"Dr. Neumann has an available appointment for tomorrow morning at ten thirty. Does that work for you?" Josephine placed the call on speaker and opened her calendar to ensure no shoots were scheduled.
"Yes. That works for me." Josephine put it in her calendar while the woman kept rattling about arrival time and insurance information before saying a quick thanks and hung up.
"You didn't tell me it has been like this for weeks!" Lana looked genuinely offended.
"I know, but no one wants to know how someone is eating or using the bathroom… or vomiting." Josephine practically vomited, thinking about being sick again.
"We are best friends, Josephine Price! We tell each other all the gross and weird things." Lana looked down at Josephine's hand and backed up, "Things like how you took the ring off last week and haven't put it back on."
"That is different. My ring finger is swollen, and I couldn't get it back on!" Lana smiled at her, and Josephine felt really weird about it.
"Do you want me to drive you in the morning?" Lana was trying to show Josephine that their friendship was a major priority for her. At least, that was how Josephine saw it.
"I would love that." Josephine hugged Lana tight for a long minute.
"I will be at your place to pick you up at ten." Lana smiled and put her arm around Josephine's shoulders before returning to finish the shoot-up with her.
After a long day, Josephine found herself walking around her house, looking at all the spaces Steven had taken up while he was there. His presence lingered for her, and she wanted him back.
Finally, I had a shoot at home. I have an appointment tomorrow and will be back on the road. Hope everything is going well for you. Miss you!
She knew that sending that text seemed a little desperate to hang on, but they talked less and less as time passed.
Glad you get a night at home. The events are starting up, so it is hectic. I miss you too.
His response was short and sweet, but she knew he was busy this time of year. She was more worried about if she caught something weird at one of the location spots. For the time being, she decided that sleep was the most important thing. She had an appointment in the morning that she could not afford to miss.
When the alarm clock went off, Josephine rolled over and knocked her phone off the bed while reaching for it. She groaned and cracked an eye open to try to see it. When all hope was lost for an easy grab, Josephine sat up, bent forward, grabbed her phone, and stood slowly. She was not looking forward to the day at all. She dressed in comfy clothes and brushed her teeth while waiting for Lana to arrive at her door. She wanted to be ready to go and truthfully just wanted the problem to be an easy fix.
Lana pulled up and beeped the horn twice. Josephine was already full of regret that she asked Lana to take her. She was sure Lana had a day full of planned activities that she pushed off, and Josephine did not want to be a burden. Josephine locked up her apartment and threw on a fake smile as she climbed into the passenger seat.
"Good morning, Sunshine." Lana was supremely chipper, and it was making Josephine want to vomit.
"Morning." Josephine got her purse wedged between her feet before buckling in. "Listen," Josephine started, and Lana sat back with the car still in park, taking her hands off the wheel to look at her intently, "I just want to thank you for taking me today, but I feel bad. If you have other plans, then you should just—"
Lana waved Josephine off, "No. I told you I am taking you today, so we are on our way." Lana moved back into position and put the car in drive. The car ride was short, but Lana was loud. By the time they checked Josephine into her appointment, she had an insane headache she was sure her friend had caused.
They waited for what felt like an eternity when Josephine's name was called. She let Lana know she would be right back out, but Lana picked up a magazine and waved it back and forth. "I have all the time in the world. Just go figure this out." She threw a wink and then opened up the magazine.
The tiny little nurse directed Josephine back into a room. She was friendly and polite. She could tell Josephine did not want to answer more than the basics, and she excused herself quickly.
About five minutes later, Dr. Neumann walked into the room. "Josephine! Lovely to see you again. I was going over your chart and what you told the nurse." Dr. Neumann paused, and Josephine waited for something to come out.
"Did I miss a question?" Josephine was genuinely confused at this point.
"No, but I did want to double-check something with you to see if that is okay." Josephine nodded at Dr. Neumann's question. "When was the start of your last cycle?"
Josephine went to mentally check when it was, and then she raced to her phone app, where she kept track. She swiped her finger down the screen to go back in the calendar, and she was stunned when she realized that she had not gotten one since the week before Steven had arrived. Josephine instantly felt her stomach roll over. She jumped off the bed and nudged her doctor out of the way. She grabbed the trash bin, and the barely there contents within her stomach landed inside.
"Miss Price, I will ask you for your urine sample now. I assume it is safe to say it has been a little bit?" Dr. Neumann tried to sound understanding, but Josephine just wanted to bail out of that office and never return.
"I can do that." Josephine looked up to the ceiling and felt the tears welling in her eyes. "It has been about three months since my last cycle." Josephine held her hand out, waiting for her doctor to place the specimen jar in her palm. She already knew what it would say. The math alone put her at about eight weeks. There was no question who the other half was, but Josephine did not want to believe this entire thing was real.
After shaking through the sample collection, Josephine washed her hands and looked in the bathroom mirror. She put her hands on her stomach and closed her eyes. She could not believe that this had happened to her. She took a deep breath and nodded at herself in the mirror. She put the sample in the little door and alerted the nurse she was done.
She waited for a few minutes before Dr. Neumann stepped inside.
"Just say it, Doc." Josephine knew the words were coming but needed to hear them to verify what she already knew.