Becky held up her hand as she tried to protest. “I made perfect sense.”
Dr. Summers offered her a half-hearted smile. “Okay, apparently, according to the notes in your file, you told the paramedics you had a tiger at the zoo to get to.”
Becky crossed her arms in front of her. “Well, I do have a cat at home I need to feed. That’s probably what I meant. It’s practically the same thing.”
Dr. Summers shook his head and continued. “Some of the bigger hospitals don’t always take it that seriously, but I prefer to run the scan and then follow up again in the morning. I’d like to keep an eye on her overnight. My guess is she has a concussion, but let’s make sure it’s not worse.”
Becky wasn’t prepared to stay. She scowled in Bryan’s direction, but her displeasure went unnoticed.
Her husband’s shoulders relaxed, and relief flooded his face. “Thank you.”
“To be safe,” Dr. Summers said, “I would also suggest you keep an eye on her over the next few months for anything you’d determine as odd behavior, like changes in taste or smell or sensitivity to light or noise. Look for any personality changes, aggression, irritability, unexplained memory loss, mood swings—”
Bryan laughed and then sputtered as he tried to explain. “Sorry, none of that is funny. Really. It’s just that my wife and I are trying to have a baby, and she’s been taking tons of hormones. I’m just wondering if I’ll be able to tell which mood swings are which.”
“Ah.” The doctor seemed relieved there was a valid explanation. He glanced over at the nurse. “Can you go see about getting her a room for tonight?”
Becky focused her attention on Bryan as she pursed her lips.
Bryan’s brow knitted in apparent confusion. “What?” he mouthed at her.
Becky turned her attention back to the doctor. “Dr. Summers, can my husband go home and get something for me? We’re in the last stages of preparing for IVF, and I really, really can’t miss my nightly shot.”
She glanced at Bryan and then back at the doctor. “He could go and be back in twenty minutes.”
Dr. Summers turned toward Bryan and dipped his head. “Go ahead. Check in with the front desk when you get back, and they’ll let you know where she is.”
He gave Becky a final pat on the arm and shook hands with Bryan. “No worries, she should be fine. The nurses will keep an eye on her overnight, and I’ll check her in the morning. If all looks good, she can head home. But keep an eye on her. If you see anything abnormal that doesn’t feel like a normal hormonal thing, bring her back in so we can take a look.”
The doctor glanced at Roslyn as he left. Taking her cue, she walked over to the bed and kissed Becky on the cheek.
“I’m so glad you’re okay and that Dr. Summers is being extra cautious. Better safe than sorry. I’ll let you tell your mother what happened.” She turned to hug Bryan. “Call if you need anything.”
After she left, Bryan grabbed Becky’s hands again. “You have no idea how scared I was when I got the call. I drove over here like a crazy person. I’m lucky I didn’t get into an accident too.”
“I wanted to call you, but I couldn’t find my phone. I’m fine. Really, I am. But our baby-to-be might not be if I don’t get my shot.”
Bryan leaned forward and kissed her. “Okay, okay. I’m going. Don’t get in any more trouble. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
Chapter Five
Becky
As Becky settled into the bed in her hospital room, she glanced at the clock. Everything with IVF was so timed and precise, but now her shot was late. She tapped her fingers on her thigh as if her drumming would make Bryan magically appear.
Voices rang out in the hallway outside her room. Small, high-pitched voices chattering to each other.
A woman’s voice interrupted them. “Blake, hold Aiden’s hand.”
Someone whined. “But, Mommy...”
“Please, boys, I need to find your grandmother. Stay with me until your daddy gets here, and then he’ll take you home.” The woman let out an audible sigh. “The last thing I need tonight is for either of you to wander off.”
Becky leaned forward just in time to see the tow-headed boys reach out for each other. Brothers. She stared with a wistful expression as they hurried to make their short legs keep up with the deliberate stride of their mother.
Becky clutched her outstretched palm against her heart as if the heel of her hand could slow the constant ticking of her biological clock. At thirty-two, she’d have thought by now she’d be on her second or even trying for a third. Infertility had changed her plans.
After she and Bryan finally got married, Becky assumed when they were ready for a baby, it would just happen. And then it didn’t. Month after month after month, it just didn’t happen. The months morphed into one year and then two.
And so here they were. No real explanation for their inability to conceive. None that the doctor or a battery of tests could point to definitively. The fertility doctor had suggested IVF, and Becky would have scaled a mountain if there was a baby at the top. So, their baby would grow in a petri dish before it grew in her. It wasn’t sexy, but she didn’t care.
“What are you smiling about?” Bryan asked as he entered the room, a small bag with her things slung over his shoulder. “Is this one of those crazy mood swings the doctor warned me about?”
“Nope, all good. Just hoping the next time I see this hospital it’s to deliver our baby.”
Bryan leaned over and brushed his lips against hers. “It’s gonna happen, babe. I know it will.”
She pulled up her hospital gown to reveal her stomach and turned her head as Bryan stuck her with the needle.
“Thanks for getting my shot. We couldn’t have missed it.”
“I know. Oh, by the way, I fed your tiger while I was home.”
“Yeah, yeah, very funny. He must have been looking for his—”
They were interrupted by an orderly with a wheelchair. “Becky Morgan? I’m here to take you for a CT scan.”
Becky glanced at Bryan as she settled into the wheelchair. “Go get something to eat. I’m sure you’re famished. Can you also call Tonya and tell her I probably won’t be in tomorrow?”
“Sure. Do you want me to call Jules?”
“Nah. She said she had some work to do tonight. I’ll fill her in tomorrow.”
Bryan placed a soft kiss on her forehead. “Okay. I’ll see you when you’re done.”