That was an easy question to answer. He hadn’t noticed because he’d done all he could to avoid looking at her too closely. He’d avoided her as much as possible so he didn’t take her right there on her desk. He’d hoped to have gotten over her by this time, as he’d never been so hooked on any woman.
He knew no one could fake this kind of illness. He immediately felt guilty at what he’d put her through last night. Thinking back, he could see where she’d looked exhausted and he hadn’t cared. He’d only cared she was trying to fool him.
Lucas wrapped his arms under her body and stood up, lifting her from the tub. She immediately snuggled closer into his grasp, seeking warmth, even in her sleep. The towels fell from her body and his gut clenched in shock.
She’d lost even more weight than he’d first thought. She wasn’t having a good pregnancy. He should’ve been paying attention. He laid her on the bed and covered her, while her body curled into a tight ball. She let out a soft moan of pain, not once waking. He noticed the slight bump on her stomach for the first time.
Wow, he thought, that bump is my child. It really slammed home that he was going to be a father in six months. Now that his anger had fled, the idea of a son was amazing. In six months he’d be holding his baby. He’d be bouncing him on his knees and then throwing balls with him in a few years.
He was shocked to find he already loved his unborn child. He loved the precious baby growing inside her. He wouldn’t let anything happen to him, or his mother.
Lucas called the family doctor, then climbed into the bed and pulled her close. He simply wanted to warm her up. He needed to protect both of them. He’d never felt such terror as seeing her lying in that empty tub.
She curled around him and let out a sigh. After a few minutes, her shaking subsided. He held on and rubbed her back, willing her and his child to be fine.
When Lucas heard the doorbell ring, he let the doctor in, scared there was something seriously wrong.
“Amy, there you go, open up your eyes. That’s good. My name is Dr. Scott and I’m going to check you over, okay? Do you know what happened this morning?” was what Amy woke up too. She had no idea how she’d gotten into her bed, but the warmth felt so good.
“I was throwing up a lot and then climbed into the shower and couldn’t get back out,” she mumbled in a cracked voice. She finally looked around and noticed Lucas standing behind the doctor.
“I don’t know how I got here, or really what happened. I was just so cold and tired,” she finished.
“Save your energy, Amy. We’re going to make sure you and your child are okay,” said the doctor, comforting her. She closed her eyes again, since they felt like they had ten pound weights on each one.
She felt him touching her and then felt a slight pinch, but the worst part of the whole exam was being uncovered periodically. She faded in and out of sleep. Finally, she heard the doctor quietly talking to someone. It felt more like a dream. Maybe it was.
“She’ll be fine. She needs to be on bed rest until I get these tests back, but it looks like severe morning sickness, leading to dehydration. There’s no bleeding, but she’s undernourished. The baby seems to be fine. Your child takes from Amy what he or she needs, but Amy hasn’t been able to eat enough to nourish herself. I’ll want her to come to the offices in a day or two for an ultrasound, but it seems she’s about three months along. Get a lot of fluids into her today, such as soups and juices. The more calories, the better.”
“That’s great, Scott. I appreciate you rushing over here so quickly. I’ll see you on Friday.” Then she heard some steps and the door shutting. She faded back out to the blissfulness of sleep.
Lucas paced the apartment after he called in and cancelled all appointments for the day. He wanted to shake her awake and force feed her, but the doctor told him rest was just as important as food. Scott had given her sleeping aids and anti-nausea pills and told Lucas to keep an eye on her, to make sure she ate and drank whenever she woke.
She partially woke several times and he practically force fed her. She mumbled complaints, but took his administering.
By the time darkness hit, Lucas was exhausted. He went into the room and climbed in bed next to her. He pulled her close and fell into a deep and exhausted sleep. He felt that he could sleep an entire week with her in his arms.
Lucas felt Amy moving around and opened his eyes. They were facing each other and she was staring at him with shock, embarrassment and panic. “Morning,” he mumbled. “Did you sleep well?”
Her eyes opened even further at his casual words. He knew she was confused, he could see it. She was most likely wondering how they’d gotten into bed together and if they’d done anything.