Page 87 of White Raven
“Sure,” she nodded, turning and opening the cabinet beneath the sink to pull out a paper gown. “If you want to just undress from the waist down, I’ll go grab the nurse, and we can take a look. This early on, we’ll have to use the internal wand to get an accurate image.”
She handed the gown to Rhaena, and Brandon looked on in utter confusion. When the doctor left to give them a moment, he waited until the door shut and stood, helping her out of her jacket.
“Internal wand?” he asked. Rhaena chuckled.
“I swear men must really use a shit ton of energy pretending to be tough. Yes. An internal wand. Longer than a dildo, and far less pleasant. And that’s not even the worst thing they have in this room.” He swallowed as she finished undressing, and took her clothes, folding them while she pulled the paper gown around her. “Don’t worry, babe. You won’t see anything any more exciting than usual.”
He dropped his mouth as she laid herself down on the table. “That was hurtful, Northwood.”
Rhaena snickered as the doctor knocked, coming back into the room with a nurse, and turning off one set of lights as Brandon scooted a chair next to the table. They prepped her, and fixed her feet in the stirrups, and she tried not to flinch at the cold intrusion in her nether regions, instead opting to take his offered hand and squeeze it while they looked over at the black and white screen.
“Alright, Miss Northwood. Over here is your right ovary.” She pressed a button, freezing an image, and printing a picture. “Looks healthy. This is your left one.” She moved the wand uncomfortably around and her heart raced, waiting to see a flickering heartbeat, but not having a clue what she was looking at. The doctor grew quiet, and the silence in the room became stifling.
“Everything okay, doc?” Brandon asked, obviously growing impatient. Rhaena had to admit, so was she.
“Honestly? You’re healthy as a horse, Northwood. You have strong muscle tissue, good measurements. This area here is your uterus, and as you can see…” she ran her finger along the screen, “You’re at the stage of your cycle where you’re about to shed the lining. I’d be surprised if you didn’t start today. But no. The tests were accurate. I don’t see a little one hiding in here.”
Is she serious?
The subtle slack to Brandon’s grip nearly broke her heart. Some part of him was hoping they were, and that evidence was so clear that being a seasoned cop wouldn’t have mattered. It was difficult to comprehend…or admit…that even Rhaena felt a little sting of disappointment. They handed her a towel to clean herself up with, and helped her to sit, turning the lights back on. Dr. Hammond took a seat as the nurse left and gave Rhaena a moment to collect her thoughts.
“So…we’re sure? There’s no baby? Not even a blip, or…anything?” she asked, feeling a sudden urge to tear up.
“Positive. I checked every possible angle. I’m not sure whether to tell you I’m sorry, or offer congratulations, but the good news is that everything checks out perfect. You’re in excellent physical shape.”
“What about my missed period?”
“Likely caused by your hormonal response to being off the pill. Your body has to adjust, and it can throw your cycle off dramatically. You’re perfectly fine.” She turned and took a little prescription pad off the counter. “Did you want to talk about some other options while you’re here?”
“They told me last time that they couldn’t refill them if I didn’t get my blood panels going.”
Dr. Hammond waved a hand and shook her head, writing on the paper. “Don’t worry about that. I’ve seen all I need to see. If it’ll prevent you from having another scare like this, then I’ll be happy to write you one. The panels are to check for other stuff like your thyroid, blood sugar and things like that. I’m not worried. Take this,” she said, handing her the prescription. “If you wanna continue the birth control, fill it. If you wanna try for a munchkin, then I wish you the best of luck. Either way…just walk out of here knowing that you have a clean bill of health, okay?”
“Thank you so much,” Brandon smiled.
“Yes, thank you.”
“You’re very welcome. I’ll leave this on the counter. Just take it to checkout when you’re ready, and I’ll see you in a year for your annual.” She laid her clipboard on the counter and gripped Rhaena’s shoulder, smiling. “Have a good one. I’ll send the bill for my model,” she laughed. Brandon flushed red and gripped the back of his neck while Rhaena joined the doctor in making him more uncomfortable.
On the car ride home, Rhaena stared out the window, congested with a million thoughts. Brandon seemed about the same, barely speaking as the music played on the radio.
So, they dodged a bullet. She wasn’t possibly having Athan’s baby and ruining his life. She wasn’t having Brandon’s either. This was good, wasn’t it? Why didn’t itfeelgood? There were a thousand reasons that finding out there was a little person in her belly would complicate and throw an atomic bomb ineverything. Life was so irritating. She should feel happy about this news. But then, there were still so many other questions. Okay, so what if the birth control threw her off? How did that explain all the other things she was feeling? The increased appetite. The short fuse she was starting to have…could be PMS. She missed a period. It was probably ten times as fierce. The effects of Sarah’s blood could also be a factor, but that was obviously something they couldn’t tell a doctor about.
How did it come to this? How did she get to this point where now that they knew the truth, and didn’t have to worry so much about the future—that future seemed a little less bright without the possibility of something they weren’t even ready for? It left Rhaena curious if shedidactually want it…
And if this was about to come between them after all?
These reports told them next to nothing, which was just about what he’d expected, although…some of it just seemed to add more to the long list of possibilities and lingering questions around who John Allan was, and where the fuck he was hiding. The one that bothered him the most was—what the hell does he want? Why all the dramatics? Did he want his daughter with a vampire? Did he blame Athan for being the reason she turned? Would it have mattered in the end if Sarah’s blood determined that it was John’s own fault that she was part vampire to begin with?
“I’m starting to think you don’t know how to enjoy vacation time, Kane.” Captain Foley’s voice broke him out of his thoughts, and he turned in his chair to see him leaning over Rhaena’s empty desk.
“I wouldn’t know, sir. The time off was part vacation, partinvestigation.”
“You can’t marry your work,andyour girl, Athan. You and Sarah deserve more than that.”
Athan’s brows lowered. “You know?”
“I heard. Congratulations, detective.”
