Page 85 of Love Thief

“Why not?” I blurt out, not giving her a chance to finish her explanation. “I don’t have a lot of time to come back to London. I’m up and down to Devon, as well as going on tour with the band.”

”Because you’re already pregnant.”

I stare at her as her words sink in, then burst into tears. Oh God. This is, this is, my brain won't function.

“Is it not good news?” she asks calmly.

“I’m thirty-six years old. Is it a problem?” I sob out. I think I might faint.

“No, it’s not, we just have to monitor you a bit closely, but we do that anyway. We need to do a scan to see how far along you are, but I think it is a fair few weeks. Some of these periods I don’t think were periods at all. I think it was spotting in early pregnancy.”

“My husband, he—" I start to cry again.

“Will he not be happy?” The doctor has her hand on my shoulder, sympathy oozing from her.

I shake my head. “His previous wife miscarried four times at sixteen weeks. Only James, only James,” I start blubbing again as I see the doctor and assistant look at each other.

“Do you have anyone else with you today? We can do the scan to see how far along you are, but it all looks ok at the minute,” she coaxes.

I nod, picking up the phone to call Jude.

“Hey, are you ready? I’m outside.”

“Jude,” I start to cry again and Dr. Theodore takes the phone from me and tells Jude where I am and for him to come straight up.

He rushes through the doors, followed by Tommy, both looking frantic.

Dr. Theodore smiles calmly at them. “Who do we have here?”

“Jude, brother. And this is Tommy, security,” he points. “What’s wrong, E?” he asks as he comes over to me and pulls me in for a hug. “What’s wrong with her?” he asks the doctor, as, clearly, I have no sense at all.

“Am I ok to tell them, Evie?” she asks me.

“Yes,” I manage to splutter out.

“Evie came in for her regular shot, and just to be certain before we do it, we do a pregnancy test. Hers was positive,” she smiles at me.

Jude looks at me. “Not a-fuckin-gain,” he says, his voice hovering between concern and wonder. “Kellen?” I nod. “Oh, baby sis.” He hugs me to him and asks, “How far on is she?”

“Well, I’ve a good idea from her figures and from what I can see from my initial examinations, but I’d like to scan her and see for definite.”

“I think we should do it, Evie. I’ll stay. Tommy, do you want to stay in, or…?”

“I’ll wait, but I’ll be right outside, Kiddo.” He pats me on the back and moves outside.

With Jude holding me up, we move through another door at the back of the consultation room into a large room that has various scanners. “We can use a powerful one so we can get a good look at what’s going on,” Dr. Theodore tells us.

As I lay on the bed and they prep me, I close my eyes and wait for the whooshing noise of a heartbeat. I don’t hear one.

I hear two.

I startle and whip my head over to look at Jude. He was my partner for most of my pregnancy with James, by my side at every appointment, every milestone throughout.

His whole being radiates concern, but I can also see excitement. He’s pleased, happy even. He looks at me and then at Dr. Theodore, who is directing her aide.

“Well, it seems my thoughts are right. You have two babies in there, Evie.”

I surely cannot have any water left in my body as tears of joy and terror all come at once.

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