Saving Abby (5 page)

FIVE

CLAIRE

Present day

D
o you want me to come in with you?” Josh held the clinic door open for Claire.

“No, I’ll be fine.” She yawned before rising on her tiptoes for a kiss while balancing a take-out tray of coffees. “I can’t believe you did this. I would have called and made an appointment, you know.”

“I know, but you were taking your time, and I’m worried.” Josh gave her another kiss. “You sure you don’t want me to stay with you?”

“All she’s going to do is poke me with needles. Unless you’re suddenly okay with the sight of blood, I’m sure you have better things to do than sit in the waiting room until I’m done.”

Josh brushed a lock of her hair away from her face. “I’ll be just across the street in the bookstore.”

“I’ll text you when I’m done.” Claire would much rather browse in the bookstore with him than get jabbed with another needle.

Josh had woken her less than twenty minutes ago, saying he was taking her to see Abby. Getting dressed and being here was the last thing she wanted to do, today of all days.

Why couldn’t he have just left her in bed?

Today would be
his
birthday, the birthday of the son she gave away, a day that was always hard for her. Josh knew that.

“Knock, knock,” Claire said into the empty waiting area. The clinic was still officially closed for lunch.

Rebecca Elston, the medical receptionist, popped her head out of a door and smiled.

“Dr. Cox was just telling me you’d be coming in.” Rebecca stepped into the room, buttoning up a light sweater as she did so.

“I brought some coffees as a thank-you.” Claire held the tray out.

“Oh, perfect!”

“I brought one in for Dr. Shuman as well. I wasn’t sure if he’d be in today or not.” Claire reached for her own cup and held it between her hands, letting the warmth of the hot coffee permeate her cold fingers.

“Of course I’m here.” Dr. Shuman’s voice boomed in the small room. He stepped through the open door and came over to give her a hug. For an older man, he was quite handsome. In his mid-seventies, Will Shuman ran daily, worked out at the local gym, ran healthy-eating seminars in town, and didn’t look a day over fifty-five, even with a full head of silver hair.

“Abigail was just telling me you need some blood work done. And I hear you haven’t been taking your iron pills like she told you to.” He shook his finger at her. “You always were stubborn, even when you were a child. It’s because of you I still have strawberry lollipops in the cupboard, you know.” He turned toward Rebecca. “She wouldn’t have any other kind, just those.” He shook his head. “Stubborn, just like her mother.”

Claire’s face flushed as she handed him his coffee. With a smile playing on his face, he walked her through to the back, where the treatment rooms and offices were. They found Abby sitting at her desk studying a file in front of her.

“Here she is, Abigail. She even brought coffee.”

Abby jumped in her chair, dropping some papers she’d been holding.

“Will,” she said, her hand pressed tight against her chest. “You’ve got to give me some warning.” She shook her head. “You need to start whistling or wearing a bell or something.” She smiled as she came to the door. “Your birthday is coming up, Dr. Will. Just you wait,” she teased.

“She says that every year and then only gives me books.” He shook his head before he sauntered back down the hall. “Rebecca, I think it’s time we get this afternoon party started,” he called, his voice ricocheting along the walls.

They both watched him until he disappeared through the waiting room doorway.

“He seems particularly chipper today,” Claire said.

“He’s getting ready to leave for a fishing trip.” Abby smiled. “Have a good nap?”

Claire nodded. “I’m still really tired though.”

Abigail narrowed her gaze. “You know Josh is worried, right? Frankly, I’m not liking what I’m seeing either. Let’s see what your blood has to tell us.”

Claire bit her lip.

“Honestly,” Abigail said as she shook her head. “I’ve never seen a grown woman so on edge when it comes to needles. You should be used to them by now.”

“I thought I’d be done with them, to be frank.” She shrugged.

Abby led her into a small treatment room close to her office. It was the one Abby liked the most—she kept drawings that some of her younger patients had made for her on the walls to help brighten the sterile environment.

On the counter sat a tray with a needle, vials for blood, and a small container.

“What else did Josh tell you?”

“What do you mean?”

