Page 25 of Zone Protection

We walk through the doorway and pause, waiting for the nurse to tell us where we need to go.

She starts walking, then stops at a door next to a small counter space that has a computer, a tablet, and some urine cups. She picks up one of the cups and wraps a label around it, then hands it to Emma.

“I need you to give us a urine sample to confirm the pregnancy. Use the sanitizing wipes first, then fill to this line.” She points to a line on the cup and then hands it over to Emma.

Emma looks at me, hands me her backpack and the clipboard, then goes into the restroom.

“Oh, here, I can take that for you.”

The nurse reaches for the clipboard. I gladly hand it over. She walks away with it, then comes back just as Emma is coming out of the restroom, urine in hand.

The nurse takes it from her and sets it on the counter. She steps around us, and we follow her down the hallway to a scale. She instructs Emma to step on.

Emma looks over at me. “Turn around. You don’t need to see how much I weigh.”

I bark out a laugh. “Darlin’, you can’t be serious?”

With her finger, she twirls it in a circular motion. I sigh but turn around.

I hear something sliding, then hear the nurse say, “Sixty-nine inches.”

I can’t help myself. I turn my head and meet Emma’s eyes with a big-ass smile on my face.

She rolls her eyes and steps off the scale.

We follow the nurse farther down the hall to an open doorway. “Go ahead and have a seat. I’m just going to take your blood pressure and vitals.”

Emma sits in the chair next to the countertop that has a jar of cotton balls, long Q-tip-looking things, and a box of gloves.

The nurse takes Emma’s arm and wraps the cuff around it. While that expands, she drags a thermometer across Emma’s forehead, then places a heartbeat-button thing on her finger. She writes something on a paper on the desk, then looks at a box, checking her blood pressure.

“One eighteen over seventy. Good. Are you taking any medications right now? Even over-the-counter ones count.”

“No prescription meds, but I do take a multivitamin and a probiotic,” Emma answers.

“Okay, that’s fine. And when was the first day of your last period? Doesn’t have to be exact, but as close as you can estimate,” she says.

“I can’t remember the exact date, but it was mid-August.”

The nurse nods and writes something on the paper, then stands. “Dr. Landy will be in soon. Go ahead and undress completely and put the gown on.” She points to the exam table, then opens the door and leaves the room.

Emma and I look at each other. I smile, but she looks a little shy.

“Do you want me to leave the room, darlin’?” I ask her. I never want her to feel uncomfortable with me.

She shakes her head. “No, it’s fine. Not like you haven’t seen it, but I’m just feeling a little bloated now.”

“Emma, you are the most gorgeous girl I’ve ever seen.” I smirk.

She laughs. “You are ridiculous.” But she starts to remove her clothes.

Do I watch? You bet I do. I’m not missing a minute of seeing her body again. It’s been months, and I still see it in my mind. Seeing the real thing? Yeah, nothing could pull me away.

Her back is to me, but when she bends down to remove her pants, I see a tiny tattoo on the small of her back that I make a note of to ask about later and the swell of her breast from the side.

“Hey, Em, are your boobs starting to hurt yet?”

She whips her head back to me. “Archie, seriously?”

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