Page 148 of Tell Me What You Want, Or Leave Me

Five minutes later, they let Eric in. He looks worried and very tense. When he sees me, he hugs me. I’m so excited I can’t say anything, I just keep crying, and the doctors have to explain that everything’s fine. Kissing me on the head, Eric cradles me.

“Quiet, champ. Our baby’s fine.”

I nod and reassure myself.

Before sending us home, one of the doctors gives us a report and tells us that, if I don’t bleed anymore, I should just go to my regular gynecologist’s appointment. He adds that, at the moment, I have to rest. Eric nods and I sigh. I don’t even want to think how horrible it’s about to get for me now that I’m under doctor’s orders to rest.

As I imagined, as soon as I get home, Eric sends me to bed. I have no issue with that at the moment. After the fright we just had, I’m exhausted, and, when I put head to pillow, I go to sleep immediately.

When I wake up, Eric’s by my side. He’s working on his laptop. When he sees I’m awake, he quickly sets the computer aside.

“Are you OK, sweetheart?”

“Yes, perfectly.”

“Frida and Andrés called. They send you kisses and rejoice that everything’s well.”

“How did they find out?”

“Björn,” he says.

I go to the bathroom. Eric accompanies me, and, when I see I’m not bleeding anymore, I relax. When I go back to bed, he lies down beside me.

“I feel guilty about what happened,” he says.

“Why?”

Eric shakes his head.

“I’m the culprit who caused the tension you suffered. Because of me, we almost lost our baby. Also, last night, I asked too much of you and—”

“Don’t be ridiculous; cut it out,” I respond. “The doctors said sometimes this happens. And, as for last night, don’t martyr yourself please with something you don’t know.”

My Iceman nods, although I know him and know he’ll always blame himself. I decide not to broach the subject.

I sleep for what feels like days, but when I try to get up, Eric insists I stay in bed. In the morning, I entertain myself as best as I can. I watchEmerald Madnesswith Simona, and I talk on Facebook with my friends, the Warriors, but I’m bored to death by the afternoon. When Flyn comes home from school, I get up. When Eric sees me in the kitchen, he’s none too happy, but, before he can say anything, I declare my position.

“Rest is taking it easy, not being in bed for twenty-four hours. So, don’t stress me out or make me nervous, understood?”

He doesn’t say anything. He stays contained, and, an hour later, when he sees me running toward the bathroom, he comes over and takes me in his arms.

“To bed, sweetheart.”

I protest and complain, but it doesn’t matter. He takes me to bed.

The following days are more of the same. Rest, rest, and rest.

A week later, I’m drowning in rest.

Eric lets my family know what happened. Papá insists on coming to Germany to take care of me. As best I can, I try to convince him it’s not necessary. I’m dying to see him and hug him, but I know he, Raquel, and Eric, the three of them together, can drive me crazy, and I don’t want that.

In the end, Papá and Raquel call every day, and I know from their voices that it calms them down when they hear me laugh.

Dexter and Graciela call from Mexico, and I’m glad to hear their relationship is going well. According to Graciela, Dexter sleeps with her every night and has told everyone she’s his fiancée. I can’t even imagine the joy Dexter’s mother must be feeling.

As the days go by, Eric seems to understand I’m bored out of my mind in bed, and he lets me spend time on the sofa in the living room. Big step!

According to him, until the gynecologist sees me again, he’s not accepting any other change in my care. He even refuses to touch me beyond anything that’s not a sweet caress or a kiss. At first, that made me laugh, but not anymore. I feel like I’m going to scream.

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