Page 107 of What if It's Us

No.

I’m not sure.

But I nod anyway because I don’t want to scare anyone. My hand lingers protectively over my stomach and I try hard to refocus on the game.

“Yep. Fine.”

Ledger flies down the ice, checks an opponent cleanly into the boards, and spins away with the puck and the crowd roars as he heads for their net.

Another stabbing pain hits—sharper this time. I gasp and straighten in my seat.

“What was that?” Layken asks, her hand gently touching my knee. I notice she shares a look with Corrigan, but I try to play it off.

“I’m fine. All good. Probably just…the baby shifting.”

Stay calm Marlee.

It’s probably nothing.

Probably just trapped gas.

It’s fine.

I’m fine.

Everything is fine.

“Respectfully,Marlee, you can drop the ‘probably’ right now,” Corrigan says to me, calling my bluff. “Your face just went full ghost mode.”

I open my mouth to reply, but the pain comes again. Stronger than the last time. Bending forward slightly, my hand braced on my belly, my other hand grips the armrest of my chair.

“Okay. Okay, it’s not…nothing,” I whisper through gritted teeth.

Layken is already waving over the nearest event staff. “Excuse me? We need medical help. Now. Right now.”

The staff member nods. “Right away, Mrs. Ollenberg.”

Corrigan steps into action feeling for my pulse and then putting the back of her hand to my forehead.

“Corri, I think something’s wrong,” I finally tell her, my chin quivering. “It hurts. It’s deep, like…pressure. It’s not a normal gassy tummy ache.

Corrigan squeezes my hand. “Okay, breathe with me, alright? Let’s stay calm so we can get you out of here and get you looked at.”

I glance out at the ice as if Ledger is going to automatically know something isn’t right and come running.

“Look at me, Mar. Not the ice,” Corrigan instructs. “Just focus on me. We’re not thinking the worst here, alright? It could be nothing. It could be a false alarm. But we’re not taking chances, okay?”

It’s not nothing.

I know it’s not nothing.

And from the look on Corrigan’s face, she knows it’s not nothing as well.

I nod weakly, my breath ragged. The sounds of the crowd blur around me, fading behind the pulse pounding in my ears. The tightening in my abdomen comes again, and this time I can’t bite back the cry that comes from my mouth.

“You guys, I’m scared. What if something’s wrong with the baby?”

Layken hasn’t left my side. She wraps an arm around me as paramedics push through the crowd to get to me.

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