12. Shae
SHAE
“ S haelynn Parker,” my name is called in the waiting room. I’m surrounded by women of all ages from the youthful to the elderly. It seems we’re all here for different reasons. My thoughts have officially gone haywire with the news I’ll be receiving today.
I stand up, wishing Lennie were here, but since that’s near to impossible given her state of pregnancy and her protective husband, that’s unlikely to happen.
Luke even mentioned he’d be surprised to see her back at work, but I think he’ll be in for a shock.
She’s independent to a fault, and while I know she’ll love and dote on her babies every waking moment, she’s hinted at working part-time at the very least.
“Hi,” I say to whom I know is a medical assistant. The badge clipped to her scrub top should state her name, but it’s flipped over and only shows the clinic name.
“Come this way, please.” Her words come off abrasive, and while I’d usually be annoyed, it is still early in the day. Maybe she hasn’t had her coffee or something. I know how I am without some type of caffeine.
We head to the scale, where I hear a light snicker coming from behind me.
It’s on the tip of my tongue to say something, but I think better of it when another assistant walks past her.
She then has me sit down, takes my blood pressure, heart rate, and temperature.
Through it all, she stays quiet, and I’m still unable to see her badge to put her face with a name.
“Your blood pressure is a little higher than it should be. Are you worried about your results?” What an odd fucking thing to say out loud in the open area where I’ve never once had to discuss anything like this.
It’s also very peculiar, considering the last time I was here, these things weren’t done in a small alcove, and Lennie definitely didn’t say anything until we were in a room.
“What’s your name?” I ask instead, choosing not to speak on what she has to say. I’m beginning to think this person either has a chip on her shoulder and takes it out on the world or she doesn’t particularly care for me.
“Oh, I’m Marissa.” Interestingly enough, she fixes her badge without me asking or looking at where it’s attached.
“Thanks,” I reply, standing up, done with the way she’s acting around me. I’m a human being. I’m also an adult and don’t need to feel like I’m being talked down to.
“Sure thing,” she says with fakeness. Hopefully, this will be my only time having to deal with her. Well, minus coming back once a year for a woman’s physical. Doctor Gallo reiterated the news to me multiple times, and especially after he found the cyst.
We meander through the halls, walking by closed patient rooms. A couple of nurses are in the hall at a laptop stand.
They glance my way, sending me a quick smile before returning to their work.
I almost feel like I’m walking the plank with each step we take.
Up until this time, I’ve remained optimistic, but now that I’m here, a dreadful sensation takes hold, making me think the absolute worst. The what-ifs plague my mind.
What if it’s cancer?
What if I can’t have children?
What if Luke wants them, and this is a deal breaker?
What if the world ends tomorrow, and I’m worrying about nothing?
What if I have nothing to worry about?
The minute I walk through the door, I think nothing of ignoring Marissa. I’m too in my head and need a moment to myself.
“Well, the results are interesting, to say the least. Let’s just say if I were you, I wouldn’t make any long-term plans with Luke.
Doctor Gallo will be in momentarily.” This bitch.
I’d just talked myself off the ledge, and here she comes, basically pushing me right off the cliff.
Marissa, the cunt of all cunts, drops that bomb and walks out like she didn’t just try to wreck my entire fucking world.
I’m stuck, standing still, feeling like the world is slowly fading away, a black void.
It’s like when you drink too much red wine, fall asleep, the whole world fades away while your head is spinning, you’re having an out-of-body experience, and then you wake up the next morning wondering if it was all a dream.
My hand reaches out for something to hold myself up, sensing my knees are about to buckle.
Sweat dots my brows, and luckily, I fold into a chair at the last minute.
I have enough sense to put my head between my knees and breathe through the bleakness.
I keep blinking my eyes. I’ll be damned if I let anyone see me break down, not out in public, and not in front of that twat waffle, that’s for sure.
I’m a yoga and Pilates instructor. Breathing is part of my direction.
Pulling myself out of this is what I need to do.
Then I’ll be texting my girls immediately.
I’ll also ask them if I can add Coralynn to the chat, so I won’t have to double explain the situation at hand.
The last thing I want is for my sister to hear it from Lyric at work.
I take a deep inhale, controlling myself, a hard task bent over the way I am.
It’s also hurting my abdomen. I sit up, and although I’m lightheaded, I really don’t want to give Doctor Gallo a reason not to allow me to work at the desk at the studio.
I clear my head and continue my breathing technique, connecting my body and mind to regulate my emotions, or try to, and deepen my awareness and presence.
I repeat the process until I’m in a better state of mind, then I pull out my phone and get to work.
Me: Hi, I’m at my appointment. Can I add my sister to the chat? Some shit just went down, and I’d rather not repeat it. I also want to keep this between all of us. No boys!
@Coralynn has been added to the group
Lennie: I’m here, and she’s added.
Coralynn: Wow, I feel like I’m part of the cool club now.
Lyric: Please make this fast. A class is starting in ten minutes, and I don’t want to be late and have the boss lady down my throat.
Kenny: Oh, this is going to be tea, for sure.
Maci: I’m here, too. Well, while peeing for the eighteenth time today, and it’s not even noon.
Winnie: I’m with Lyric and Coralynn at LITHE. Which, by the way, Sebastian is loving this class. Please don’t stop them anytime soon.
Me: Well, this will be fast. Lennie, you are in fact missed here. It’s not the same, and I’m not sure if you know who Marissa is, but my god. The woman needs the prod taken out of her ass, a personality change, and to never work around people for as long as her miserable self is alive.
