Page 72 of A Second Chance At Forever

15

Mason

I followedthe doctor and Nicole’s parents through the hospital hallway, stopping just outside of her room.

“Nicole was in a car accident. She’s awake now and expected to make a full recovery,” he said before opening the door, letting us into her room.

Nicole was lying in bed with a bandage wrapped around her head. Her left arm was in a cast and her face and arms were covered in tiny cuts and scratches.

I made my way to her side and held her hand.

“Are you okay?” I asked, looking into her eyes.

“I’m fine,” she answered with a small smile.

“She was very lucky. She has a concussion and a displaced fracture in her left arm. We have done surgery to realign the bones but she may need to do physical therapy once it’s healed.” He turned and opened the door, ready to walk out.

“What about the baby?” I looked away from Nicole to look at the doctor. I heard Nicole’s parents’ sudden intake of breath. My eyes automatically followed the sound.

Nicole’s parents had a look of shock, they didn’t know she was pregnant. They looked from Nicole to me and finally the doctor.

“Excuse me?” the doctor asked, turning back around.

“The baby, is the baby okay?” I asked again, beginning to lose my patience.

“I don’t understand, was there a baby in the car?” His brow rose as he opened her chart and began looking over it.

“No, Nicole is pregnant. Is the baby okay?” My voice grew louder, desperately needing an answer.

He closed the chart. “We’ve done extensive testing and she isn’t pregnant.” He shook his head before walking out, leaving the four of us alone.

I felt every emotion rise up inside of me. She lied? She was never pregnant?

“You were never pregnant?” I whispered in a daze.

A tear slid down her cheek. “No,” she whispered.

I jerked my hand away from hers. “Why did you tell me you were pregnant?” I felt the anger swell inside of me.

“I was scared I would lose you, to her. I was upset. I shouldn’t have lied, I’m so sorry, Mason.” She tried to reach for my hand again, but I pulled it away.

I turned, heading for the door.

“Mason, wait,” she called after me.

I swung the door open with a little too much force. I didn’t turn back. I couldn’t.

I didn’t sayanything on the way home. I knew Lennox and Alissa were confused about my sudden mood change, but I needed to sort through some things. When we arrived, I went straight to my balcony and didn’t move.

After sitting there for an hour, watching as the night darkened everything in sight, Lennox stuck her head out. “Want to talk?”

I let out a laugh, happy to have her there. “I’m not sure you will believe me. Hell, I don’t believe it.”

“Why? What happened at the hospital?” She stepped up to my side.

I turned to look at her. She was beautiful in her tiny shorts and tank top, no makeup and her hair soaking wet, hanging down around her face.

“She was never pregnant.” I smiled.

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