Page 83 of Zone Protection

EMMA

It’s beenthree weeks since the championship game, and to say things have been hectic would be an understatement. Between all the excitement around campus and my golf season starting, Archie and I have barely had time together. I mean, we still stay together pretty much every night. The only time we don’t is if I have a big test or heavy studying to do. I can’t focus when he’s around. He’s hot and an incredibly sexy distraction.

He left three days ago for the combine in Indiana. The amount of training he had to do to prepare was insane.

I talk to him every night, and we text during the day when he can, but he’s tired.

He’s had some meetings with his agent, who he can officially meet with now that he’s no longer a collegiate athlete. His agent is telling him that there are several teams that want to meet with him and are anxious to get his scores from the combine.

The golf team is in Arizona for a tournament, which is helping me stay distracted from not feeling all that great today. I’ve been pretty lucky that I’ve been able to keep playing, but I’m going to have to come clean with my coach about thepregnancy. For my uniform, I’ve had to get larger sizes two times now, and I’m surprised they haven’t questioned my weight change. My height and body shape have definitely benefited me in making my belly easier to conceal, but I think that time is over.

I’m in the third rotation on the course, paired with Peyton and a girl name Sarah from Arizona State. The sun is pretty hot today, which isn’t helping with me not feeling good.

Peytontakes her shot, and then the girl from Arizona takes hers. I pull out my driver and tee and walk over to the tee box. After I set my ball, I look out at the course and determine where I need to aim in order for me to get close to the green near the hole.

I take a few practice swings, then step up to the tee. Then I spread my legs slightly and tilt my hips back. Pulling my club back, I take my swing and feel a twinge in my lower belly when I rotate my hips. I nearly drop my club, not because of the pain, but it startles me so much, and I feel a wave of panic rush through me.

As I walk back to the cart, I hold my lower belly, no doubt showcasing my bump to Peyton and Sarah.

“Em! OMG! You’re bleeding.”

Just as she says it, I feel a trickle of blood run down my inner thigh. I’m trying not to panic, but it’s kinda hard not to.

“Pey, I need you to get Miranda for me.”

I sit down on the cart bench as Peyton and Sarah stand near me. I watch as Peyton gets on the walkie-talkie to call for Miranda. In all the reading I’ve done about pregnancy, I’m trying to scroll through my memory to see if I can think about what to do until I can get to a doctor. Putting my feet up makes sense, so I pull my legs up onto the short bench. At the very least, if my blood pressure is elevated, it should help with that.

But now I feel like I’m moving toward panic mode. I need to get ahold of Archie.

“Okay, Em. Miranda is on her way. I should let Coach knowtoo, right? Or does Miranda do that?” She’s biting on her thumbnail and staring at me with big eyes.

Sarah is just standing there, eyeing me. “So, this isn’t your period?”

I shake my head. A pain shoots through my lower belly, and I clutch it and bend forward.

“Emma, you’re pregnant, aren’t you?” Peyton asks.

I sigh and look at her. “Yeah, I am. About twenty-six weeks.”

“Twenty-six weeks! Why didn’t you tell us? I live with you, for fuck’s sake, and I just thought you were in that new relationship glow, not a pregnancy glow! You have been in baggy clothes all the time though lately, so I guess this is all making sense now. But, Em! OMG, you’re pregnant!”

“Look, Pey. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you guys, but I still haven’t told Coach yet. Archie and I needed to get some things figured out before we made it public. But right now, I’m kinda freaked out, so can we talk about this later?”

“Totally! Yes, totally! Oh God, I’m sorry. What can I do?”

“Can you find my phone? I need to text Archie.”

“He’s in Indiana, right? Oh shit, Em. Can he get here?”

“I’m not going to ask him to come, but he needs to know what’s going on. He might not be able to answer right now, but I need to tell him.”

Miranda pulls up in a cart and rushes over to me with her medical bag in hand. “Emma, what’s going on?”

“I’m bleeding, and I have some lower abdominal pain.”

She nods. “Okay. Ladies, can you give us some privacy?” She turns to look at Peyton and Sarah. “Actually, you should just take my cart and go to the next hole.”

“Yes, of course.” Peyton hands me my phone, and she and Sarah walk to the other cart and get in. “Em, text us later, okay?”

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