As her breathing normalized, Sally handed her the cloth and helped her first to her feet, then back onto the low stool. Closing her eyes, she pressed the cool fabric against her face and took a few more cleansing breaths. When she opened her eyes, Mark stood there. Staring at her. His face an unreadable stone.
“Mark.” Her voice strangled in the brambles of her emotions.
Calmly, he asked, “Is everything all right?” Too calmly. “Sounded like someone was in pain, so I came to check it out.” He looked at Sally, and Sally looked at Jennifer. Both avoided his eyes.
“I’m fine, it’s fine now.” Jennifer placed the cloth on the counter and stood up unsteadily. She lost her balance, toppled a bit left, then a bit right. Sally caught her by her elbows and eased her back onto the stool.
“I think someone should take you home.” His voice was the calm before the storm.
Sally added, “I can finish up today. I’ll call Thompson and tell him you had to go.”
“What about the dinner rush?” Jennifer protested. “I can’t just leave you all by yourself.” She tried to keep the panicked edge out of her voice but knew she’d been unsuccessful. She also purposefully avoided looking at Mark; she didn’t know what to say.
“It’ll be fine. You go home, rest. It’ll be fine.” This time Sally rubbed Jennifer’s back as she spoke.
Ruth came up to the counter and her eyes moved directly to Jennifer’s burgeoning belly. “Ahh, I thought there was something going on,” she said in a knowing voice. “Mark, she needs to go home. We will take her.”
The woman gathered her cane and waited by the front door.
“Don’t forget your purse, Jennifer. Or your keys.” Mark kept his eyes dead on her.
Sally went to the back and grabbed the purse. Taking it, Jennifer lowered her eyes, unable withstand the weight of Mark’s gaze. No one spoke as Mark stepped behind the counter, took her by the elbow and followed Ruth out the door.
The fifteen-block drive to the apartment was made in stony silence. Silence except for the occasional times Ruth spoke. “So, Jennifer, you and I live in the same building. I don’t remember ever seeing you.”
Jennifer stared out the window as she replied, “Mm, hmm.”
Ruth tried again, “Mark. You told me you and Jennifer met while I was in Vegas. That was during that big snowstorm, right?”
“That’s right.” His eyes never left the road. His grip on the steering wheel turned his knuckles an unnerving white.
A few more moments passed before Ruth let out an exasperated sigh and said, “Okay, that’s enough. Let me out of the car. I will not continue in this vehicle. You two are suffocating me.”
“Ruth, we are three blocks from the apartment.” A tic formed along his jaw.
She placed her hand on the door handle. “If you do not stop the car, I will get out right here.”
Mark wrenched the car to the sidewalk. “I really wish you would just let me take you the rest of the way.”
“It is nicer out here. I will walk. Thank you.” Ruth took up her cane and stepped out of the car. She didn’t even look back as she began her slow shamble toward the apartment building.
“I’m sorry,” Jennifer said as Mark pulled back onto the street.
“Don’t start. Not here, not now.”
They parked in front of the building, and Jennifer’s heart sped up. She didn’t want to deal with this; she didn’t ask for this. And no matter what happened, she knew she would come out as the bad guy...and it wasn’t as if she’d gotten pregnant all by herself.
Once inside, she debated whether or not to say anything. One look at Mark as he walked stoically in front of her, and she decided it was not the best time. Unfortunately, her body had other plans. Halfway up the stairs, pain coursed through her abdomen. Jennifer doubled over. Mark hurried down the stairs and helped her sit.
“How long have you had these pains?”
Jennifer gritted her teeth. “A few weeks. The doctor said there’s nothing to worry about. God, it just hurts so much.”
Mark swore under his breath. “Okay, we’re going to the hospital to get you checked out. I’m sure there isn’t anything to worry about, but we’re going anyway.”
****
A few hours later, Jennifer shuffled into her apartment, with Mark close by her side. “I don’t understand, I just don’t understand. A few months ago the doctor found a little protein in my urine and said it might be hypertension, that it could lead to pre-eclampsia, but I did everything he said.”
She randomly set her things down as she walked across the room. Mark closed the door and locked it.