Chapter 8 #2
Almost everyone was available. Once they were at main site, Elise headed straight to the medical trailer, which was next to hers, knocked and was told to come in. “Hey, Joan, you got a minute?”
The very pretty doc who was fascinated by film looked up. “Is it the migraines again?”
“Not exactly. I’ve been sick to my stomach. It goes away and comes back so I could film today. I threw up all morning, though.”
“Migraines make you nauseous.”
“I did have a slight headache but I thought it was from vomiting.”
“Then let me check you out.”
Joan passed a thermometer over her forehead until it beeped. “No fever. Which usually means no infection.” Then she rubbed her hands together to warm them and felt her glands; she peered into Elise’s mouth. “Say ah.”
She placed the clothes pin like device on Elise’s finger to check her breathing, then she attached the plastic blood pressure cuff and pumped.
“Huh. No problem with your vitals.” She stepped back and crossed her arms over her the white coat she wore with shorts.
“I can’t see anything wrong. I can take blood and send that out for analysis if you want but first let’s do one more thing. ”
Joan opened a cabinet and took out a small package. When she handed it to her, Elise’s insides clenched. “No need for this test, Joan. I have a long history of infertility. I tried for three years to get pregnant.”
“Insemination?”
“Yeah, but the natural way too with men I cared about. I never used birth control and I never got pregnant.”
“Have you been sexually active while we’ve been filming?”
“Only twice and the last time was just a week ago.”
“Then humor me. Go pee on this stick.”
Elise wasn’t sure she could do that. It was hard to get her hopes up.
But shit, now that Joan had brought it up, if the sickness continued she’d never stop wondering if she could be pregnant.
Begrudgingly, she took the package with shaky hands and stumbled into the bathroom.
She did what she had to, came out and handed the stick to Joan.
They waited in silence. When Joan smiled, Elise tensed. Then she said, “You’re pregnant.”
Elise froze. “Not possible. I want to do another test.”
“Be my guest.”
After the second one, Elise held onto the stick herself. When it turned blue, she burst into tears.
* * *
“I like this place,” Fiona said when she and Finn settled at a table at Magnolia’s for an early dinner.
They’d had a lunch picnic in the park, walked around a bit, then gone to a movie before they came here.
The restaurant was big, with well-spaced tables and the best acoustics.
Which was fortunate because at the other side of the room there was a table set for ten.
“I like it, too.” Finn squeezed her hand. “We don’t do this kind of thing often enough.”
She smiled, though her face bore signs of depression since Tim’s affair. “Let’s have a glass of wine.”
“Sounds good to me.” After their drinks were delivered, he said, “Tell me what you’re thinking about Tim.”
“I’m confused. He wants to come back and try to patch things up. Should I do that?”
“I’ve always believed anything but pedophilia can be forgiven.”
“Yeah, I know. Me, too.”
“There’s nothing wrong with taking your time deciding.”
“I’m afraid he’ll go back to her.”
“Then you’d know he’s an ass and isn’t committed to his family. But the question is, do you want to save your marriage?”
“I guess it’s something to figure out. I have to get past my anger.” She took a bead on her brother. “How can you be so sure you and Elise can’t be together? So decisive about it, when you feel so rotten?”
“Truth?”
“Uh-huh.”
“I’m wavering. I went to see her this morning to tell her about the bombing and she was sick. All I wanted to do was take care of her.”
“Did you fight?”
“Yes. She reamed me out for feeling sad about our split.”
She studied him. Then said, “I agree with her, buddy.”
He blew out a heavy breath. “I’m a mess.”
“Then we’ll have something fattening for dessert.”
He laughed.
“Do you want to talk about her more?”
“No, do you want to talk about Tim?”
“Nope.”
They were halfway through their Harvest Salads when the group of ten walked in. “Damn it,” Finn said when he saw them.
“What’s wrong?”
“They’re the cast from the film.”
“That’s going to make you feel bad. We can leave.”
Finn watched as Elise entered next to a tall guy with sculpted muscles and a tan.
Max, the man who’d been responsible for her migraine that night that started everything between them.
They took empty seats and he slid his arm around her.
She frowned and shook it off. Said something sharply to him so he drew back.
But when she faced the others, she smiled broadly.
Huh. She looked happy over there, which made him mad.
Can’t be he’d upset her too much this morning.
“Finn, do you want to leave?”
“After we finish our meal. We can go to Abott’s for the fattening dessert.” He turned his back to them, heartbroken at seeing Elise enjoying herself when he was a hot mess. And, at that moment, he realized he was in love with her.