Spin

Chapter Twenty

After routinely vomiting all the food I had eaten and had yet to eat over the next four mornings, my parents made me a doctor's appointment. I knew what they were thinking. I had thought it as well.

Please, God, don't let it be true.

I sat nervously on the examining table while Mom and Dad remained anxiously in the waiting room. The nurse questioned me incessantly.

"When was your last menstrual cycle, Lexi?"

"About three months ago, but I've been under a lot of stress."

"And you've been excessively tired lately?"

"Well, yeah, but like I said, I've been going through a lot and—"

"And how long have you had morning sickness?" 

I frowned. Morning sickness. She scribbled my answer on her clipboard, her brow furrowed.

No, you can't think it too.

"I'm going to go get Dr. Stone, Lexi. He'll probably want to do some blood work, so just relax and we'll get to the bottom of what's going on with you, all right?"

I nodded. Several minutes later, she and Dr. Stone returned, pushing a cart full of needles and empty vials.

"Hey, Lexi. How are you feeling?" Dr. Stone offered a kind smile.

"Nervous," I admitted, my voice wavering.

"Don't be nervous. We'll get you fixed up," he told me, patting my shoulder.

I turned my head and squeezed my eyes shut, wincing as he slid the needle into my flesh. When he was finished, he wrapped my arm and flashed me a comforting smile.

"I'm going to send these off to the lab, Lexi, and you'll hear from me by five o' clock this afternoon."

I didn't speak. I had a thousand questions I wanted to ask him, but I didn't. I slid off the table and went to my parents. As we left the office, it briefly crossed my mind if the doctor, the nurses, or any of the patients in the waiting room could see the utter fright in our eyes, or if any of them even cared.

                                                                                ****

I paced around the kitchen restlessly, Mom and Dad watching me with worried eyes.

"Lexi, please sit down," Mom pleaded.

I shook my head, chewing my lower lip.

"When is he going to call?" I asked, exasperated.

"He's going to call soon, baby. Sit down. Eat something," Dad instructed.

After a few more minutes of pacing, I slumped into a chair, burying my face in my hands.

"This can't be happening," I moaned.

Finally, at four thirty, the phone shrilled loudly. Dad jumped to his feet and ran to answer it.

"Hello?"

He was silent for several moments, and my heart sank as I watched the color drain from his face, his body visibly sagging with despair.

No hope was left in his eyes.

"Are you sure?" he finally asked.

Another long pause on Dad's end. Life draining moments.

"I see," he said. 

After what seemed like an eternity, Dad hung up the telephone.

"What did he say?" Mom asked, although we already knew. Dad rubbed his temples wearily.

"You're pregnant, Lexi." 

Mom gasped. Dad threw open his arms and I ran to him. I had barely reached him when a small, pathetic wail reached my ears. I didn't even have time to realize it was me before darkness swallowed me.