One Night With Zayn & Nine Months With His Baby

Chapter Thirty One: You're Forgiven

        I leaned my head against Harry's shoulder as he carried me to my room, keeping my eyes closed. I had gotten dizzy enough to fall over before, but it had been so long ago. It was like it was happening for the first time.

        The boys kept quiet while Harry carried me to my bed. Zayn sat by me, his hand resting over my forehead. "You have to be careful," he told me.

        "I know," I returned, realizing how weak my voice sounded. Suddenly I thought of what I had been doing. I lost all track of time. It seemed like hours ago that I had been cleaning and taking care of my son. "Where's Nathan?" I burst out, sitting upright. I felt myself sway back and mentally thanked Liam for holding me up.

        "He's here," Niall replied.

        I looked over to him and saw how he held my son in his arms, unharmed, and sighed in relief. "I'm so sorry. I should've listened before. Something could have happened to Nathan." 

        Zayn looked straight into my eyes, something in his that told me he felt guilty. "Something could have happened to you. Something did happen to you. It was a big mistake to leave you alone. I'm so sorry."

        I felt my head sway back. It was like I had no control over my own body. Liam's hand rose to the back of my neck. "You don't look so good. Riley, we should take you to the doctor."

        I realized that as I was being held and the time passed, I was starting to lose my eyesight. Everyone in the room was blurring, just the way they had when I had initially lost my balance. I wasn't well. I didn't feel alright.

        I could tell that Zayn was right before me only because I was squinting, forcing myself to see him. And I could smell him. "Sweetheart, we're taking you to a doctor. I am so sorry."

        I thought hard and long and made myself nod. I reached my arm out for him when it felt like he was about to walk away. I could tell he was looking down at me in a pitiful manner.

        "Zayn, just watch Nathan," I told him, swallowing hard.

        "Nathan will be fine, love. Don't worry," I heard Louis say. His voice was comforting. It felt like I hadn't heard his voice in so long. But just him being there made me feel better.

        

        Niall and Harry stayed home with Nathan and the rest of the boys were with me on the way to the doctor. Liam had carried me into the car. He was by far the strongest of all of them.

        Zayn had me lean into him on the way there, which made me feel safe. I couldn't see him. I was too dizzy. But feeling him there made me feel less afraid.

        Louis kept asking me what I was feeling. He was very patient when it came to my responses. I was slurring my words too often and it must have been difficult to understand what I was saying.

        When we got to the doctor's office it only took a few minutes for them to take me in. Zayn accompanied me inside, holding me up against his side, his hold on me firm and secure. I struggled to push one foot before the other until he helped me sit.

        "Riley Miller. How are you today?"

        I almost gasped when I heard the voice of the man who had told me I was pregnant before I even thought it a possibility. Doctor Bryand was sitting before me, my file open on his desk. I focused hard to see him, his white hair and fair and aged face.

        Zayn proceeded to explain what was happening with me while I thought. I couldn't stop thinking of the last time I came to see Doctor Bryand, the way I treated him. I thought he was a liar. And practically insulted him. I was mean. And I felt terrible about it.

        Doctor Bryand came over to me and looked me in the eyes, getting low so that he was face to face with me. "I just want to see your eyes," he told me. "Is your eyesight blurring?"

        "Yes."

        He took my blood pressure and my pulse, and after that he stood and asked Zayn to help me over to the examining table. Once I was there, I could feel his cold fingers press against both sides of my face. "I'm going to have you lie down a certain way. I want you to keep that position until I say so, do you understand?"

        "Yes," I replied.

        Doctor Bryand helped me down until I was flat on my back and then he tilted my head to the side. I heard him shuffle and sit at his desk.

        "I'm going to have her take these," he spoke to Zayn. "From what I can tell, her blood pressure is very high. And looking through her file, she has had high blood pressure throughout her life. I have been her doctor since she was very young. Here I have written down that she has had dizzy spells, abdominal pain, chest pains, dehydration... And so on. All symptoms of high blood pressure and stress."

        I knew he was right. I had always been a sick person. I never told Zayn, though. And I expected he'd be angry.

        But the position Doctor Bryand had me in did help. I didn't remember him using this techinique before. But it was working. I hardly felt faint anymore.

        I continued to think on how I had treated him, though. He hadn't deserved it. He still didn't.

        I tuned out their conversation later. I knew Zayn was listening. He would be angry and I'd get lectured on keeping things from him later.

        But one part of the conversation captivated my attention once more. "How long ago did she give birth?"

        "Five days ago," Zayn answered. "She had some complications while she was pregnant with Nathan."

        I could almost see Doctor Bryand smile. "Yes. Well her medical history is kind of shaky. You need to keep an eye on her. And your son, of course. Her high blood pressure is hereditary. Her father had it, too. If she's not careful it could lead to heart attacks, kidney or heart failure, strokes, loss of vision... You name it." I heard his footsteps approach as he came over to me. "Can you see me alright, Riley? How do you feel?"

        I opened my eyes to see him, the same familiar face of the man who knew me so well. "Yes, I can see you fine. I feel okay now."

        He handed me a cup of water. "Drink that. You might be dehydrated, as well."

        I looked up at him as I took the cup from his old hands. "Doctor..." I sighed.

        "You're forgiven, Riley. You have been from the moment you left the last time," he said gracefully. "Now drink."

        I smiled up at him. "Thank you."