Royce(28)

He laid her on the floor, mindful about the soaking wraps on her arm and leg. His main concern was that she wasn’t cold and that she seemed to be sleeping well. He wrapped two big towels around the wet elastic and then piled more towels on the mattress after he dried her off. He then put a large towel around her hair and picked her up. He put her into his bed and went to put on some clothes.

He’d worn his boxers in the tub with her and nothing else. His wet clothes were on the floor and he bent to pick them up as he dialed his mother. She answered on the first ring.

“Where the hell are you two? I’ve been worried sick that you’d had an accident on the way here. When are you coming?”

“She got a chill. Bad. I called Doctor Carmichael and told him what was happening and he told me to put her in a tub of water. My house was closer than hers so I brought her here. When she wakes up, I’m to take her into the emergency room and he’ll make sure her injuries are all right.”

“Is she all right now then?”

Royce looked down at Kasey’s sleeping face. “I think so. She’s sleeping. Mom, I’m sorry, but I’m not going to marry her. All we ever do is fight and I don’t love her.”

She didn’t say anything for a few seconds. “All right. We should wait like you said to make any kind of arrangements for the child…if there is one.”

He sat on the edge of the bed and watched her. He told his mom that he’d talk to her later and hung up. He brushed his fingers over Kasey’s cheek and smiled at how soft it was. “Oh, Kasey,” he said softly. “What am I going to do with you? You come into my life demanding that I badge in and set my entire world on its side. Now you could be carrying my child and all I can think of is whether it will have eyes the same as yours or your temper. And I don’t even know if there is a kid yet.”

Three hours later, he took her to the emergency room. The doctor decided that even though she was doing fine, he didn’t like the sound of her lungs. He wanted to keep her for a bit longer. He also agreed to do a pregnancy test.

Royce was pacing the hall outside of the little room she was in when he saw the doctor. Doctor Carmichael had a straight face as he approached him so Royce wasn’t sure if it was good news or…or something else. Royce started to follow him in the room when he stopped him.

“You can’t hear the answer, Royce. The results are hers and hers alone. If she wants to tell you then that’s fine, but you’ll have to wait until then.”

“But it’s my kid. I have a right to know as much as she does.” The doctor merely raised a brow. “Ask her. Ask her if I can hear.”

“Okay, but wait out here until I ask her. I don’t want it said that you forced her in any way.”

Royce nodded.

It seemed so long from the time since the doctor left him in the hall until he came back out. But it was probably only a few seconds. Before he let him in, the doctor held him still.

“She said you can come in, but you’re to keep your mouth shut—her words not mine. She said if you piss her off any more than you have, she’ll hurt you. Do you understand?” Royce nodded, but the doctor wasn’t finished. “This is from me. You make her cry and I’ll castrate you. She’s been through a lot in the past few days and I won’t have you upsetting her. You understand that?”

“Yes, sir.” Royce repeated that he understood and they went into the room.

She looked so pale lying there. He wanted to hold her hand, touch her in some way, but the way she was covered up, her arms under the blanket, screamed to leave her alone. He sat on the couch somehow knowing that either answer was going to be hard to take.

“You’re pregnant, Kasey. If what you’ve told me is correct then you should be due right around the tenth of February. I can recommend a good doctor if you’d like or you can find one on your own.”

Royce leaned back on the chair. Pregnant. Kasey was carrying his child. He stood up suddenly and then sat back down. He wasn’t sure what to do.

“She’s been…with all this going on, is the baby going to be all right?” He hadn’t realized he’s asked the question until they both turned to him. “I know it’s early, but the stress, it won’t hurt it, will it?”

Doctor Carmichael turned to Kasey before answering. “No, but I want you to try and rest a bit more. Get in to see a doctor as soon as you can. That’ll start you off on the right foot. Do you have any questions, honey? This is a lot to take in.”

“I’m fine. I’m…can I go home now? I want to go home now. Please.” She sounded slightly panicky, but then took a deep breath. “I think I’ll feel better about this after I let it sink in. I would like to go now, please.”