Chapter 37
Grace
I steer my minivan to the curb outside of the Planned Parenthood clinic as Lily continues to rummage around in her purse.
“It’s got to be in here somewhere,” she mumbles as she sifts through receipts and coupons and other random scraps of paper in her bag.
I sit rigid, strapped to my seat, jaw clenched, still stressed out about the way Daniel rushed out of the house a few hours ago. I tried calling his phone but then I realized that he’d left it on its charger in the living room. I’ve been praying silently all day, hoping that I’m just overreacting about nothing. I can’t handle another crisis in my marriage right now. Not when Daniel and I have just finished making amends. We need normal. We deserve normal.
“Okay, here it is,” my sister says triumphantly as she pulls a pink business card from the depths of her tote bag and stretches it out to me.
“Lily, it’s okay. I really don’t need it.” I recoil in my seat.
She pouts, waving the card in the air. “Gracie, it won’t bite you.”
Sighing, I give in and pluck the card out of her hand. “Fine. I’ll take the doctor’s phone number, okay? Are you happy now?”
“I’m just looking out for you, sis. That’s all. You’ve been living in limbo for far too long. It’s time for you to see a specialist and get things checked out so you know once and for all if you’re able to get pregnant or not. You need some closure.”
I flop back against my seat. “I know you’re right. It’s just…things are finally starting to settle down in my house again. I don’t want to upset that with bad news.”
She reaches across the gear console and squeezes my hand. “Sweetie, don’t forget the possibility that the doctor might run some tests and confirm that you’ve been worrying for nothing. Then, you and Daniel can get to work and have a few dozen babies!”
Her optimism gets me to smile.
“Doctor Maddow is the best OB/GYN in the state. Just make an appointment. Okay?”
“Okay.” I shove the business card into my purse. “I will.”
Lily checks the time on the dashboard. “Shoot – I’m going to be late for my own appointment,” she laughs as she pops off her seatbelt and opens the door.
“Hey, Lil,” I call out. She bends into the open window. “Thanks for supporting me. I love you.”
“Love you, too.” She winks.
I lean across the front seat and look at her, standing there on the sidewalk. “You sure you don’t need me to go with you?” Jakob usually takes her to all of her prenatal check-ups but his truck broke down this morning so I offered to drop her off.
She grins and shakes her head. “No, no. I’ll be fine. Just make sure you’re still here when I get out because if I have to waddle all the way back to the farm, I’ll be delivering your nephew on the side of the road in the middle of the night.”
“I’ll be here,” I assure her, watching as she plods up the stairs and disappears into the clinic.
Time drags on as I wait. To occupy myself, I check out Dr. Maddow’s website on my phone and read various testimonials from his patients on different internet forums. He seems to have an excellent track record and lots of people in the medical community hold him in high esteem. Maybe I will make an appointment with him.
I’ve almost forgotten about Daniel’s bizarre behavior earlier today until the clinic door swings open and a familiar pair of black and gray sneakers come into view. My gaze travels up the dark jeans to the black fleece sweater covering those broad shoulders. His jaw is clenched as tight as it was this morning at the kitchen sink and his eyes are even darker. The impact is like being bulldozed by a speeding freight train when Brittany Delaney stumbles out of the clinic behind him and rubs small circles in the middle of his back.
My heart stops beating when my husband covers his face with his palm and he breaks down sobbing.