Page 15 of Gunner

“Let’s go.” He leans down and scoops me into his arms. I don’t have a chance to protest as he lifts me off the cot and cradles me to his chest.

“Put me down,” I order him weakly.

“No. You’re goin’ to the hospital. You’ve lost weight, Nat. This isn’t healthy.”

“I’m sick to my stomach all the time, Gunner. I’ll be fine.” I am so far in denial I almost convinced myself.

“No, you won’t. There’s nothin’ left of you. Don’t argue with me on this.”

“I don’t need to go.” I argue as he turns and walks toward the door.

“I said don’t fuckin’ argue with me, Nat. You’re goin’, and I don’t give a shit what you say.”

“That’s right! Tell her who’s boss!” Rick chimes in.

“You’ll come?”

“No. I’ll stay with our stuff. Gunner will take care of you.” I nod my head as Gunner carries me outside and straight to a truck. He opens the door and sets me inside before buckling me in and rounding to the driver’s side.

“I can’t believe you’d lay there like this, Nat. What the hell were you thinkin’?”

“That I’d be okay after a while.”

“You’re pregnant, for fuck’s sake. You think the baby doesn’t need nourishment? That you don’t need them? You look terrible.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t start that. Don’t start sayin’ you’re sorry. You could have come to me.”

“I can’t afford this,” I whisper.

“Didn’t ask that. You should have come to me.”

“And said what? I’m sick? Isn’t that part of being pregnant?” I ask him. He glances over at me and shakes his head.

“It is, but not like this, Nat. I mean it, you look bad. You’ve lost weight, and you didn’t have any to lose.”

“What the hell does that mean?”

“It means you were too damn skinny before.”

“Now you have a problem with my body?” I snap.

“Yeah, I do. You’re too damn skinny, Nat. It isn’t healthy.”

“You didn’t care when you were fucking me,” I yell at him. He exhales slowly and shakes his head once more. I know this is frustrating him, and I can’t help it. He didn’t complain before. Why now?

“You look sick, Nat. Not healthy. That’s all I’m sayin’.” His tone has calmed as he pulls into the hospital parking lot and parks thetruck. He comes around to my side and helps me out, wrapping his arm around me before lifting me off the ground.

“I can walk.”

“Or I can carry you. I’d prefer this,” he says as he carries me inside. He sets me in a chair as he walks over and checks me in. It doesn’t take long for a man in a white coat to come out and greet him. He must know the doctor here. Gunner smiles, and it takes my breath away. I watch him, the way he interacts with the doctor and I can tell they know each other. Then he turns his head and looks at me, nodding in my direction. The doctor says something, and then Gunner walks back toward me, scooping me up out of the chair.

“Let me walk. This is embarrassing.”

“Less embarrassin’ than me spankin’ your ass in front of everyone for lettin’ it get this far.”

“What?”

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