Page 5 of I Changed for You
I reached for my phone and went to Google to research the way I had been feeling. My heart throbbed in my chest at the possibility of my being seriously sick, and I hadn’t gone to get checked out. Many articles popped up about what could potentially be wrong. Some stuck out like a sore thumb. Pregnancy symptoms. My eyes widened as I gawked at the screen.
It was best that I get checked out before I assumed anything. I couldn’t wait for this work day to end. From the Google search I did, I wasn’t sure whether I wanted to go today to get checked out or wait until the morning. Either way, after doing my research, I would go to the doctor. To be honest, I was scared out of my mind about going to get checked out. It had been a while since I had stepped foot into a doctor’s office. If it wasn’t my yearly checkup, I didn’t bother with doctor appointments. Worrygnawed at me, causing me to shoot up from my desk and pace. I ran a hand across my forehead and blew air out of my mouth.
Perhaps, I shouldn’t have done the research, as my mind was now all over the place. In my heart, I knew everything would be okay.
I tried fightingback tears as I drove down the highway to Skyeville Medical Center. I didn’t go yesterday after work. Instead, I decided to wait until morning. From the way I felt this morning, I probably should’ve gone yesterday. I woke up feeling dizzy as ever, and it was hard for me to get out of bed. The smartest thing I did was put a trash can next to my bed last night. I had to use it this morning.
I prayed I wasn’t pregnant. I’d take any other illness besides that. That was something I didn’t want or need at the moment. Not until I was married. Still, knowing that it was a possibility gave me a headache. I tried to be positive, but it wasn’t easy to do so, especially when I had a feeling I was expecting a baby.
I did something incredibly stupid, and it came back to haunt me. I thought I’d be able to forget about it, but I couldn’t. Every now and then, I’d think about the man who turned me every which way but loose inside my truck. As I thought of it, I couldn’t help but shudder. The intimacy I felt when in that man’s arms enveloped me like a blanket. I’d never been made love to so tenderly, passionately, or wildly.
“Damn it,” I muttered.
I knew nothing about that man but his name, and the way he spoke to me made me believe he took pleasure in being in control. We argued about stupid things. He tried to tell me not to drink too much of the punch, and I didn’t listen. That punch tore me up. I had to drink a lot of water, but I was still drunk. Also, he got mad because I ate too fast. I told him what I did was no concern of his, but he didn’t want to hear that. After he tried acting like he was my father, we chilled and hung out in my truck. We then ended up having the best sex I’d ever had in my life. I had to clench my thighs together just thinking about it. Heat pooled inside me, and I turned up the AC in my car. I didn’t need my mind to go there.
Twenty minutes later, I pulled into the parking lot of the medical center. Of all the places in the world, I was here. There was no need to prolong it, so I retrieved my purse and stepped out of my car. When the heat hit me in the face, I wanted to get back in my truck with the AC. With long strides, I made it to the entrance of the center and jerked the door open. It was a good thing that only two people were in there.
I walked up to the receptionist’s desk to give the lady my name and the reason for my visit.
She gave me a friendly smile. “Okay, please fill out this packet for me. I also need your insurance card and ID.”
I pulled the items out of my purse and handed them to her. After I did, I went to fill out the paperwork. One thing I hateddoing was paperwork and filling out forms. It could take all day. Once I was done, I took the packet back to her, and she returned my ID and insurance card to me.
While I waited for my name to be called, I pulled out my cell phone. I opened the Kindle app so I could continue readingFollow Me to Your Heartby Fallynn West. Hopefully, I would be able to read a lot before I left the doctor.
“Elianna Marshall.”
My name being called startled me.
“That was fast,” I muttered to myself, stuffing my phone back in my purse. I got up from the chair and strode toward the lady in pink scrubs.
She held the door open as we made our way in the back. My heart throbbed in my chest as I gulped. She walked until she entered a small room, and I followed behind her. As soon as I spotted the cup and the pregnancy test, I felt nauseous.
She leaned her hip against the counter and smiled at me. “Good morning. I’m Renee, and I’ll be your nurse for the day. Can you tell me what’s been going on with you, please?”
I gave her a rundown of all the symptoms I had. She nodded and picked up the cup. I gulped again with my eyes on the cup, wishing this were a dream.
“Miss Marshall, when was your last period?”
I told her when it was off the top of my head. When it came to my monthly cycles, I was on it.
She nodded. “Okay. I want you to pee in this cup. Once you’re done, set it in the small silver door.” She handed me the cup with a packet of Wet Wipes.
I went to the bathroom to do my business. All alone, I prayed in my head that I wasn’t expecting a baby. This couldn’t be happening to me right now. Tears welled in my eyes as I thought of the possibility of being a single mother.
I dismissed that thought because I wasn’t pregnant. After I was done, I placed the cup in the box, washed my hands, and went back out to wait on the test results.
“Before we run any other tests on you, I want to make sure you’re not carrying.”
I wanted to tell her I wasn’t, and we could run the other tests, but I remained quiet and only nodded. My legs bounced and shook as I folded and unfolded my hands in my lap, ran a hand across my face, and bit my thumbnail. It felt like forever waiting for the test results. I should have put it on a timer.
The nurse finally turned to me with a look of uncertainty on her face. I didn’t know if that was good or bad.
“The pregnancy test came back... positive.”
I dropped my head to my chest and rocked from side to side with my eyes closed. I felt the tears wetting my eyelashes, but I refused to open my eyes. This wasn’t something I wanted to hear. It damn sure didn’t bring me joy. What the hell was I to do now?
“Ms. Marshall?” Nurse Renee called my name.
