Page 27 of Operation Annulment (Silent Phoenix MC)

twenty-three

Kate

“ Y ou missed our last session. How have things been for you over the last week?”

Carla can’t keep the grin off her face, which is surprising because she usually looks like she’s swallowed something bitter. “I’ve been taking better care of myself. I even joined a gym.”

I consult my notebook, looking over our past visits. “That’s a very positive change. Have you been in contact with your ex?”

The problem is that she’ll do something positive for herself, only to forget about it when Jackie returns to the picture. Their relationship sounds very co-dependent. No matter what she’s done to him, he just can’t seem to stay away from her.

She nods, but her smile falters just a little. I might not have noticed it had I not been studying her face. “We are—things are just a little complicated right now. I took an opportunity; now we just wait and see.”

She returns to smiling at me as though I’m supposed to know what she’s talking about. I flip through my notes again but come up empty-handed.

My office phone rings, and I silence it before asking my next question. “Sorry about that. So, last time we met, you said your doctors were still trying to evaluate lesions on your brain.”

She waves her hand dismissively. “Oh, they misdiagnosed me. It turns out that it was just shadows on the scan. They’re lucky I’m not suing them for faulty equipment. I think that the headaches might’ve been related to a new medication. I stopped taking it, and it seems to be helping.”

My phone starts ringing again before I can process the newest development. “If you’ll just excuse me for one second.”

“Hello?”

“Kate, I need you to come up to the hospital.” The male voice sounds completely distraught.

“Who is this?”

“It’s Zane. Dakota started spotting…we don’t know anything yet, but she’s really sick. Please hurry.” His voice cracks, and my heart is in my throat.

I barely register that Carla is still here as I gather my things. “I’m so sorry to cut things short, but I’ve had a family emergency come up.

She gives me a strange look. “I hope everything’s okay. Is there anything I can do?”

I shake my head and usher her out of my office. “No, I’ll call you once things are settled to reschedule. I’m so sorry.”

I need Nate.

No, I can’t call him. He’s probably in the middle of surgery, and Dakota isn’t exactly his favorite person right now.

My office is downtown, so it only takes a few minutes to get to the hospital. They direct me to a blue curtain with a black number four painted on it, where Dakota is hooked up to an IV with her eyes closed .

Zane’s body engulfs the small plastic chair beside her, making it seem like he’s sitting on a toddler’s chair.

Big Guy in a little chair.

He looks up at me. “Hey, Kate.”

I force my mouth into a straight line to keep from crying. “Is the—is she going to be okay?”

He rubs his eyes. “We’re waiting for an ultrasound. They started an IV to get some fluids in her; I think they put something in there for the nausea as well, so she’s been sleeping on and off.”

As if sensing that we’re talking about her, Dakota opens her eyes and gives me a weak smile. “Hey, Katydid.”

I can’t fight the tears off anymore, and they fall freely down my face. “Hey, kid. Are you okay?”

She shakes her head and starts crying. “No.”

Zane is on his feet and leaning over her before she can say more. “What do you need? Should I get a nurse? Tell me what you want me to do, babe?”

She reaches up and rubs his arm. “Big Guy, relax. Just sit down and hold my hand so I can get through this. Please?”

He presses a soft kiss to her lips and sits back down with her hand in his.

I sit down on the end of the bed. “What happened?”

She swallows and grimaces. “Ugh. Swallowing even hurts right now. I went to the gym this morning, just like every morning. I always get the strawberry smoothie from the juice bar, and I don’t know if it was that or something I ate last night, but within twenty minutes of drinking it, I felt awful.

It was like food poisoning—I couldn’t keep anything in. ”

She stops talking and wipes the tears under her eyes with her free hand. “My stomach was cramping to the point that it hurt to stand, and I realized then that I was bleeding. I was so scared that I was going to pass out alone in the women’s locker room, so I forced myself to go get help.”

I take her in my arms, rocking her gently on the bed. “Dakota, I’m so sorry. I’m sorry about our fight and that you had to go through that all alone. I haven’t been a good?—”

She stops me. “No, it’s my fault. I know how much you’ve sacrificed for me, and I just didn’t want you to get hurt again. I was wrong, Katydid. So wrong.”

I cry harder. “But I said DC was better.”

She starts laughing. “That was pretty terrible. I accept your apology for that part.”

The curtain opens, and a woman in a white coat comes in, pushing a large white cart with a screen on top.

“Hey, Dakota, I’m Dr. Harper. I’m the OB-GYN on call today.

You were severely dehydrated when you were brought in and presented with some spotting.

I’d like to perform a transvaginal ultrasound to see what’s going on. ”

Dakota nods shakily, and I move to leave. “Please stay, Kate.”

I stand near Zane, allowing the doctor to work. He’s still holding her hand tightly in his. Dakota’s legs shake slightly as she places them in the stirrups at the foot of the bed.

The black and white screen remains empty for what feels like an eternity, and I don’t realize I’m squeezing Zane’s arm until he moves it to wrap around my shoulder.

The doctor maneuvers the wand, and suddenly, the screen changes. There’s a lot of movement. I look at the doctor’s face to determine if it’s good or bad.

Dr. Harper smiles. “There’s your baby, just moving and shaking like nothing’s wrong. Heartbeat is strong, too.”

I exhale the breath I didn’t know I was holding as she takes some measurements and prints pictures.

Zane is shaking slightly, and I look up to see that he’s crying. Something about seeing Thor cry unleashes the waterfall of tears within me. His voice is shaky. “So, she’s going to be okay? And the baby’s good?”

He releases me to sit beside her, looking expectantly up at the doctor. Dakota wipes at her streaming eyes while giving him such an adoring look that it makes me feel like an intruder .

Dr. Harper pulls up Dakota’s chart on the main computer. “Yes, I think you’ll make a full recovery. Take it easy the next few days; rest and elevate your feet. I would hold off on going to the gym for a few weeks, and once you go back, stick to less strenuous exercises.”

Dakota nods as Dr. Harper gives her more instructions and a prescription for nausea. Once the doctor’s gone, she turns to Zane. “I can’t go to the gym for weeks? We’re getting married in sixty-one days. What am I supposed to do?”

He takes her face in his massive hands. “I don’t know if I’ve mentioned it before, but I think you need to hear it. The thigh gap is bullshit, babe. I love your curves.”

I fan my face, trying to dry my tears. “Wow, my eyes are watering. I’m just going to step out?—”

Dakota holds up her hand. “Don’t. I still need to talk to you.” Then she whispers something in Zane’s ear, causing his smile to widen.

“You got it, Cap.” He gets up and steps around me to leave.

“Where’d you send him?”

She smiles. “For cupcakes. Now, sit. I need to talk to you about Nate.”

I drop onto the hard plastic chair, dreading what she’s about to say. “Look, I know you don’t like?—”

Her hand covers my mouth. “No, no, no. None of that. Listen to me. How familiar are you with Captain America it turned out to be him. I’d been so hateful, but he didn’t even hesitate. I told him my symptoms, and he rushed me out to his car and brought me here.”

As if confirming Dakota’s words, my heart starts beating faster.

My god, am I in love with him?

“Love?” My voice cracks.

I’m super protective of his feelings and want him to know how much I care about him.

But love?

It’s scary and messy. Love is what brings people to my office in tears. It’s what causes mothers to abandon their daughters…

“It’s what makes life worth living.”

I tuck my hair behind my ear and reluctantly look over at her.