Her Lover's Face | Sample Only

Chapter Two

"Good girl. I'm Doctor Martin. Do you know where you are?"

With blurred vision, she could make out the white walls, and heard the beeping of machines around her. "The hospital?" She squeezed her eyes closed and rubbed them. When she opened them, she could finally see again.

"Do you know how you got here?"

"Not really. What happened?" She tried to push herself up to sitting, but the doctor gently pressed against her shoulders and made her lay down again.

"You fainted at work. Have you eaten today?"

"I ate a bagel." She noticed the look of disapproval on his face and quickly continued, "I know, I know. I was a little behind this morning. I was going to grab an early lunch after the meeting finished." Upon remembering the meeting, all the details came flooding back and a shiver rippled through her. Thankfully, the doctor was too busy fiddling with the blood pressure machine to notice.

After a few moments the doctor said, "Your blood pressure is a little high. Has your doctor mentioned anything about it before?"

"During my last appointment it was a little high, but he said it wasn't too bad. He mentioned that since I was having twins it might be higher than normal and that I should relax as much as possible." Laryssa blushed sheepishly. She hadn't really been following doctor's orders. Work left her with little choice.

"I think it is in your best interest to apply for maternity leave as soon as possible."

"I haven't worked long enough to qualify." She cursed under her breath. If only Aidan would have let her continue working, but, no, he had to make her quit. Tears filled her eyes for the second time that day. What was she going to do now?

"Here, let me bring your husband in."

"I'm afraid my husband is--"

"He's waiting just outside. I'll go get him," he interrupted.

She tried to speak again, but the doctor disappeared out the door. Aidan, outside? No, that wasn't possible! The man she saw couldn't have been Aidan, could he? But the doctor was saying he was here. Oh god. Her stomach churned and foul tasting acid rose in her throat. She covered her mouth with her hand and made a bee-line for the garbage can at the end of the bed.

After she finished retching, she sat back down on the bed and wrapped the blanket around herself like a cocoon. She had to remain calm for the sake of her babies. The hard part was getting her heart to listen. There had to be a reasonable explanation for all this. Logic and reason fled from her thoughts when the doctor re-entered the room, followed by...him.

"No...no...no." She grasped the railing of the bed and a wave of dizziness washed over her. Tears pricked at her eyes. "This isn't happening. This isn't possible."

The doctor looked from Laryssa to the man who looked like Aidan, motioning him outside. She craned her ear to hear what he would say. "I think we might keep her in overnight just to be on the safe side. She seems to be upset over something and I want to monitor her blood pressure, make sure it doesn't get too high."

The man looked back into the room and stared directly at her. The usual evil glint in his eyes had been replaced by what looked like sincere concern for her. If the doctor could see him, he definitely wasn't a ghost.

"Give her a private room. I've got to run for a bit, but I'm going to send her friend down to keep her company." Wandering back inside the room, he gave her a gentle squeeze on the hand. "I have to run. I'll send Melissa down to keep you company. She's worried sick."

Laryssa was unable to respond and could only stare at him as he turned to walk away. She had to be dreaming. There was no way he was alive and the Aidan she knew would never have bothered saying good-bye. Let alone touch her as tenderly as this man. Not unless there were more people around to witness his husbandly acts. Her wish of wanting the perfect husband must have caused her to create this fantasy. That was the only explanation which made any sense. Any minute now, she'd wake up and he would be dead. Buried deep in his grave on the other end of town, and she'd be safely inside her house.