Page 85 of Christmas with Three Cowboys

“I need… I need to go to the clinic. Dr. Hartman…”

“Dr. Hartman? Oh...”

I give her a terrified look, but her gaze softens as it meets mine. She puts her arm around my shoulders and helps me get up.

“Come on,” Darla says in a soft voice, “I’ll drive you.”

“Please,” I mumble as I lean into her, cautiously leaving the kitchen behind. “They can’t know. Not yet. Don’t tell them. Please.”

“Let’s get you to Dr. Hartman first, honey,” Darla replies. “Your health is the most important right now. Nothing else.”

I’m humbled by her self-control, by her ability to react and take care of me when I clearly can’t manage my condition. Whatever is happening feels wrong.

“You’re gonna be okay,” Darla says, once we get into the doctor’s office. “I got this feeling.”

“Gut feeling?” I ask, almost laughing. “Ow…”

The pain in my belly comes back, though not as sharp as the first round.

“Not like what you’re dealing with right now, but yeah,” Darla replies, giving me a worried look. “How far along are you? And why haven’t you told anyone, especially the boys?”

“Given everything we’ve been dealing with, do you think they’d be able to focus if they knew about this?” I ask with a flat tone.

“Fair enough,” she grumbles. “Plus, you’re still an inmate.”

“Yes, there’s that, too,” I sigh deeply. “I don’t know what the hell I’m going to do. I just… I just want us to be safe, Darla.”

Dr. Hartman comes in. “Good to see you again, Melissa. Nurse Hadley said you feel sick?”

“Hey, Doc. Yeah, pain, weakness…”

“Where’s the pain?” he asks.

I describe my symptoms in as much detail as possible while he sets me up next to the ultrasound machine and checks my vitals again with a furrowed brow. “Mmm… Okay, let’s not panic just yet,” he says, then gives Darla a look. “Family?”

“She’s the closest thing I have to a mother,” I tell the doctor with a trembling voice.

“And Melissa’s the closest thing I have to a daughter,” Darla swiftly replies.

Dr. Hartman smiles and proceeds with the ultrasound. I lift my sweater and shudder when he applies the cold gel, then hold my breath as I wait for the image and sound to appear. My eyes are glued to the screen, though I have no idea what’s on the screen.

“Any bleeding or spotting?” he asks.

I shake my head. “No, sir. My appetite’s increased. There’s still plenty of morning sickness, and not just in the morning… I get dizzy, sometimes.”

“Oh, God, that’s why you keep tuning out when one of us is talking to you,” Darla groans. “I should’ve seen the signs. I should’ve put two and two together.”

“I’m sorry,” I mutter, giving her an apologetic smile. “No more secrets, though… I promise.”

“You hear that?” Dr. Hartman interjects, ultrasound device stopping somewhere below my belly button. He turns the volume up, and I hear it.

“Oh, wow,” I whisper.

Dr. Hartman narrows his eyes at the screen, and I tense up.

“What is it? Is something wrong?” I ask.

He smiles and shakes his head. “No, nothing is wrong. I just saw a little something on the screen here I want to confirm.” He points to the image on the screen.

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