Page 36 of Calamity Rayne Knocked Up

After dinner, we returned to the clinic. I was once again nervous for reasons I didn’t understand. We waited for Dr. Seacrest in a small conference room where I critically judged the minimalist decor.

“Do you think the different holding areas are for different purposes?”

Hale looked up from his phone. “What do you mean?”

“Like, does us waiting in here imply something about our results?”

“No, I think our chart tells them about our results.”

He was always so logical. “Do you think you gave them a good sample?” I made a fist and flexed my muscle. “Strong?”

“Did you just ask if my semen was strong?”

I shrugged. “Well, they should be, right? That’s a long ass journey for those little guys. Plus, it’s a race. I like to picture them storming my ovaries asFlight of the Valkyriesplays.”

He silently chuckled then said, “Yes, they were strong.”

“Good.” I chewed my lip nervously. “I hope my ovaries were photogenic.”

The door finally opened. “Davenports, how was dinner?”

We pushed through the tedious small talk, but I was anxious to get to the results. “Did you find anything concerning?” Hale took my hand, silently urging me to calm down.

“Actually, I did.”

I clenched. This was it. This was the moment she told me I was as barren as the old west during a high noon shoot out.

“You can relax, Rayne. I have good news. I’m almost certain I’ve figured out the issue.”

“So, there is an issue?” Hale asked, shifting in his seat to sit a little straighter.

Oh, God. It was me. I was a faulty model. Or was it him? Maybe his swimmers were just a bunch of doggy paddling lost boys.

“A minor one,” the doctor clarified.

“Mine or his?” I blurted, unable to bear the suspense. “Just give it to me straight, Doc. It’s me, isn’t it? My plumbing’s all clogged, isn’t it? I knew it. The Reiki lady said I was stuck. I eat a lot of dairy.”

“Rayne, baby, let her talk.” Hale squeezed my clammy hand in both of his.

But my hands weren’t sweating. That was Hale’s sweat. Oh, God, if Hale was nervous,we were screwed. He was supposed to be the calm one!

“It comes down to timing,” Dr. Seacrest explained. “All of your test results were healthy. Sperm mobility is good and I saw no uterine abnormalities. You have a thick, well-developed endometrium, Rayne, which is optimal for conception.”

“So…we’re just not doing itenough?”

“Well, from your interview, you seem to be enjoying frequent intercourse. Females with shorter menstrual cycles can sometimes ovulate earlier than expected. There’s a chance you’ve just been missing the window. Lifestyle factors, such as stress, can also lead to delays in ovulation and impact fertility. Can you think of an obvious source of stress in your life?”

“No, not that I can…” My words drifted off as soon as I met Hale’s stare. Okay, maybe there was one source, but that seemed like a stretch. Or was it?

We both sighed and said, “Remington.”

“What’s Remington?”

Hale grimaced. “He’s my father and Rayne’s boss.”

“Do you consider your job stressful,Rayne?”

“My job? No.” My phone buzzed. Speak of the devil. I sent the call to voicemail. “My boss, however, can be a bit of a handful.”

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