Page 66 of Abel

Taking my mind off things, I bought her a lunch time snack that consists of a turkey sandwich, apples, yogurt, and bottled water.

I head to her studio to sit with her while she eats.

Opening the door, I call out to her. “Where is myMarrone Dolce?” Looking around the room, I step inside and notice her slumped on the floor. The tray slips from my hands as I run to her. “Ivy! Ivy?” I yell, rushing to her.

Dropping to my knees I cradle her head in my lap. “Baby, answer me!”

Slowly, she cracks her eyes open. “Abel?”

“Yes,amore mio.”

“What happened?” She asks, completely oblivious to the fact that she passed out.

“What’s the last thing you remember?” She tries to sit, but I keep her head in my lap. “Don’t move, I don’t know if you’re seriously hurt or not.”

“I don’t think I am.” She says, reaching up to touch her head. “My head hurts, Abel.”

“Did you hit it going down?”

“I’m not sure, maybe.”

“Come on, let’s get you up. Do you think you can stand?” She nods. Slowly, I help her get up as she wobbles to stand on her own two feet. “Careful.”

“I just feel so tired today.”

“I want you to come home.” I say, causing her to lift her head and stare at me. Her eyes shine with unshed tears.

“Home?”

“Yes, I want you to come back home. We’re gonna make a stop on the way there, just to make sure you’re okay.” I say, escorting her out to the car.

“Okay.” She says weakly as I lead the way.

Thirty minutes later and we’re sitting in the doctor’s office.

With her hand tucked snuggly in mine, I lift it to my lips, pressing a gentle kiss to her knuckles.

Shortly after, the door flies open and in walks, “Micha Shepard? Is that you?”

His head swivels up, eyes coming to rest on me as his face breaks out into a smile. “Well, I’ll be damned. Abel Iverson.” He walks right up to me, pulling me into a hug. Slapping his hand across my back, he says, “How are you?”

“I’m great, but my woman fainted while working today and before I took her home, I wanted to make sure she was completely okay.” I watch something flash across his face before he speaks.

“From the blood we drew today, I had them run several tests to rule out any and every possibility that something could be wrong.” He says with his head hung low.

“You didn’t find anything, right?” The moment his head twists around to face me, hollow eyes drilling a hole in the center of my skull like there’s a little, red dot there… I know what he’s going to say.

“I’m sorry, Abel, Miss Huntington, your blood work came back positive for sickle cell.”

“No!” We shout at the same time.

Ivy is the first to speak. “What about our baby?” She yells, pressing a hand to her growing belly.

Glancing between us, he says, “You’re in your third trimester, that is good, but still very risky for you and the baby.” He shifts his full attention to Ivy. “Miss Huntington, what about your parents' medical background? I don’t think this was ever discussed. Do you know if one or both of your parents may have had the disease or is a carrier?” Micha asks.

“No, I-I don’t know. I haven’t been in contact with either of them for a long time. My grandmother raised me, before you can ask, she died last year.”

“You don’t have any siblings?”

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