Page 33 of Only in Our Dream (Moonflower Cove #15)

Melanie

W orking ten days in a row was Melanie’s limit.

Not only her personal limit, but the hospital’s limit as well.

The hospital had a policy in place that after ten shifts in a row, there was a mandatory four days off.

Melanie thanked the sweet union gods above for writing that into their contracts.

She could make it through one more shift to have the rest of the week off and not have to clock back in until next Monday.

The shift wasn’t going to be easy though.

They started the day with three laboring patients on the floor and one on the way, transferring from a smaller hospital for a possible c-section.

She and Vera had helped deliver two of the three babies already.

Melanie had just transferred the second one to postpartum before she dramatically collapsed on Vera’s leather couch.

“I’m so tired.”

“I’ve delivered twelve babies since Friday. Twelve ,” Vera dramatically groaned from the floor, which was as far as she made it apparently into her office before needing to lie down. “What in the world was in the water in September?”

Melanie chuckled. “I have no clue, but I’m glad I’m off a week after today.”

“Lucky bitch.” Vera pulled her phone out of her scrub pocket and sighed. “Our transfer is here.”

“Tell her to keep her legs closed for five more minutes.”

“Come on.”

Standing, Vera playfully patted Melanie’s behind as she reluctantly got up for the couch.

The two minutes of rest was better than most days, so Melanie would have to take what she could get.

She followed Vera down the hall, feeling like a badass knowing she was the doctor’s favorite nurse.

Melanie had been working too long at the hospital with Vera to not be her favorite nurse when most of the other nurses were born after they started working together twenty something years ago.

Melanie knew how lucky she was to work with a doctor as well respected and talented as Vera.

There was nothing that women couldn’t do, and Melanie admired her immensely.

She loved that Vera trusted her enough to let her be by her side as often as she was.

The two had made a pact to retire at the same time, but Melanie knew that day was still a long way off. They both loved their job too much.

Helping people bring babies into the world was a blessing Melanie knew not everyone got to experience.

She knew it was a privilege to stand by someone on arguably one of the hardest and best days of their life simultaneously.

Melanie loved getting to connect with her patients, although at times she got closer to certain patients than others.

Vera had told her it was part of the job, but to also be careful about befriending every patient.

That was something Melanie had to remind herself of often.

She hated seeing some patients leave labor and delivery for postpartum because she knew she wouldn’t see them again.

Not unless they had another baby. But she also knew that was part of the job.

Melanie was meant to be in those patients’ lives for a moment, not forever.

She also loved how unpredictable labor and delivery was. No two days were ever the same, and Melanie thrived on that.

Unless the unpredictability involved her ex-husband stepping out of the elevator beside a woman on a stretcher, clearly in labor.

He didn’t see Melanie; he was too focused on the woman beside him.

Vera must have noticed too because she stopped in her tracks at the same time Melanie did.

She put her hand out in front of Melanie as if to protect her.

“Was that…?”

“Rob.” Melanie’s throat felt it was closing in. She looked at Vera, panicking. “Did you know?”

“Mel, no.” Vera shook her head, putting her hands on Melanie’s shoulders to steady her. “All I knew was the patient’s name and Janet Sullivan didn’t mean anything to me until right now.”

Janet Sullivan.

So they got married and she took his name. He must love that.

Not once since the divorce did Melanie wonder if Rob and Janet had gotten married. Whatever Rob decided to do with his life was up to him. She wished him no hard feelings; she’d wanted to be the bigger person in the divorce, after all.

But knowing he apparently married Janet and knocked her up within the nine months since their divorce was enough to make Melanie spiral.

All the years of trying to have a baby with Rob came flooding back to her.

They’d done so many tests to determine why Melanie couldn’t have a baby.

After one round of testing, Rob had told her it was his fault.

That his numbers weren’t where they should be.

Melanie had tried not to harbor any ill feelings against him; it wasn’t his fault.

However, seeing Rob with a pregnant Janet made Melanie wonder if he was just telling her it was his fault, so they would stop trying. Which was exactly what they had done. They’d started fostering after that and eventually, the idea of having their own baby faded into the background of life.

Was it always me? Did the tests miss something wrong with me? Or did he just not want to have a baby with me ?

