Page 30 of The Virgin's Baby
Now the color began to drain out of Aspen’s face. “Oh, I don’t know.”
I didn’t know about that, either, but I didn’t think it was all that common. “I doubt we have anything to worry about.”
“You don’t have any worries then?” Aspen asked me. “Would that be okay if there was more than one baby?”
“It would be okay with me.” I took her hand in mine to give her a bit more confidence. “Twins are cute.”
“Yeah, they are.” She looked back at the doctor. “Okay, we can deal with all that. Is there anything else?”
Tapping her fingers on the desk, the doctor said, “Just one more thing. Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome.”
Aspen didn’t take that one well at all, as her hand gripped mine. “A syndrome? That doesn’t sound good at all.”
With a nod, the doctor agreed. “No, it’s not. The subject can have severe abdominal pain. There can be rapid weight gain—around ten pounds in three to five days.”
Aspen looked at me. “I don’t know about this, Ransom.”
“Along with that,” the helpful doctor went on, “you could experience nausea so bad that you can’t eat. You might not be able to urinate easily. Your heart rate could increase, and it might become difficult to breathe.”
I couldn’t let her go on. “But that’s worst-case scenario, isn’t it?” I knew she wanted to scare Aspen away from this idea.
She nodded. “Yes, that is the worst-case scenario. I believe Miss Dell has the right to know the worst that can possibly happen. She’s not having this baby out of love after all. This isn’t easy for couples who are committed to each other. I don’t think it will be easy at all for the two of you. Miss Dell will be a mess of emotions. She’ll feel awful most of the time. This isn’t like a normal pregnancy. This isn’t for the faint of heart.”
“Lots of people do it,” I reminded her. “I think we’ll be fine. Aspen is in good health. I doubt she’ll have any of those problems you talked about.”
Aspen was eerily quiet, making me think the doc had gotten to her. Lifting her head, she asked, “Are there any other things I should know about?”
“There’s a surgery to remove the eggs. You will have to be put under anesthesia. Have you ever been put under, Miss Dell?”
“No, I haven’t.” Aspen looked at me. “I didn’t realize there would be surgery, Ransom.”
“Will she have to be put into the hospital to have that done?” I asked the doctor, not at all pleased with how she’d presented things.
“No. It will be done here,” came her answer.
I looked at Aspen with confidence. “If it’s done here, then I doubt there’s much risk.” My attention turned back to the doctor. “Can I be in the room?”
She nodded. “Yes, the fathers are often in the room with the mothers.”
Giving Aspen a smile, I said, “Then I’ll be there to make sure you’re doing fine. If you’re not, then I’ll be the first to call the paramedics to get you safely to a hospital where you will be taken care of. I’ll never leave your side.”
I had no clue what she would want to do. And I fully realized how much she was putting on the line for me. But then, this was for her too. I wasn’t taking the baby away from her. I was sharing it with her.
And I could see it in her eyes; she was weighing the same thoughts I was. When she nodded, I nearly jumped for joy. “Let’s do this, Ransom. Let’s make us a baby.” She looked back at the doctor with a confident air. “I’m ready to get to this thing, Dr. Larson. Sign us up.”
Chapter Fourteen
Aspen
Lubbock, Texas – May 25th
After signing all the papers and Ransom paying the clinic upfront, I was given a shot. I had to have one each day until I started my period. It was supposed to make my ovaries sleep. I had no idea what that really meant, nor did I care much.
I’d decided to let the doctor do what she does, and I didn’t want much explanation. She wasn’t exactly the most tactful person I’d ever met, but she’d come highly recommended, so we stayed with that clinic.
Not very long after our initial appointment, I started my period. I’d been told to make an appointment for the second day of my period. Ransom and I were on our way into the clinic as I read about what they were going to do today.
Ransom had given me a new smartphone to replace my old flip phone. The screen was nice and big, so that I could read the e-mail sent from the clinic easily.
