The Revelation

Higher power

I immediately burst into tears as soon as I locked eyes with Dr. Curtis. He still scares the crap outta me.

Waving his wife back, Dr. Curtis pulled me into his arms. Without saying a word, he instantly put my mind at ease as he held me so securely, I felt my burdens of guilt, shame, and anxiety lift, knowing for the first time since finding out I was pregnant that everything would be okay. I cried tears of relief into his dress shirt as I clung to him, relishing the safety and peace of mind only his embrace could provide.

"I'm sorry, Dr. Curtis, I'm so sorry," I sobbed, as he lovingly held my face close to his rock hard chest with one hand and soothingly rubbed my back with the other.

"Shhhh. Calm down, luv. Whatever it is, it'll be alright," he whispered in my ear, "I promise."

"I'm pregnant, Dr. Curtis," I said softly, tightening my grip on his shirt and burying my head further into his chest. I heard Mrs. Curtis gasp and I felt Dr. Curtis's entire body tense up after hearing me spill my secret.

"I promise it'll be okay, luv," he repeated his words with the strength and assurance I so badly needed to hear, but for some reason it just made me cry harder. He continued to hold me until I calmed down. "Liz darling, I need you to get Marlena on the phone and tell her we need to see her immediately."

"Of course, sweetheart, right away," she replied, rushing back to her desk to make the call.

Holding me at arm's length, Dr. Curtis wiped a few tears from my face before handing me some tissues. Releasing his grip, he turned his back to me.

Hands on his hips, closing his eyes, he took a long slow deep breath before asking, "Who's the father?"

Sniffling, I replied softly, "My ex Sean."

Dr. Curtis inhaled sharply as he pinched the bridge of his nose. He remained eerily quiet for a few moments. Picking up his tea cup he threw it against the wall, simultaneously shattering the fragile porcelain and tense silence as it broke into a dozen pieces.

I stood frozen in place holding my breath, too terrified to move or speak. I didn't want to risk angering him any further, afraid of what his temper may lead to.

His left hand gripping his jaw tightly, he looked at me with such intensity, I had to avert my gaze.

"Look at me, Stacey Marie." The unmistakable authority in his voice demanded obedience so I quickly complied, despite how frightened I was at this moment. Squaring his stance, he continued, "Do Michael and Shane know?"

Too afraid to speak, I looked down and sadly shook my head from side to side.

Before he could respond, his wife returned saying, "Dr. Evans is waiting for you at her office." Mrs. Curtis gave my hand a gentle squeeze as she displayed a reassuring smile before returning to her desk.

Dr. Curtis phoned Mike, putting the call on speaker.

"MICHAEL! I need you to get Donovan and meet me at Dr. Evans's office in twenty minutes," he barked his orders into the phone.

"What happened, Neil? Is something wrong? Are the girls ok?" Mike asked, more out of curiosity than anything else, although there was a slight hint of panic in his voice.

"Did I ask you to question me, Michael David?" Dr. Curtis wasn't happy with his protege's response, in the slightest.

Quickly beginning to recognize the error of his ways, Mike stuttered as he began backpedaling, "No sir, I just, uh..."

"DID. I. ASK. YOU. TO. QUESTION ME, MICHAEL?" Dr. Curtis repeated slowly and sternly. His seemingly rhetorical question was met by silence on the other end. "The answer you're searching for, young man, is no sir. When I give you an order, I expect obedience not obstinance. Do not disappoint me again."

I heard Mike reply, "I apologize, sir," in a tiny defeated voice.

"NOW, DO AS YOU'RE TOLD AND GET THE ADMIRAL! Thanks to your belligerence you now have only seventeen minutes until I expect the two of you at Dr. Evans's office." Dr. Curtis severed the connection then turned to me and snapped, "Let's go, Stacey," so I immediately followed him out the door. I feel bad Mike had to take the brunt of Dr. Curtis's misplaced anger that clearly should have been directed at me.

Dr. Evans's office

Stacey's pov

Dr. Curtis and I arrived at Dr. Evans's office before Mike and Shane. After explaining the situation to her, Marlena had me take another pregnancy test to confirm the results. When the test came back positive she set up my appointment for the next day with the ob/gyn who had prescribed my birth control pills.

In the meantime, Mike and Shane had arrived and were currently pacing restlessly in Marlena's waiting room. Now all that's left on tonight's agenda is to have the most difficult conversation of my young life with my two guardians as I prepare to tell them I'm pregnant. FML. I started hyperventilating as I pictured the mixture of fury, shock, and disappointment that will permeate their faces when I drop this bombshell.

"I don't know if I can do this, Dr. Evans." I looked at her with pleading eyes as I wiped my sweaty palms on my pants.

"Stacey, look at me." Dr. Evans sat down next to me, encasing my trembling hands within her steady comforting grasp. "Dr. Curtis and I will be here with you the entire time." Seeing the terrified look of sheer panic on my pale puffy face, she tried to instill in me the confidence I would need to confront my guardians. "Mike and Shane love you and this situation doesn't change that."

Dr. Evans's words brought tears to my eyes. Patting my hands, she smiled softly before rising to open the door, letting my guardians into her office.

Mike immediately confronted her upon entering, "Marlena, what's going on? Tell us why we're here!" He was clearly agitated and apparently hadn't even noticed my presence.

The Admiral, however, immediately assessed his surroundings before reacting. Seeing me sitting in tears, he rushed to me, pulling me up into his arms.

He embraced me warmly saying, "Stacey, you're home. Oh my God, what's wrong, luv? Why are you crying?" He pulled back so he could see my face but I just cried harder and collapsed back into his muscular arms. Stroking my hair, he held my head against his shoulder as he rocked me gently. "Shhhh, it'll be okay," he comforted me, as he looked to Dr. Evans and Dr. Curtis for an explanation.

"Stacey?" Mike, now noticing me, was shocked at my presence. "What are you doing home? What happened?" I could clearly hear the panic in his voice as he approached.

Still in tears and overwhelmed by emotion, all I could do was sob and repeat, "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," over and over as I clung to Shane for dear life.

Gently laying his hand on my shoulder, Mike pleaded, "Sweetheart, what's wrong? Please talk to us." Looking at Marlena and Neil, Mike became more upset as he received no response. "WOULD ONE OF YOU PLEASE TELL ME WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?" he yelled, losing his patience.

"Michael David, lower your voice this instant and moderate your language," Dr. Curtis admonished his protege. "Neither your tone, nor your choice of words are appropriate for this situation. You are in a professional office, not a pub. Behave yourself and act appropriately, or continue and I'll be forced to remove you to address your ungentlemanly conduct." Dr. Curtis stood, now facing Mike. "Am I clear?"

Swallowing hard, Mike dutifully submitted to his dominance, "Yes sir, I apologize," he humbly acquiesced.

"You're skating on thin enough ice with me already, Michael, so I strongly suggest you fall in line before I have to forcibly put you in your place," Dr. Curtis warned, narrowing his eyes as he squared his stance.

"Please, everyone take a seat so we may discuss the purpose of this session." Dr. Evans got everyone settled before continuing, "Stacey has some news she needs to share with the two of you. Go ahead Stacey."