“He thinks I could be pregnant.” Claire swallowed hard past the words. She would know if she were, and she wasn’t.

Abby gently rubbed her arm. “It won’t hurt to check.”

Abby proceeded with her usual checkup—listening to Claire’s heart and making her breathe in deeply, which forced her to yawn way too many times.

“Is it possible to be tired of being tired?” she asked after another big yawn. Claire watched as her friend inserted the needle with as much gentleness as possible, and then she turned her head away once the blood started filling the vials. That part always made her squeamish.

Abby chuckled, and Claire knew it was because of her reaction.

“Considering you’re the one saying it, yes.” She took one more vial of blood before easing the needle out and putting a bandage on Claire’s skin. “But, don’t worry. We’ll get this figured out, and you’ll be back to your normal energetic self again in no time.” She handed her the cup. “Now, go pee.”

The whole procedure of having to urinate in a tiny cup, being sure to catch it midstream, made her feel faintly ridiculous. When she was done, Claire headed back into the small treatment room, placed the cup on the waiting tray, and then made her way back to Abby’s office, where she’d left her coffee.

“That wasn’t so hard, was it?” Abby leaned against her desk and handed Claire’s coffee to her. “Make yourself comfortable, and I’ll be back in a minute or two.”

Claire went to the window that overlooked the main street. She loved their town. There was a decided charm to it. The main street was vehicle-free during the summer months, and the roadway would end up colored in chalk drawings by the kids who attended summer camps in the town park.

It reminded her of the many European towns they’d visited, although without their Old World appeal.

Like Venice.

Just the thought of it had her longing to go back. There was something about the narrow streets, the open squares, and the canals that pulled at her heartstrings. They’d stayed less than a week, but she could have stayed longer.

Her husband stood in the window of the bookstore directly opposite and waved. She waved back. He held up something to show her, and while she had no clue what book it was, she could tell by the large grin on his face that he was excited. She gave him a thumbs-up and watched him walk toward the counter.

She checked her watch. Almost ten minutes had passed since Abby had left her. She walked over to the door and poked her head out to see if she could spot Abby anywhere in the hallway, but it was as quiet as a church.

Frowning, she checked her watch again and then sat down, swirling her coffee in the cup, suddenly uninterested in drinking the rest of it.

What was taking Abigail so long?

Dr. Shuman’s voice boomed from somewhere in the building, but she couldn’t make out the words. It almost sounded like a
booyah
. Something must have gotten him excited. Either that or he was seeing off one of his younger patients.

The minutes dragged on and various scenarios of doom played out in Claire’s head, something no doubt everyone did when they were waiting for results to come back.

“Hey.” Abby poked her head into the office. “Sorry for the delay.” She sounded a bit out of breath, as if she’d just jogged there. “Um, where is Josh?”

Claire half turned in her seat. “Over at the bookstore. Why?”

“Just wondering.” She shrugged. “He’s coming to pick you up, though, right?”

Claire could hear the forced nonchalance in Abby’s voice, as if she were trying hard to remain calm.

“What’s going on? And yes, he should be here any minute.” She attempted to give her friend the look—the one that said
Don’t mess with me
and
Tell me what’s wrong
all in one—but it didn’t seem to work.

“Great.” She popped her head out and then back in. “I’ll be back in a minute. Promise.”

She closed the door behind her before Claire could say another word.

What was going on?

She pulled out her phone and sent Josh a text message.

Can you come now? Abby is acting weird, and I think something is wrong.

She crossed her leg and bounced her foot up and down while waiting for his reply, suddenly very nervous.

Here now. One sec.

Claire pushed herself up from the chair and went to open the door. She stood there, arms crossed, fingers tapping against her ribs, while she waited for Abby to return with her husband in tow.

The moment they rounded the corner, Claire’s heart stopped.

There was a look of panic on Josh’s face. If it weren’t for Abby’s hand on his arm, it looked like he would have bolted toward her.

Abby on the other hand—her eyes danced with light and there was a contained smile on her face.

Dr. Shuman followed behind and rubbed his hands together as he stared at her. Claire couldn’t tell if he was smiling or worrying.

