Page 128 of Pretend You Love Me

He softly shuts the door behind him. As he’s walking toward me, I say, “I realize you work for my brother, but...”

“I work for the American people,” he interrupts.

“Right, but do you still have to keep doctor patient confidentiality?”

“Of course.”

“You can’t tell any of them what we talk about, right?”

“That’s right? Not even if the President tortures me,” he grins.

I snort. “I wouldn’t put it past him.”

“What’s going on?” He pulls up a chair in front of the bed and sits down.

“I’m pregnant.”

He doesn’t react at all. “How far along?”

“I haven’t been to the doctor, but I think around twelve weeks.”

“And you fainted?”

I nod.

“What other symptoms are you having?”

“Which ones am I not having?” I laugh. “Nauseous. Loss of appetite. Insomnia. Headaches. Dizziness. Breast Pain. Fainting apparently.”

He pulls his stethoscope from around his neck and places it in his ears. “Is it okay if I examine you?”

“Yes.” I turn and lean back against the pillow and place my legs on the bed.

“Are you planning to see a doctor?”

“Yes. I have an appointment for next Wednesday,” I answer.

“Good.” He listens to my heart and my breathing, and then he pulls out a blood pressure cuff. I hold out my arm, and he wraps the cuff around my bicep. After a moment, he pulls it off.

“What I thought...”

I look up at him.

“Low blood pressure. It’s normal for some women while pregnant, but it can cause dizziness and fainting.”

“I thought that was just in old movies.”

He laughs and shakes his head. “No, there’s truth to it. It’s not dangerous, but you need to be careful about how quickly you stand up.”

I rub my hands on my legs.

“How are you eating?”

I groan. “I couldn’t eat breakfast this morning. The only thing I could keep down yesterday was ginger cookies.”

He gives me a sad smile. “Well, that will hopefully start to subside in the next few weeks. It normally peaks between eight to twelve weeks.”

“God, I hope so.”