Her head was spinning so fast that she felt she was going to pass out.

She tried to do the math in her head. It was May, so that means Janet would have gotten pregnant in August. Did Rob know she was pregnant when he asked for the divorce?

Or was the baby the result of him celebrating the fact Melanie had agreed to a divorce?

“Mel? Talk to me.” Vera helped her sit in a nearby chair as she knelt in front of her. “You’re white as a ghost.”

She heard Vera ask someone for water as Vera placed her cool hand on her forehead. Vera pushed two fingers firmly into Melanie’s wrist as she checked her pulse. Melanie squeezed her eyes tightly, begging the room to stop spinning.

“Was it me?”

“What?” Vera rubbed her arm sweetly.

“Was I the reason we couldn’t have a baby?”

“Oh, Mel.” Even through the slightly still spinning room, Melanie could see Vera’s face soften as she realized what Melanie was asking. “None of it was your fault, honey.”

“He’s having a baby with her,” Melanie sobbed as Vera embraced her tightly.

Through her tears, Melanie heard Vera ask someone to page Stacey. Stacey Jameson was another OBGYN at the hospital. She worked days alongside Vera, although Melanie knew she was currently seeing patients at the office.

“And page Dr. West to my office, please.” Vera’s voice was firm as she rattled off the instructions to a nurse Melanie couldn’t recognize through her tears.

Helping Melanie up, Vera led her back to her office.

They sat on the couch slowly. Melanie rested her head on Vera’s shoulder as her friend held her tight.

She kissed the top of Melanie’s head tenderly. “It’s okay.”

“Why am I like this?”

“What?”

Melanie sat up so she could see Vera’s face. Tenderly, Vera wiped the tears from Melanie’s eyes as she spoke.

“I’m so happy with Cam. I love her so much and I’m so blessed to be loved by her. So why am I upset that my ex-husband impregnated his new wife ?”

“Because Rob was a huge part of your life for over two decades , Mel. I’m not a psychologist, but I feel your feelings are completely valid right now. You and Rob wanted a baby for years. You’re allowed to feel whatever you’re feeling.”

Melanie’s mind traveled back to the last time Vera had told her almost the exact same thing.

They were in the same hospital just a few doors down from where they currently sat.

Another round of IVF had been unsuccessful and they were out of embryos from their last cycle to try again.

She’d gone to Vera crying, asking if there was anything she could do to help her have a baby.

Which, at the time, there wasn’t. Vera had started training with the IVF procedures because of Melanie’s journey and struggles. But she wasn’t able to help her yet. Not like Melanie knew she would be able to now if they were in the same position.

Even years later, Melanie still remembered the pain of each negative pregnancy test. She remembered the three pregnancies she’d lost before she ever made it to six weeks.

What she couldn’t remember was how Rob had comforted her during those times.

Because, even back then, it had been Cameron and Vera who had been by her side in her darkest days.

“Why didn’t he tell me?”

“I don’t know, Mel.”

“Or Mia? Or Jade?” Melanie didn’t know why she was blaming her former sister-in-law or nieces. She was being irrational; she knew that much even in her frazzled state. “I just wish I hadn’t been blindsided.”

“That’s probably why they were at the other hospital,” Vera logically stated. “So he didn’t have to tell you.”

“Men,” Melanie dramatically groaned, making Vera laugh. “They’re so stupid.”

“I don’t know how you stayed married to one for so long.”

“Me either,” she laughed, thankful for the comic relief. “I just wish I had known.”

“I know, Mel.”

The door to Vera’s office opened as Cameron rushed in. Her face was white and she looked scared as she first looked at Vera then Melanie. Cameron’s eyes softened when she saw Melanie and she went to her instantly. Melanie wrapped her arms around Cameron’s waist as she let her hold her tight.

“Oh, honey, what happened?”

“Rob’s here,” she heard Vera say. “We got a transfer from another hospital and it was Janet.”

“Rob’s girlfriend?” Cameron gasped.

“Wife,” Melanie mumbled against her chest.

“I put Stacey on it. I don’t think Rob saw her.”

“Good. Thanks for watching out for her, Vera.”

“Anytime.” She felt Vera pat her back softly. “I’m going to go grab something to drink and I’ll be back, okay?”