Chapter 2
"His absence speaks louder than words," I thought as I waited in the hospital examination room.
Carlisle did come inside with me, so I'll give him that.
However, he quickly excused himself after receiving a phone call and left shortly thereafter, only after I promised to call him as soon as I was finished.
I'm not sure what to make of it. He’d been hot and cold lately, which worried me.
That was also the reason why I was back in my apartment.
I was upset about it, but what else could I do?
Would my absence make any difference, or was I overthinking things?
As a grown woman, I was done being messed around with. I deserved better.
The door cracked open, and I forced a smile. "Ms. James, is it?"
"Yes."
"Doctor Shepherd," he muttered, reading what I assumed was my file. He had a kind face and warm eyes, but I became nervous when his brows pulled together. "You were struck by lightning," he said, reading from my file. “You are very lucky."
"Actually, it was my car that got hit by lightning, but I was inside it during a storm." I shuddered. "It scared me."
“Do you think your current issue could be related to that event?”
I stared at the doctor, wondering why he was asking me. Wasn't he the doctor? "Um, I don't know. That's why I'm here."
He looked at me through round spectacles. His lips twitched into a smile. "So, explain to me what exactly is going on." He took a seat and looked my way.
Nervous and unsure, I inhaled and exhaled slowly. "A few times now, my vision has blurred, and I've found myself unable to move. I knew I needed to sit down before I fell because I felt dizzy, too, but my body wouldn't obey. It's worrying."
"How do you feel after you've had one of these episodes?"
"Fine. Worried."
"Hmm," he muttered. "Well, Mr. Hallen made it clear that he was worried about you." He smiled. "He wanted you to have access to every available test until you had answers."
"Oh," I said, my eyes popping wide. "I didn't know you'd spoken to him. Or that he was really worried about me.”
"The nurse will call the MRI suite. While you're waiting for that, we'll draw some blood. A full blood count. How does that sound?"
"Will I have to be enclosed in the machine?" I chewed my lip, nervous about the MRI, and silently cursed Carlisle for insisting.
I rubbed my forehead because I really wanted to refuse, but the sensible part of my brain knew I should take advantage of the offer.
"You can listen to music while the machine does its thing." Doc Shepherd smiled and patted me on the knee as he left.
Just then, my phone started beeping repeatedly. That could only mean Penelope was sending me messages. It was a habit of hers. She sent them one after the other instead of all in the same message.
I've moved back into my house.
Jessop had the living room painted.
And the kitchen.
And my bedroom.
The rooms have been scrubbed.
There's no sign of Aiden.
:)
"That's good.
How about lunch at the café?
CU @ 1
The nurse came into the room, and I let her take my blood.
Then she led me to the MRI suite, which made my stomach turn.
My heart thundered in my chest as they got me situated on the table.
I practically snatched the eye mask from a nurse and put it on.
I did not want to see inside the tube. I wanted to pretend that I was resting in my bed.
I could do this. I let out a shaky breath as the machine began to slide me inside.
I forced myself to concentrate on breathing.
Someone spoke to me through the headphones they had put on me.
Then, the machine started. A loud whirling noise drowned out the music they pumped into my ears.
Twenty minutes in, I hated it and felt like bursting into tears.
"I want to get out," I panted. "Is it almost over?
" I breathed deeply and exhaled. "I can't breathe.
" Panic swelled and my body felt overheated.
"Please. I need to get out." I whimpered as I felt the first tears leaking from my eyes and trickling into my hair. "Carlisle," I whispered.
"Baby, I'm here. Listen to my voice."
I immediately stopped panicking and listened.
"You're not alone, Talla. I'm here for you. I always will be. You'll be out of there soon, and I'll be waiting for you when you are.”
"How can I hear you?"
"I was waiting outside when the technician's door opened. I heard you panicking, so I pushed my way inside."
I snickered. "You probably flashed your panty-dropping smile, and they let you in the room."
"Not true, babe. I save that smile for you." Paused. "Do you want to hear a confession?"
"Yes." My heart stuttered.
"I've been in love with you since before we lost Monica." Paused. "Your father saw how I looked at you and made me promise to stay away."
"Oh," I sniffled.
"Babe, you've been a pain in my ass for a long fucking time. Ten years, in fact."
"I was seventeen. There's no way you loved me then.” I refuse to believe that he ever loved me, let alone for any length of time. More recently, I knew he was attracted to me, just as I was to him.
"Tallulah James, I love the hell out of you. How's that for a confession?" He paused. "Babe, you could say something right now because the staff are swooning."
I burst into tears, and then I felt the machine move me out. Gentle hands removed my eye mask and cupped my face. I looked into Carlisle's gorgeous blue eyes. "Hi," he said, brushing his lips over mine. "I meant every word, babe. I love you."
Tears continued to fall as he gathered me into his arms. I clung to him. "I love you, too." I cried all over his shirt, but I couldn't stop. What an emotional wreck I was!
"Doctor Shepherd is going to review the scans," a nurse said. I lifted my tear-stained face and looked at her. She smiled softly and said, "If you get dressed, you can go back to the waiting room. The doctor will call you back in to see him shortly."
She left, and I buried my face in Carlisle's neck, inhaling his scent. "I panicked."
He held me in his arms but took a small step away. A smile slipped onto his face as he wiped my tears away with his thumbs. "Tallulah, I love you, but you're a bit of a mess right now."
"Oh, you!" I gasped, snapping out of it.
He laughed and pulled me close again. "You need to get dressed." The sneaky man led me into the small cubicle where I had left my clothes for the MRI. "Do you need help?"
How should I answer? My hands were trembling, and I knew it would take me forever to get dressed, but, on the other hand, did I want to undress in front of Carlisle, given the way he was looking at me?
"I can behave." He turned me around, helped me out of the gown, and before I could blink, he had pulled my shirt over my head and forced me to sit down. He crouched down, tugged on my jeans, and stood up. His lowered gaze met mine. Clearing his throat, he asked, "Can you manage?"
"Are you chickening out of pulling them over my bottom?" I tilted my head to the side and watched a blush work its way onto his face.
He waved a hand, indicating that I should stand. Once I did, he carefully pulled my jeans up my legs. His eyes lingered on the black lace covering my modesty. His hands trembled as he pulled the jeans over my butt. He shook his head and stood. "You better fasten those."
I snickered. "Too much to handle, huh?"
"You have no idea how inappropriate my thoughts are right now," he grumbled.
"You can tell me later." I sighed. “Do you think there’s something seriously wrong with me?”
“I don’t know what to think.” He took my hand, and we headed out to find the doctor.