she got a look at me, she sprung to action, pushing a red button on the wall. “What’s going on, Miss Carrick? Can you speak to me?”
I couldn’t. I clutched my chest and took deep, painful breaths. A few seconds later, a team of people burst in.
“What happened?” someone demanded.
“I don’t know. She was fine when I took her out of the machine. I went to call the transporter, and when I came back, she was hyperventilating.”
“Let’s get her on a monitor.” I was suddenly flying down the hall on a gurney, back toward the ER. Dr. Connolly was in another patient’s room as we passed, but she jumped out and followed.
“What happened?” she yelled.
The nurse kept moving. “I think it might be a panic attack, but I want to get her on the monitor to be sure.”
Fifteen minutes later, after guided belly breathing and an oxygen mask, my breaths finally returned to normal. I lay back in the bed, feeling exhausted—like I’d run a marathon without a day of training.
Dr. Connolly smiled. “Well, you certainly know how to make an entrance.”
“I’m so embarrassed.” I shook my head.
“You have nothing to be embarrassed about. This has been a lot. I didn’t have a seizure and a head injury this morning, and I’m pretty sure if someone told me I was pregnant right now, I’d be on the stretcher next to you, swiping your oxygen mask.”
I was sure she was just being kind, but I appreciated it. “Thank you.”
“The good news is, you scared the CAT scan department, so they read your images quickly. Everything looks clear. But I’m going to admit you, to be on the safe side. A night of observation after a head injury is never a bad thing. Plus, I’d like to get a tech to look at your monitor. With all the changes going on in your body, I want to make sure your pump is working properly.” She typed into an iPad. “It might also give you some time to think, since they won’t let visitors stay too long when you’re on concussion protocol. You need your rest.”
Being in the hospital did seem less scary than going home and having to face Wilder. I nodded. “Okay.”
She typed more into her iPad and hugged it to her chest. “I hear there are two very anxious men bugging the desk clerk.”
Oh God—my dad is here! I completely forgot they’d said that earlier. What was he going to say when he found out I was pregnant?
“Would you like me to let your visitors know everything is fine and it’s going to be a bit longer before they can come back? I can tell them things are backed up, which is never a lie around here. That way you can rest a little more before seeing them?”
I shook my head. “Thank you. But I’m sure my dad is worried. I don’t want to keep them waiting any longer than I have to.”
“How about if we let them in for a bit to see you’re okay with their own eyes? They won’t be able to go up with you when you’re being admitted to the floor, so if you want, I’ll see if we can get a rush on that.”
I let out a loud sigh of relief. “That would be great. Thank you.”
“No problem. I’ll give you a few minutes, then tell the nurse to bring them back.”
Not long after, Wilder and Dad walked in. Each went to a different side of my bed.
“Are you okay?” Wilder took my hand. “Did you get the scan results yet?”
“How’s your blood sugar?” Dad asked. “And why didn’t the damn alarm go off? I’m going to get on the horn with that company and—”
I lifted a hand. “Dad, it was my fault. The alarm did go off, and I reset it.”
My dad looked to Wilder. He nodded. “I didn’t know any better. Now I do. Trust me, she won’t be ignoring it again.” Wilder turned to me. “What about the scan?”
“Everything came back clear.”
He blew out a relieved breath, but I was one breath away from freaking out and blurting out words I wasn’t ready to say.
“Are they discharging you?” Wilder asked.
“No. They’re going to keep me overnight for observation.”
“Good.” He leaned down and kissed my forehead. “Better safe than sorry.”
The two of them tag-teamed me with medical questions until Dad’s phone buzzed. He held it up. “It’s Will. I’m going to step out and take this, give him an update.”
“Okay.”
When it was just Wilder and me alone, he stroked my hair. “You scared the shit out of me, Cupcake.”
“I’m sorry.”
“It made me realize something.”
“What?”
He looked into my eyes. “I … I…” For a second I thought he was going to tell me he loved me. But then he cleared his throat. “I need to take a refresher first-aid class, CPR and stuff. The last time I took it was in high school.”