---------- Chapter 43 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Crap! What do I do? Usually I’m the one falling to pieces and Haden’s the strong one.
I shake my head a couple of times to clear it before I kneel opposite Haden. He has his face in his hands and his entire body is wrecked.
“Haden,” I coo, pulling him towards me.
He allows me to and after a moment, he’s leaning against me, still weeping a little. I’ve never really seen a grown guy cry and it makes me feel so bad! I’ve seen Haden go through so much. For him to break down like this...he must be in so much pain!
“It’s alright Haden,” I whisper, tangling a hand in his thick hair and the other wrapped around his back.
“My father was right, I am a sorry excuse for a reaper,” Haden mutters against my shoulders, his voice slightly nasal.
“Hey, don’t say that,” I whisper, holding his shoulders at arm’s length.
He gives me a small lopsided smile, his eyes still glistening a little. “I need to man up,” he jokes after a minutes, wiping his face against him sleeve.
“I think you need to be yourself more,” I murmur, tracing his jaw line with the back of my hand.
“What? I am myself,” he mutters a little like a little kid being falsely accused of cheating during an exam; extremely defensive.
“You’re always the strong one! You can break down once in a while too, Haden. It’s healthy. Plus, it makes you so much more human,” I whisper, wiping away the traces of his tears.
“I’m not a human Jess,” he teases, kissing my fingertips.
“And that, my love, is very, very sexy,” I whisper huskily.
He raises his eyebrows flirtatiously before the both of us burst into laughter. Haden wraps me in his warm embrace, resting his cheek against the top of my head.
“I love you,” he reminds me, his tone cheerful again.
“I love you too, even if you possibly have better break downs then me,” I tease.
Haden pulls away from me and gives me his best glare before getting up. He pulls me to my feet and wraps an arm around my waist.
“So, whatcha say my love? Wanna get married?” he asks lightly, kissing my cheek.
“Hmm, no,” I murmur easily.
“Excuse me?” he demands, his tone completely incredulous.
“What? You think that just because I’m knocked up that I’m desperate? You gotta work to win me over Mr. Carter,” I tease coyly.
“Oh yeah? I like a challenge soon-to-be Mrs Carter,” he purrs, making me shiver in anticipation.
“Hey Haden, where are Matt and Alex,” I ask suddenly. I had completely forgotten about them.
“Gee, that wasn’t a mood killer or anything Jess,” Haden mutters sarcastically. “Hmm, Matt and Alex? They came back here after we set off into the palace. They didn’t really want to stay for the ensuing drama,” he murmurs simply.
Haden leads me towards the door as he grabs our coats and his keys. “Where are we going?” I finally ask as he holds the door open for me to climb into his car. He merely smiles and closes the door gently.
Only once he’s in the car and we’ve already started moving does he clear his throat. “We’re going to go to gynaecologist,” he murmurs, clearly uncomfortable.
“What?!” I shriek. No way! I’m not ready for this!
“Babe, calm down. We’ll just go and make sure everything is okay,” he promises, taking my hand and rubbing soothing circles into my palm.
“No! I’ve never been to a gynaecologist before! I’m not ready!” I protest quickly.
“Jess, I’m sorry, but you have no choice. I know you’re afraid and I know it’s going to be embarrassing and all, but we have to do this,” he murmurs. It might just be my imagination, but I think Haden sped up a little.
“Haden, please? Another day! I need to mentally prepare myself,” I plead.
“Prepare yourself? If I give you any more time, you’ll chicken out. It’s going to be fine Jess. The doctor will just check you out and then I’ll take you out for dinner anywhere you like, okay?” he bargains, bringing my hand up to his lips so he could kiss me reassuringly.
“Haden do you know the kind of torture that goes on in a gyno exam?” I demand, my face heating up. “I’ll have to put my legs into those things that keep the leg’s apart-”
“Stirrups,” he murmurs easily, grinning a little.
“Fine, stirrups!” I huff. “I’ll have to let a doctor poke around down there! Are you crazy?! And I heard they even do this crazy thing where they put something in you!” I shudder. I could jump out of a moving car right? I mean they do it in movies all the time!
“I think that sounds pretty hot actually,” Haden whispers huskily, giving me a wink.
I glare at him before continuing my freak out. Nobody can force me to have an examination right? I can refuse to get out of my jeans!
“Come on Jess, do it for me, please? I just want to make sure both you and the baby are okay,” he pleads softly. “I won’t even come into the room if it’ll embarrass you.”
“Haden I told you! I want an abortion,” I whisper timidly.
“You could talk to the doctor about an abortion, love. But you’re going to need my consent. You’re a kid and without the consent of a parent or guardian, nobody in their right mind would allow it,” he murmurs easily, shrugging. Damn it! He knows I have no choice.
“It’s not fair! It’s my body! I don’t want to swell up like a whale!” I mutter darkly.
Haden grins and rubs my hand with his. “You won’t. I won’t let you. Besides, once the baby is out you can work out and get your perfect body back. But we’re getting off topic here. We’ll deal with this whole baby thing after the trip to the gynaecologist,” Haden murmurs with a ring of finality in his voice.
“So I gotta deal with some stranger probing around while you sit on the seat and laugh?” I mumble angrily.
“Hey, it won’t be so bad. I’ll hold your hand through it all if that would make you feel better. Swear I won’t take a peek,” he promises teasingly.
Haden pulls up in the parking lot and holds his hand out for me. “Babe, your face is so red!” he comments, pulling me into his side so I could lean against him. “I know you’re embarrassed. But everyone does this. The doctor will be very professional,” he promises, kissing my forehead.
I glare at him angrily, but I don’t have the energy to try and argue with him. I know Haden. And when Haden makes up his mind, come hell or high water, he won’t change it.
He walks me into the hospital and leads me over to one of the uncomfortable little plastic chairs. I’m blushing so much that my entire body is red! Haden chuckles a little when he sees me before walking off to the counter to sign me in or make an appointment or whatever.
After a few minutes, he returns and takes a seat beside me. “There’s two doctors, a male and a female. The guy has more experience. Would you be more comfortable with the lady? Personally I think we should go for the guy. Even the nurse seemed to say so. The woman isn’t very gentle,” Haden murmurs.
“Your choice,” I mutter sourly.
Haden sighs a little but gets up to talk to the lady behind the counter again. The both of them start laughing a little and my blush intensifies. Haden takes his seat beside me and pulls me against him, stroking my hair, trying his best to keep me calm.
After more than an hour, an incredibly good-looking man steps out of one of the rooms and gestures for us to enter. Oh my god! Please don’t let that be the doctor! This will be so embarrassing! I knew I should have told Haden I wanted the woman! Damn it!
A/N: Trying to lighten things up a little. I think both Jess and Haden need to go lighten up. Maybe this wasn't the best way, but I'm sure tons of people would react the way Jess did! Hahaha
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