Page 128 of Devil's Tulip

I smile, warmth spreading through me. Michael keeps referring to our baby as a ‘she’, insisting with absolute certainty, but deep in my bones, I know it’s a boy. He says I’m wrong, but a mother knows these things. The connection is primal, beyond explanation. “Yeah, no nausea since I woke up. Miracle, really,” I agree, touching my stomach gratefully. I was hoping that crap would vanish after my first trimester, but nope—it just got worse.

Michael gives me one last lingering kiss, this time with a hunger that makes my toes curl in my shoes, before reluctantlyletting me go. And then I’m off to the exam center, forcing myself to walk away from him.

Inside, the exam room is sterile and quiet, the only sound the soft hum of computers and the nervous rustling of other candidates. I take a deep breath as I find my seat, pushing aside the churning anxiety in my gut.

I glance out the window at the roiling dark clouds gathering on the horizon and try not to take it as a sign.Not an omen, I tell myself firmly.Just weather.

“Hello, Gianna,” the organizer says as she approaches my seat. “Are you ready?”

I turn away from the gloomy window to give her a small, nervous smile. “As ready as I’ll ever be.”

“You’ll have up to five hours to complete the exam,” she explains as she boots the computer in front of me. “You can take two breaks if needed, but they’re optional. The test will automatically stop when you get more than half of the questions correctly. Your time starts as soon as you begin the test.”

I nod, knowing all this already, but appreciate the reminder. My brain feels like it’s stuffed with cotton.

The computerized exam simply tests my knowledge of the field, critical thinking, and decision-making related to patient safety, clinical practice, and care management. It brings up selective questions based on how I answered the previous ones. Adaptive testing. Sink or swim.

I glance out the window one last time, then turn back to my computer and click start.I can do this!

I squint at the computer screen and dim the bright light a bit to read the first question. I smile as I answer it, confidence slowly building with each correct response.

Over four hours later, the test automatically stops, the screen transitioning from the question section to inform me I’m done. My fingers and neck are cramped from how I hunched over thecomputer, and my eyes sting a little from how long I stared at the screen non-stop. My back aches. My brain feels wrung out.

But it’s over. I actually finished.

Now all that’s left is to wait the dreaded six weeks for the results, though knowing Michael, he’d most likely pressure me into purchasing the quick results—an unofficial result available two business days after the exam. But I can worry about that later. For now, I just want to breathe.

When I get out of the exam center, Lorenzo and three of Michael’s men leap to their feet and start clapping, grabbing people’s attention. Seriously? My face heats up, and I raise my hands to my flaming cheeks as I hurry towards them. “You’re embarrassing me,” I hiss to Lorenzo, who only gives me an unrepentant grin.

“Only following the boss’s orders, ma’am,” he says, presenting me with an enormous bouquet of tulips wrapped in pretty pink paper. Then, to my astonishment, he takes out a gold medal from his pocket and hangs it around my neck with ceremonial flourish.

It’s so over the top, it’s ridiculous.I love it.

I shift my flowers to one hand and lift the gold medal to read the engraving. “World’s best RN, Wife, and Mother.” I blink back the stinging tears and clutch my medal tightly. It doesn’t matter that I’m only a wife right now; I’ll be a mother and RN soon. So soon I can taste it.

“Ready to go home?” Lorenzo asks, watching me with a mixture of amusement and concern.

“Of course.” I’m more than ready. I told Michael I’d call him when I get home, but the second we’re in the car, I’m already dialing his number. I need to hear his voice.

He picks up on the first ring. “Hi, love. Done with your test?” There’s a low hum of voices in the background, and I bitemy lip, remembering he mentioned having a meeting with his shareholders.

Damn it. I should have waited.

“You’re still in your meeting? Let’s talk later.”

“No, stay on the line. They can wait. Tell me how your test went.”

“It was… exhilarating,” I admit, the word tumbling out. “It started off really easy, and the difficulty level rapidly climbed up, but I think I might have aced it.” My confidence isn’t false bravado; I genuinely feel good about my performance. “Thank you for the flowers and the medal. I love them.”I love you, I almost say, but swallow the words.

He chuckles. “I’ll kick these assholes out as soon as possible and meet you at home, okay?”

“I can’t wait,” I say, and we end the call.

When I get home, Gracie and Elira are waiting for me outside the house, and they clap their hands, cheering dramatically as if I’ve returned from conquering Mount Everest. And to my utter embarrassment, I burst out crying.

“It’s–it’s the hormones,” I choke out as they rush over and wrap me up in warm hugs. I’ve never had this before—this overwhelming support and blatant show of love. When I agreed to marry Michael, I didn’t see this in my future at all.

Gracie and Elira murmur soothing words as we head inside, both of them gushing over my flowers and medal like they’re the most impressive things they’ve ever seen.

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