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

тАЬBut I can pay,тАЭ she blurted in a rush. She wasnтАЩt sure where she could get the money, butтАФ

тАЬOh, my dear, do not worry about that. I need not be renumerated if you are not able.тАЭ He opened the file and moved a page out of the way. тАЬNow, I understand that you have gone through your needing.тАЭ

Layla just nodded, as it was all she could do to keep from screaming, тАЬWhat is the test result?!тАЭ

тАЬWell, I have looked at your blood results and they have shown someтАжthings I didnтАЩt expect. If you so consent, I would like to take another sample and send it to my lab for a few more tests. Hopefully, IтАЩll be able to make sense of it allтАФand IтАЩd like to do an ultrasound, if you donтАЩt mind. ItтАЩs a standard exam that will give me an idea how things are progressing.тАЭ

тАЬAs in, how much longer I have to miscarry until it is complete?тАЭ she said grimly.

The raceтАЩs physician reached out and took her hand. тАЬLetтАЩs just see how you are, shall we?тАЭ

Layla took a deep breath and nodded again. тАЬYes.тАЭ

Havers went to the door and called for the nurse. When the female entered the room, she rolled in with her what appeared to be a desktop computer mounted on a cart: there was a keyboard, a monitor, and some wands mounted on the sides of the contraption.

тАЬI shall allow my nurse to do the drawтАФher hands are far more competent than mine in that regard.тАЭ He smiled in a gentle way. тАЬAnd in the meantime, IтАЩm going to check on another patient. I shall return imminently.тАЭ

The second needle stick was far better than the first, as she knew what to expect, and she was briefly left by herself when the nurse departed to deliver the goods to the labтАФwherever, whatever that was. Both of them returned shortly.

тАЬAre we ready?тАЭ Havers asked.

When Layla nodded, he and his nurse conversed, and the equipment was arranged close to where she was sitting. The physician then rolled back over on his stool and pulled out two arm-like extensions from the sides of the examination table. Flipping what looked like a pair of stirrups free, he nodded to the nurse, who dimmed the lights and came around to put her hand on LaylaтАЩs shoulder.

тАЬWill you lie back?тАЭ Havers said. тАЬAnd move down so that youтАЩre at the end of the table. YouтАЩre going to put your feet here after you remove your undergarments.тАЭ

As he indicated both of the footrests, LaylaтАЩs eyes peeled wide. SheтАЩd had no idea that the examination was going to beтАФ

тАЬHave you never had an internal exam before?тАЭ Havers said with hesitation. As she began to shake her head, he nodded. тАЬWell, thatтАЩs not uncommon, especially if this was your first needing.тАЭ

тАЬBut I canтАЩt take offтАФтАЭ She stopped. тАЬIтАЩm bleeding.тАЭ

тАЬWeтАЩll take care of that.тАЭ The physician seemed utterly sure. тАЬShall we get started?тАЭ

Layla closed her eyes and leaned back so she was lying flat, the thin paper that covered the padded surface crinkling under her weight. With a lift of the hips and a quick shuffle, she did away with what covered her.

тАЬIтАЩll take care of that for you,тАЭ the nurse said quietly.

LaylaтАЩs knees locked together as she patted around with her feet for those forsaken stirrups.

тАЬThatтАЩs it.тАЭ That rolling stool squeaked as the doctor closed in. тАЬBut move down farther.тАЭ

For a split second, she thought, I canтАЩt do this.

Curling her arms around her lower belly, she squeezed them in, as if she could somehow hold the baby inside of her at the same time she kept herself from flying apart. But there was nothing she could do, no conversations she could have with her body to calm it down and keep what had implanted, no loving pep talk she could impart to her young so it would keep trying to survive, no strain of words to calm her total panic.

For a split second, she longed for the cloistered life she had once found so stifling. Up in the Scribe VirginтАЩs Sanctuary, the placid nature of her existence had been something she had taken for granted. Indeed, ever since she had come down to earth and tried to find purpose here, she had been rocked by trauma after trauma.

It made her respect the males and females whom she had been told were beneath her.