Chapter 24 Mazzie
Mazzie
Since dinner with Lucas’s mom, the week had been tense.
I’d been trying to get in to see Dr. Vasquez, and Lucas had been in a funk about his father.
He felt as though he was reliving the hell his father had put him and his mother through.
The verdict was still out on who had given Kurtis the black eye.
He hadn’t come clean to Lucas’s mom, even though according to Lucas, Priscilla had asked.
I walked through the crowd like I was on speed, trying to dodge the herd of students emerging from classrooms in the science building. Bailey was taking me to my doctor’s appointment, which was in forty-five minutes. Luckily, the Women’s Health Center wasn’t far from Lakemont University.
The bright sunlight had me squinting as I hurried down the stone steps while I listened to Bailey’s text message.
“Hey, chica . I’m running late. Don’t panic. We’ll make it to Dr. Vasquez’s office in time.”
I wanted to replace my implant as soon as possible.
After Lucas’s mom had mentioned grandkids, I couldn’t sleep.
The what-ifs hit me one after another. What if my implant wasn’t working?
Or what if it had lost its strength? Or what if I was pregnant?
I didn’t feel like I was, but that dark voice in the depths of my brain had been messing with my head for the last four days.
During that time, I’d had a blood test done and scheduled an appointment with Dr. Vasquez. I’d called earlier that morning to find out if the results were back, but according to Dr. Vasquez’s nurse, they weren’t in yet. Regardless of the outcome, it was time for my implant to be removed.
I leaned against a lamppost and texted Bailey.
How late? I can’t miss my doctor’s appointment.
Dr. Vasquez was booked solid for the next three months, and I’d only gotten in on short notice because of a cancellation.
Bails
I’m heading to my car now.
I’m out in front of the science building.
Bails
I’ll be there in five.
I busied myself flipping through Instagram as the sun beat down on my exposed legs. I laughed at a video of a small dog running for a ball and sliding across the floor. I needed to watch more of these. My feed was turning into nothing but cute animal pics.
“Mazzie.”
I cringed at a voice I knew all too well as I rounded my gaze on Josh.
He strutted up to me, cowboy boots scuffing along the sidewalk, Stetson hat perfectly placed on his head. His hazel eyes were piercing through me as if he were ready to throw me over his shoulder and carry me away. No doubt he wanted to.
“I’ve been looking for you.”
“What do you want, Josh? I told you at the casino we’re not getting back together. And if you dare lay a hand on me, your balls will take the brunt again.”
He raised his hands. “Message received. But I do care about you.”
“Manhandling me is not caring,” I volleyed back.
He scanned the campus as if he thought someone was following him. “Are you dating the wide receiver now? I saw his tongue down your throat on social media.”
“What if I am? I don’t interfere with the girls you date.”
“Lucas isn’t the guy for you.”
“You stop by my house to tell me that?” My eyebrows drew downward.
“I’ve seen a lot of shit at the casino hanging out with Shane, and Lucas’s old man is a gambler.”
I clenched my teeth. “And you think Lucas will turn out like his father?”
A horn blew. “Mazzie!” Bailey shouted. “Get in!”
“Thanks for the talk.” I motioned to leave, then remembered something. “Did you give Lucas’s dad a black eye as revenge for interfering in our little spat?”
Whatever was going on in his head was masked by a blank expression.
“Mazzie,” Bailey snapped. “Time.”
“Never mind,” I said as I hurried to Bailey’s car.
“Darlin’, I’m worried about you.” His voice held a warning.
With my hand on the car door, I glanced at Josh. “You should know me by now. I can take care of myself.”
“Tell Lucas to watch his six,” Josh said evenly.
“Is that a threat?” I asked before I opened the door and slid into the passenger seat.
He adjusted his Stetson, probably shielding the glare from the sun. “I’m trying to keep you clear of what’s coming.”
I had no time to unpack that statement, though I would guess he was up to something that involved Lucas.
Men and their freaking egos.
“If you want to know more, I’ll be in the library around seven tonight, studying,” he said as Bailey drove off.
“That’s odd,” I mumbled as I snapped my seat belt in place. “Why would Josh fill me in on his plans to hurt Lucas?”
Something wasn’t right.
“Forget about that jerk. Any word on your blood test?” Bailey asked.
“No, the results weren’t available when I called this morning. But the nurse said that Dr. Vasquez wants to remove my implant since it’s expired. So, did you talk to Erik about taking a break?” I needed a distraction from my own problems, at least until we got to the Women’s Health Center.
“Not yet. He’s got an exam coming up, and I do as well. After we get through that, then I’ll have more time to talk to him.”
The rest of the way to the doctor’s office, we talked about anything but men, family, and school. In particular, we needed a girl’s night out. By the time she pulled up to the Women’s Health Center, we’d agreed to dinner and drinks early next week since I had to work at the club this weekend.
“I’ll park and meet you inside,” she said.
I found myself picking at a nail as I sat on an exam table about ten minutes after Bailey had dropped me off.
Sheila, a short and pleasant nurse, had taken my vitals.
