"Lover At Last" - читать интересную книгу автора (Ward, J.R.)

TWENTY-TWO


Across the river, at HaversтАЩs clinic, Layla finally had to get off the examination table and wander around the little room. She had lost all track of time at this point. Indeed, it felt as though she had been staring at the four walls foreverтАФand would be for the rest of her natural life upon the earth.

The only part of her that remained fresh and engaged was her mind. The unfortunate thing was that it relentlessly churned over what that nurse had saidтАжthat this was a miscarriage. That in all likelihood, she had conceivedтАФ

When the knock sheтАЩd been waiting for finally came, it was unexpected and made her jump.

тАЬCome in?тАЭ she said.

The nurse who had been so kind enteredтАжbut appeared changed. She refused to meet LaylaтАЩs eyes, and her face was frozen in a mask. Draped over her arm was a bolt of white cloth, and she thrust the fabric forward while looking away. And then she dropped to a curtsy.

тАЬYour grace,тАЭ she said in a shaky voice. тАЬIтАжweтАжHaversтАжwe had no idea.тАЭ

Layla frowned. тАЬWhat are youтАФтАЭ

The nurse shook the robing, as if trying to get Layla to accept it. тАЬPlease. Put this on.тАЭ

тАЬWhat is this about?тАЭ

тАЬYou have Chosen blood in you.тАЭ The nurseтАЩs voice quavered. тАЬHavers isтАжdistraught.тАЭ

Layla struggled to comprehend the words. So this was notтАжabout her pregnancy? тАЬWhatтАФ I donтАЩt understand. Why is heтАжheтАЩs upset because I am a Chosen?тАЭ

The other female blanched. тАЬWe thought you wereтАжfallen?тАЭ

Layla put her hands over her eyes. тАЬI may soon beтАФdepending on what happens.тАЭ She did not have the energy for this. тАЬWould someone just tell me what the test results are and what I need to do to take care of myself?тАЭ

The nurse fumbled with the draping, still trying to hand it over. тАЬHe canтАЩt come back in hereтАФтАЭ

тАЬWhat?тАЭ

тАЬNot if youтАЩreтАжhe cannot be in here with you. And he should never haveтАФтАЭ

Layla jacked herself forward, her temper flaring. тАЬLet me make myself perfectly clearтАФI want to talk to the doctor.тАЭ At the demand, the nurse actually looked up at her face. тАЬI have a right to know what he found out about my bodyтАФyou tell him to get in here now.тАЭ

There was nothing shrill in her voice. No high-pitched hysteriaтАФjust a flat, powerful tone sheтАЩd never heard come out of her mouth before.

тАЬGo. And get him,тАЭ she commanded.

The nurse lifted the drapery up. тАЬPlease. Put this on. HeтАЩsтАжтАЭ

Layla forced herself not to yell. тАЬIтАЩm just another patientтАФтАЭ