Page 66 of Wild for You
“You better not!” I scream as the door clicks closed.
Yeah, I’m definitely going to pay for that coffee stunt, hopefully not in the form of a new pee hole. I shiver at the thought as my head falls back onto the plastic-coated hospital pillow.
CHAPTERTHIRTY-ONE
Gwen
I wakeup in a stark white room that smells like chemicals and recycled air. Instead of a bird squawking to find love, a constant beep is echoing in my ears. The hospital is so noisy; I can hear the hustling and bustling of nurses rushing down the hallways and muffled conversations. It’s such a contrast to my quiet island oasis.
“Looks like someone’s finally awake.” A nurse walks in wearing a stethoscope around her neck. Her cold hands wrap a blood pressure cuff around my arm, and she sticks a thermometer underneath my tongue. “Hold this here, please.”
I oblige, confused about how long I’ve been here, but I suppose there'll be plenty of time to ask as soon as she’s finished with my vitals.
“Good,” she says as she takes the thermometer from my mouth, putting everything back into her rolling cart. “Where’s Jack? My … my … boyfriend. I need to see him!” I beg as I swing my legs over the side of the bed.
The nurse grabs my shoulders, urging me to lie back down. “Hold on, dear. Not so fast. You’re still very weak.” She places the thermometer back in my mouth. “You two have quite the survival story. The whole hospital’s talking about it.” The thermometer beeps, and she removes it, then passes me a cup of pills and a cup of water.
She’s right; I am weak. It’s the only explanation for why I’m not fighting her right now. I take the tiny pill cup and toss it back, chasing the bitterness with ice-cold water.
Who knew water could taste so good? I close my eyes as I suck down another gulp, savoring its feel on my tongue. What I would’ve done to have fresh, ice-cold water while on that island. I shake my head at the thought because it’s all so wild. Sitting here in this air-conditioned concrete hospital is such a stark contrast to the leafy green island paradise where I spent the last … Hell, I don’t even know how long. It almost feels like a dream.
I look back at the nurse, who’s staring at me with concern in her eyes, almost like there’s something she hasn’t told me.
“But he’s okay?” I press because I need to hear her say it.
She nods and purses her lips. “He’s going to be just fine … but he needs to rest and heal just like you.”
I nod as her reassurance washes over me and breathe a sigh of relief.
The loud tear of velcro brings me back to the moment as she wraps the blood pressure cuff around my arm. “Do you need anything for nausea?”
Now that she mentions it, my stomach does feel a little queasy.
“I … um … I do feel a little sick.” I hesitate before asking, “Do you know what’s wrong with me?”
A warm smile spreads across her face. “Well, you’re severely malnourished and dehydrated, and you’re infected with parasites.” She clicks her pen and scribbles a note. “I’m surprised your tiny little body was able to hold onto the pregnancy at all, but your vitals are looking better today.” She pulls her stethoscope down from her ears after listening to my lungs, then hands me the hospital breakfast menu. “What’ll it be, red or orange Jell-O? Or I can call for some warm broth if you’d prefer?”
“I’m sorry.” I swallow the lump in my throat. “Did you just say I’mpregnant?” The word lodges in my throat like the most unnatural thing I’ve ever said.
She pulls the stethoscope out of her ears and scribbles another note on her chart. “Yes, dear. I’ll be taking you for an ultrasound shortly, and we’ll have a better idea of how far along you are.”
“So, you haven’t done an ultrasound?” Hope flutters in my chest. “So, maybe you’re wrong … I mean, how could you know that—”
She smiles, placing a warm hand on my arm. “How about I get you something to eat and let you process this.”
I nod yes, then shake it no as tears sting the backs of my eyes. My chest feels heavy as I try to process how this could be real. I pinch myself on the arm and wince. Okay, so this isn’t a dream, but how can something like this happen?
I mean, I have an IUD. I’ve never planned on starting a family, and maybe I should’ve thought about it more before this moment, but I’ve always been so focused on my career. Hell, I’ve never even had a steady relationship. I’m about three heaves away from going into a full-on panic attack when a quiet knock on the door, followed by a smiling Maggie, breaks the tension.
I let out a breath at the relief of seeing a familiar face, but then the tears start falling.
“Gwen, what’s wrong?” Maggie rushes to my side, and I catch a whiff of her shampoo. The familiar scent is a warm blanket to my battered soul, and I cry harder.
“What’s going on? Why are you so upset?” She comes to sit by me, propped on the side of my bed, and rubs my back.
“The—the nurse.” I gasp a lungful of air. “She told me I’m—I’m pr—preg—pregnant,” I finally manage to say and look up to see Maggie’s eyes wide in shock, which only prompts another wave of tears. Great, even she thinks this is terrible news.
“Shhh, it’s going to be okay. Just take a deep breath,” she reassures me as she rubs my back.