Lennie: Fuck, I knew the office would fall apart. I’m getting my sneakers on and driving into work. No way am I letting that little shit stain ruin my office.
Lyric: Omg, what did she do?
Maci: This must be bad, really bad.
Kenny: Right, because Shae never says anything this bad about people.
Coralynn: That’s because Shae has dad’s personality, whereas I’m more of our mother and like to kick ass and take names. Which, now that I have, I’ll be right back.
Me: Sit your asses down. I’m waiting for Doctor Gallo to make an entrance now, and the last thing I need is a pregnant woman charging through the door with my sister on her tail.
Winnie: Literally, have you met your husband, Lennie? He will lose it, like, stage five fire alarm will happen.
Me: Okay, I know Luke. You all know we’ve been hot and heavy minus the fun stuff since the party. Well, technically before, but that’s a story for another time.
Coralynn: Lucky bitch has McHottie for herself and McBroody as her doctor
I’m never going to get this story out without any more interruptions, so I go silent and finish typing what just happened.
Me: It all started when Marissa was taking my weight.
No big deal, right? Like, that’s normal, even though it’s a pain in the ass.
Well, one of the other girls and she laughed as I stepped off.
I shrugged it off. Then Marissa had me doing all of the other stuff Lennie does in a room, like blood pressure, which of course is through the roof.
She does it out in the open and discusses it loudly enough for everyone to hear.
I find out my results of the biopsy today (Coralynn, hush your pie hole and don’t say a word to our parents yet) and of course, the cunt cake decided to make some kind of slick-as-shit assumption.
I screw up and hit Send . I’ve yet to tell my family or my sister about the cyst found during my surgery.
Lennie: Goddamn Nadine. Those two are always up to no good. They do their job, for the most part. The problem with them is they like to chat, and not in the good kind of way.
Coralynn: I swear I’m going to wring your neck, but I’ll be quiet. Please continue.
Lyric: Ummm, I think we’re all missing something here.
Lennie: No kidding.
Me: During surgery, they found a cyst on my ovary.
The results weren’t ready, and Luke helped keep my mind off them.
We talked, he calmed me down, and he repeated the same process this morning.
I’d felt pretty optimistic until Marissa made her statements.
One out in the open where anyone could hear and the other here in the room.
Kenny: Game fucking on. It’s been a long time since we got into some shenanigans. Hasn’t Marissa created issues before?
Lennie: Yes, she’s always trying to bag a doctor. Any doctor will do in her eye. Which is dumb because her daddy is one of the big wigs at the hospital.
Lyric: THE FUCK!
Coralynn: Brb. I’m on my way to slice and dice…her tires, that is.
Winnie: Shit, let me pack up Seb, drop him off at Johnny’s parents’ place, and I’ll go with Cora.
Me: Okay, calm down, killers. We’re all going to serve justice.
Anyways, she eluded that Luke wouldn’t be with me if there were, you know, gulp bad news.
Except nobody outside of our circle knows what’s going on, so my question is, how did she find out?
And before you say anything, I already know Luke would stand by me should this be the unfathomable.
I tried to give him an out. He shut me up by kissing me, so yeah, there’s that.
Coralynn: Do you think she saw the two of you around town or at the hospital?
Lennie: Did you ride with him into work?
Kenny: I need to do some sleuthing before we seek vengeance. My husband being a police officer and all that. Which also means he’s got built-in knowledge.
Lyric: I vote laxatives in her drink when no one’s looking.
Maci: Does anyone know where she lives? A little B&E, glitter in all of her hair products would work, too.
Coralynn: Three tires slashed means no insurance will cover it…I’m just saying.
Me: Not that I’m aware, unless she’s stalking us. I think we’re going to need a girls’ night to sort out everything. I’m not sure how much time I have left until Doctor Gallo comes in. Plus, if she’s doing this to me, then what could she be doing to others?
Lennie: God, you’re right. Shit on a brick. Okay, hold tight. I know a few of the good ones there. Actually, they all are, minus Marissa and Nadine. I’ll reach out some feelers, see what’s been going on. It’s your story to tell if you want to bring it to Luke and Anthony’s attention.
Lyric: Yep, we’re here no matter what.
Kenny: I’ll still do a little digging.
Winnie: I’m keeping my knife in my purse, just in case.
Coralynn: Sister, I like your friend group. This is the type of girls you deserve, not those catty bitches who put down your idea about LITHE because they couldn’t bear the thought of getting their hands dirty and like to ride on their husband’s coattails.
Maci: We definitely need a girls’ night. There’s a lot to unpack here, and we’ve always got your back.
Me: Coralynn, I’m going to strangle your pretty little neck. Lennie, do your thing, pick a date for us to hang out minus the men, and we’ll come up with a plan. Shit, there’s a knock. Love you guys, chat soon.
I hurriedly close my phone down, throw it in my bag, and sit back in my chair. A quick clearing of my throat, and I’m saying, “Come in.” I breathe a sigh of relief when Doctor Gallo peeks his head into the room.
“Hi, Miss Parker, ready to go over your results?” He walks in, closes the door behind him, and offers his hand for me to shake.
“I am.” Not really, but hiding from the results won’t help, either. I take a deep breath to center myself once again, ready to hear whatever news I’m given.
“Good news is, it’s non-cancerous. The bad news is, I’ll be seeing you again in two weeks.” I breathe a sigh of relief, look at the ceiling, and blink away the tears while trying not to laugh at having to see Doctor Gallo again.