As I waited for Dr. Vasquez, I read the information on the posters on the wall about the female reproductive system, pregnancy, and other health-related subjects.
I was about to grab my phone to occupy myself when Dr. Vasquez breezed in wearing a crisp lab coat. Her brown hair cut into a bob, and a sheet of paper was in her hand.
“Mazzie, I’m Dr. Vasquez.” She placed the paper on the counter then turned to lean against the sink. “I understand you’ve gotten the letter about Dr. Mitchell selling her practice to me.”
“I was surprised to learn that,” I said. “Where did she go? Retired?”
“She moved to Tennessee. In any case, you’re here about your implant.”
“It’s expired. I’ve been so busy that I forgot about the timeline. Although Dr. Mitchell informed me that her office would give me ample notice.”
Her tight smile had me on edge all of a sudden. “I’m sorry about that. My office tried calling you, but the number wasn’t valid, and we sent out two notices.”
Guilt was building in my stomach. “I changed my number and didn’t provide the new one but rectified that when I checked in. Is there a problem?” I held my stomach as if that would help me.
She lifted her chin. “I’m afraid so. Your blood results came in about an hour ago. And I’m sorry to say that your HCG levels are showing that you’re pregnant.”
I gasped. “Are you sure?” I knew blood tests didn’t lie.
“Your HCG levels are 17 mIU/ml, which tells me that you’re roughly around two weeks pregnant.”
My body trembled. “The results are wrong.” My voice wasn’t my own.
“Mazzie, I’m sure Dr. Mitchell counseled you that Nexplanon’s effectiveness begins to diminish around the three-year mark. In addition, it is possible to get pregnant on it as well.”
It was hard to breathe. “She also said that the implant could last up to four years.” I gripped the edge of the examination table. Otherwise, I was about to collapse. “Can you run the test again?” False positives could occur, although highly unlikely.
She gave a pitiful look. “I’ll have a nurse pull a blood sample while you’re here. In the meantime, I need to remove the implant. If the second test indicates you’re not pregnant, then I’ll insert a new one.”
“Okay,” I whispered, on the verge of tears.
I vowed to never become my mother. Yet here I was facing a possible unplanned pregnancy.
I’d spent years watching my mom spiral, cleaning up her messes, taking care of Kaylee, and showing Kaylee that I wasn’t like our mom.
And now, I was following the same destructive path Mom had.
The irony was suffocating considering all those nights I’d sworn I would break the cycle.
I mentally calculated backward. It must have happened the night of the pep rally, the night I told Lucas he didn’t need to wear a condom. I internally scolded myself for being reckless, for screwing up my life plan.
Dr. Vasquez poked her head out the door, talking to someone.
I pressed my hands against my flat stomach, trying to process that a fetus might be growing inside me. The clinical part of my brain, the premed student who studied female anatomy, understood the science. But the terrified girl who’d raised herself and her sister couldn’t reconcile this reality.
I sat on the exam table like a zombie as the nurse drew blood, then Dr. Vasquez removed my implant.
How would or could I break the news to Lucas?
Oh, God. My mom. I couldn’t face her. For all her flaws and faults, she had warned me many times not to turn out like her.
Then there was Kaylee. She would be so disappointed that I was following in my mother’s footsteps.
The chaos in my head had me sweating and panicking as though a freight train at high speed was barreling down on me.
“You know that you have options,” Dr. Vasquez said several minutes later as she bandaged my arm. “I could give you referrals if you decide to go a different route.”
Dizziness washed over me, and I couldn’t think past this moment.
“Did you come here alone?” Dr. Vasquez asked.
I blinked away tears. “My friend Bailey is in the waiting room.”
“You can sit here a minute, and I’ll send her in.” Dr. Vasquez tucked her hands into the pockets of her lab coat. “Also, we’ve put a rush on your blood work. It will be ready tomorrow.”
I cried softly until Bailey came in. Then I lost it.
She rushed over to me and grabbed my wrists.
Nothing needed to be said or confirmed, but I told her anyway. “I’m pregnant.” Just saying that made me queasy. “Dr. Vasquez is running another test to confirm. I should know for sure tomorrow.”
She cleared her throat. “Then maybe you’re not.”
I really wanted to believe that, but I couldn’t. “I am my mother’s daughter.”
She rolled her shoulders back. “Listen to me, Mazzie Meyers. You are not nor will you ever be your mother. You are the strongest person I know. I’ve watched you work up to three jobs, taking care of your mom and Kaylee, and through it all still ace your classes.
You’re not alone in this. You will have more help than you ever imagined. ”
“But I have medical school, internships, clinicals…” I choked out a cry.
“You will still do all of that. I will be right by your side helping you.” She hugged me. “More importantly, you have Lucas.”
I couldn’t stop crying. “He’s going into the NFL. He won’t be around. Oh, God. I can’t tell him.”
“You’re not seeing him tonight, are you?”
“No, he’s supposed to be researching data for his assignment. His tutoring session is scheduled for next week.”
“Good. You’ll have the results tomorrow, then you can address things from there.”
The next twenty-four hours would be hell.