25. Dr. Beckett Whistler
Dr. Beckett Whistler
I don’t know how Brooke convinced me to lead a group hike with strangers, but they are her friends.
Actually, I know exactly how she convinced me.
She looked at me with big blue eyes as we sat on June’s porch swing and tensed up and started to run her fingers through her hair.
When she stopped and clasped both her hands in her lap, she asked me with a please that was quiet, not wheedling.
A strand of pink hair lifted off her neck in the breeze, and I knew I’d do anything she asked.
Connor is chatty, which might annoy me, but seems to be fun for Brooke, who returns his banter good-naturedly.
From what I’ve gathered, the three of them all worked at a summer camp, and that’s where Connor fell for Paige.
I’m used to being a silent observer, and that’s exactly the role I’ve fallen into with this group.
“I need a minute,” Paige calls out. We all stop and turn back to look at Paige. She’s got one hand over her stomach like she has a cramp, and she looks pale. “You guys go up ahead. I’ll catch up.”
Brooke and Connor start walking again, but some internal doctor sense tells me to check on Paige.
When I look back at where Paige was standing, I see that she’s disappeared into the brush alongside the trail.
I wait for a moment in case she’s using the bathroom, but then I hear the unmistakable sound of someone retching.
“Paige?” I call quietly. The shuffling of feet on brambles tells me which direction she went. “Paige, I’m a doctor. Are you ok?” I push some growth aside and find her kneeling on the ground, clutching her stomach.
“Yeah, I just…”
Maybe it’s not the first thing everyone thinks of when they see a woman who’s vomiting on the side of a trail, but I’ve been a doctor for years. If there is one thing I’ve learned, it’s that you always rule out pregnancy.
“Paige.” I crouch next to her and look her in the eyes. “Are you pregnant?”
Paige’s eyes meet mine with a soft light as she nods her head in a yes.
“Does Connor know?”
“Not yet. I’m not very far along, but I’ve been sick the past few days. I wanted to make it to my first appointment next week to tell him.”
I tip my head to the side, confused. “Why would you wait to tell him?”
She sighs. “He loves kids, and we’ve been trying for over a year, and it hasn’t happened yet, and he’s been so disappointed. He never says anything, but I can tell.”
I’ve known Brooke’s friends for less than two hours at this point, but it’s clear as day that the man is devoted to his wife. His personality is exactly the opposite of mine, and he uses nine times as many words in a minute as I do, but he’d want to know.
I put my hand on her arm. “Paige, you need to tell him.”
“But what if I mess it up?” she whispers just barely above the breeze. “What if I lose the baby?”
I frown. Counseling emotional women is not something I’m equipped to do, but Paige is looking at me with vulnerability, and I can’t not say anything to her.
“There’s nothing you can do to mess it up. I can’t tell you why miscarriages happen, or why they are so common, but I think Connor would want to know. You don’t have to be alone in the earliest part of pregnancy just because society says you shouldn’t tell people.”
Paige stands on shaky legs, brushing leaves and detritus off her shorts. “Thanks.” She reaches into her small hiking backpack and extracts a water bottle. She takes a sip, then grimaces and clutches her stomach again.
I pull my backpack off and open up the front zippered pocket. I like the taste of ginger better than breath mints, so I always carry hard ginger candies.
“Here,” I say, holding out the ginger candies. “Ginger helps settle the stomach.”
“Thanks.” She takes the candies, unwraps one, and pops it into her mouth. “Do you…” She checks over her shoulder before scrunching her eyes shut, then whispering, “Do you think I could tell Connor someplace private?”
Finally, a patient who’s listening to me!
Paige reminds me of myself. She’s more quiet and reserved.
“Yes. There’s an outlook up ahead, and Brooke and I will leave you two alone for a bit.”
“Paige? Are you ok?” Connor’s voice sounds from on the trail, laced with worry.
“Y-yeah. Just needed a minute,” she calls back.
I lead the way back to the trail, with Paige following. Connor eyes me with suspicion, but then turns his attention back to his wife. Strands of Brooke’s pink hair have escaped her braid and are blowing around her face as she waits behind Connor.
“Beck?” she questions. “What’s going on?”
“Just checking on her. She’s ok.”
“Yeah. Well, it’s weird that you went to check on her when she was using the bathroom,” Brooke says, and I don’t miss the hint of jealousy in her voice.
I slide my hand over Brooke’s. “I can’t tell you more, but I promise you, checking on her was the right thing to do.
” I look back at Connor and Paige. Connor’s arm is wrapped possessively around Paige’s waist as he glares at me.
I shake my head and am about to tell him, “Dude, I’m a doctor,” but bite my tongue.
I suspect Connor’s whole outlook on life is about to change in a very big way.
“Everyone ready?” I call, mostly talking to Paige. She gives a subtle nod and a tight-lipped smile. With that reassurance, I start us off down the trail again.
It’s a quarter mile before we come to the first overlook off the trail. Paige and Connor have fallen a bit behind, so I stop and wait for them next to the side trail. Brooke starts to head down it, but I put my hand out on her arm to stop her. Her brow furrows.
Paige and Connor approach, so I drop my voice. “Let’s let the two of them experience this one alone, ok?”
“What is with you?” Brooke hisses.
“Please, just trust me,” I whisper as Connor stops short next to me, Paige’s hand tucked in his. I meet Paige’s eyes and tip my head toward the side trail. “We’ll give you some time to enjoy the view together,” I say in my regular voice.
Connor’s face flashes confusion, but Paige tugs him down the trail to the overlook.
They disappear down the side trail, and Brooke crosses her arms over her chest. “What. Are. You. Doing?”
“C’mon,” I say, touching Brooke’s arm. “I can’t tell you, but I think you’ll find out soon. We can wait for a while. They need some time.”
“Beck.” Brooke’s voice is full of derision. “This is really weird.”
I know I have a good reason for this, but there’s nothing else I can say, so I shrug. I spy a fallen log a few yards up the trail and stalk over to it. I sink onto the log, removing my backpack in the process. Brooke follows suit.
Just as she starts to lower onto the log, we hear the unmistakable sound of Connor’s shout.
Brooke springs up, ready to run. Her eyes flit to my face for a second, where I lean back on my hands, completely unresponsive to the commotion.
“Beck! What if they need help? What if Paige has fallen off the cliff?” She takes off running, and I have no choice but to follow her even though I really don’t want to interrupt their private moment.