Page 52 of Love on the Brain
Kevin Conway:Have you seen Shelby? I can’t reach her on her cell and her car doesn’t seem to be anywhere around town.
“Hey, Ry … I just got a text about my sister. Can I call you back?”
“No problem. See you later, beautiful.”
Jane blushed, still not used to the term of endearment he’d started using for her. She ended the video chat and called Kevin.
“Jane? Hey. I can’t find Shelby. Something’s wrong with Macy. I’ve been here since nine this morning staining cabinets, and I’ve yet to see her. She hasn’t come out of her room all day, and she won’t let me go in to check on her. She was supposed to be in her new recording studio all day, working on a new song for the Harbor Lights. I can’t imagine what it might be, but she hasn’t touched the tray of food I set out by her door, either. It doesn’t feel right.”
Jane pressed her lips together. As Dr. Keppler’s nurse, she was privy to information patients wanted to keep secret. This couldn’t be good. But why hadn’t Macy called the doctor? “I’ll be right over, Kev. Thanks for reaching out.”
Jane debated calling the doctor. If Macy hadn’t called her, there was a chance she didn’t need her. Hoping that was the case and that her friend just wasn’t feeling well, she retrieved her purse, locked the doors, and walked out the back to her car. Macy’s house was in the new Sparkling Cove development, up behind the Cliff Walk Resort.
She arrived at Macy’s ten minutes later, parking in the recently bricked driveway next to Kevin’s Conway Construction pickup. He was waiting inside the open front door when she climbed the steps to the front porch.
“This way,” he said, leading her through the open downstairs to a hall off the living room. He knocked on the door. “Mace? Jane’s here.”
No answer. They exchanged a glance, and Jane tried the knob. Locked. “Can you unlock it?”
“Yeah, of course.” He pulled a skinny screwdriver from his toolbelt and inserted the tip into a small hole in the doorknob. The mechanism clicked, and Jane turned the knob. “Thanks.”
He nodded, his face twisted in concern. “I’ll be in the kitchen. Call for me if you need anything.”
“I will.” Jane entered the darkened room and closed the door behind her. “Macy?” she asked softly. The bed was empty, so she entered the bathroom.
Curled up on several layers of bloodstained towels, nightgown-clad Macy lay in a fetal position with her eyes closed. Jane kept her expression neutral and knelt beside her friend.
“Macy? Can you hear me?” She placed two fingers at the pulse point on Macy’s neck.Strong. Thank goodness.
“Yes. I’m okay.” Her voice was weak. “It just hurts so much.”
Jane swallowed and concentrated on making her voice even. She could see with her eyes what Macy had gone through, but she needed Macy to tell her in her own words. “Can you tell me what happened?”
Macy’s anguished eyes locked on Jane’s. “Cramps, bleeding. I don’t think I’m pregnant anymore.”
Jane’s heart cracked at Macy’s resigned tone. There were so many questions she wanted to ask her friend, but she only asked two. “Eighteen weeks, right? Can I take a look?”
Macy nodded, and Jane went to the sink to wash her hands. Thank goodness she carried some first aid supplies. She dried her hands, pulled out her stethoscope, and slid on a pair of latex gloves.
Taking a deep breath, she returned to Macy’s side. “Okay, this might hurt a little, but just bear with me, okay?”
“Okay.”
Jane completed the examination, her heart sinking as it became clear what had happened. Macy must be terrified and heartbroken. Losing her baby was Jane’s worst nightmare. She’d felt that fear when she’d been pregnant, when Noah was kidnapped, and every day since his tumor had been diagnosed.
She took a deep breath and spoke the words out loud. “I’m so sorry, Macy, but I think you’re right about not being pregnant. I don’t hear a heartbeat. You’ve lost a lot of blood, but I don’t think you lost enough to require a transfusion. We should get you to the hospital for a full exam.”
“No!” Macy struggled to sit up. “I can’t go anywhere.No onecan know about this.” She clutched Jane’s hand. “Hunter doesn’t even know. Please, I implore you.”
Jane pressed her lips together. Macy was in the middle of separating from her rock-star husband. “Let me see if I can get Dr. Keppler to swing by.”
Macy loosened her grip. “Thank you.”
Jane dialed the doctor’s number. “Hey, how about one more patient before your retirement dinner?” She filled the doctor in and then turned back to Macy. “She’s on her way.”
Macy nodded and closed her eyes. Jane hung up the phone. “Someone is going to have to stay with you overnight. I’ll see if I can get in touch with Shelby, okay?”
“She’s in Bangor with Kat, remember? Wedding dress shopping. Won’t be home till late.”
