Page 46 of After the Red Carpet
They shared a quiet moment, but the silence was broken when the phone rang. Finn glanced at the incoming number and said, “It’s Dr. King.”
“Put it on speaker,” Ella said, sitting as straight as a board.
“Hello, Dr. King. Ella and I are both on the line.”
“We got your blood work back and found our culprit. Ella, you have extremely low iron, which explains the dizzy spells.”
“I don’t understand. I’ve been eating—”
“Low iron isn’t uncommon. It may have already been an issue for you without causing any noticeable symptoms. Pregnancy can exacerbate it in many women. A fetus is like a parasite, sucking up all the nutrients we take in.”
“So I didn’t do anything wrong?” Ella asked.
“Not at all,” Dr. King replied.
Ella’s eyes became watery, and she exhaled slowly. Her posture visibly relaxed. “I’m sorry. We’re still here.”
“The good news is that this problem is easily remedied. Start taking a daily iron supplement. They’re available over the counter. And pack as much iron into your diet as you can.”
“Okay, I will. Thank you, Doctor,” Ella said.
“Take it easy. Bye.”
Finn hung up the phone, and Ella exploded into tears again. He held her in a comforting embrace and said, “Oh, baby. This is great news. It’s nothing serious.”
“I’m just so happy Betty is okay. She’s okay, she’s okay.”
FINN JUMPED OUT OF BED TO ANSWERa knock on the door as Ella watched the end credits roll. “Jason stopped by with the iron pills, and I’ve made you lunch,” Joyce said, carrying a bed tray, which she placed in front of Ella.
“Thank you. This soup smells delicious,” Ella said.
“I thought soup would be soothing on a day like today. It’s an iron-rich twist on Italian wedding soup: beef broth with small meatballs, potatoes, and lots of kale for folic acid. There’s a side of my homemade quinoa crackers too. Later, if you want something sweet, I’ve made cookiesloaded with healthy ingredients. You can have them with cashew milk, which I read is also high in iron.” Joyce turned to Finn and said, “I’ll bring a tray up for you too so you can eat together.”
“Thank you, Joyce,” Finn replied, “for everything.”
“Mmm, this is so good,” Ella said, slurping a big spoonful. “Sorry, I couldn’t wait. Betty’s hungry.”
Finn chuckled. “So, what do you want to watch next? A thriller? An indie?”
“How about a rom-com? That way we’re guaranteed love, laughs, and a happy ending.”
“ELLA,” FINN SAID QUIETLY,rubbing her hair.
“Hmm?” she mumbled, barely opening her eyes.
“I’m sorry to wake you. I have an early call time and . . .”
“What?” she asked through a yawn.
“I just wanted to make sure you’re still okay with me going back to work.”
“Uh-huh. I’ve never felt better. It’s amazing how quickly those supplements helped. No dizzy spells the last couple of days, and my energy is way up,” she said as another yawn slipped out.
He laughed.
“Well, when I’m allowed to sleep, that is,” she said.
“Go back to sleep. Call if you need anything at all. I’ll have my phone on, even when we’re filming.”