“What’s wrong?” Claire forced the words past the lump in her throat.

“Nothing, absolutely nothing.” Abby reached out to squeeze her hand before pushing past her to step into her office.

Claire sat back down on her chair with Josh beside her, and they held hands. Josh’s grip was firm, as if knowing she needed the grounding while they waited for Abby to get comfortable.

Dr. Shuman stood at Abby’s side.

“What is going on?” Claire asked again.

There was a palpable tension in the air and goose bumps materialized all over Claire. Something was wrong. Something horrible. And Abby needed Dr. Shuman for support.

She was dying. Or . . . something equally terrible. There was no other explanation.

“Claire, honey, I don’t know how to say this.” Abigail cleared her throat. She stared down at her desk, at a sheet of paper she held in her hands. “We’re going to wait on the blood work to come back for confirmation, but I ran some tests with your urine sample.” She looked up and gave a weak smile. “A few tests, actually. And then made Will come and do more tests to make sure I wasn’t imagining things.”

Dr. Shuman placed his hand on Abby’s shoulder and squeezed.

“Cut the crap, Abby. What is going on?” Josh leaned forward.

Tears sprang to Abby’s eyes as she looked from Josh to Claire.

“We’re going to wait on the blood work—” Abby repeated before her phone rang and Rebecca’s voice came through the speaker.

“Dr. Shuman, you’re needed at reception.”

“Oh, bloody hell.” The older doctor pursed his lips together as he headed to the door. “You come see me before you leave, you hear?” He left before they could say anything.

“Abby . . .” Claire’s chest was tight, and it was getting difficult to breathe.

Josh put his arm around her and made her lean into him, which she did willingly. She needed his strength right now because she had a feeling whatever her friend was about to say would have her collapsing on the floor.

“Okay. I know I told you that if you were ever to get pregnant, that it would be a miracle, because that was the only option left. Well,” she said. “Honey, I would say God just gave you a miracle.” A wide smile spread across her face as she leaned forward, her hands reaching out to take theirs.

Claire just sat there, not understanding what Abby had just said. She looked to Josh, who sat there equally confused.

“What are you saying?” Josh asked, his voice raspy.

“I’m saying you’re having a baby.” By now, Abby’s face was flushed, and she pressed her hands over her heart. Tears welled up, and for a moment, a brief moment, time stood still for Claire.

You’re having a baby.

You’re having a baby.

I’m having a baby!

Claire thought those words over and over to herself. Did Abby just tell her she was pregnant? How was that possible?

“How?” she whispered.

“You’re asking
me
that?” Abby threw her hands in the air. “Maybe that cruise was exactly what you needed. A time to relax, unwind, and stop trying so hard. I’ve heard of this happening, but I’ve never witnessed it directly. Couples try for years to have a baby, they get extremely stressed, and then when they finally give up or make the decision to adopt . . . it’s like they’re free, and it gives their body permission to do whatever it needs to.”

Claire shook her head. “There must be a mistake. The blood work will come back and tell you differently.”

Josh’s grip around her shoulders tightened.

“I don’t think so,” Abby said.

Claire didn’t want to believe it. “What about the high protein in my urine?”

“This time, there was none. The urinalysis did confirm that you’re anemic, which we already knew.” Abby leaned back in her chair, folding her hands together with a satisfied look on her face. “Claire, honey, you’re going to have a baby.”

All the blood drained from Claire’s face and the world around her tilted. She leaned forward and heard Abby tell Josh to put her head down by her knees. Things started to go black. A sound like waves crashing against the shore filled her ears, and it was all she could do not to be sick.

“Breathe, honey, just breathe.” Josh’s voice finally pushed through those deafening waves, and she could feel his hand rubbing her back.

After a few minutes, she finally sat up, feeling weak and depleted.

She let Abigail’s words sink in. Words she’d always wanted to hear. Words she never thought would be said to her.

“We’re going to have a baby,” she whispered, gazing at Josh.

His eyes were bright with tears as he leaned in and gently kissed her.