Chapter Twenty-Five
Landry
“Brody?” I sat up in bed, accidentally snagging my IV on my blanket. “What happened? Is the baby okay? No one will tell me anything.” I rested my hands on my stomach, silently praying that the tummy bug was still in there.
Brody crossed the room, putting his hands on top of mine and kissing my lips. “The baby is fine. It’s you that we’re all worried about.”
“Me? I’m fine. I got a little light-headed, that’s all.” I wouldn’t tell him about Travis. Not yet. I wasn’t ready to relive what he’d said, the way he’d acted. Never mind the drama that I was sure came after when Wes called for security. Brody wasn’t ready to hear it. He’d storm out of here, find Travis, and go postal on his ass. Conceptually, I wouldn’t mind a bit, but that kind of press wasn’t going to do Clashing Swell any good, especially with the tour starting tomorrow, and RiffRaff records didn’t need to bail Brody out of jail.
And I didn’t want my life on the cover of every tabloid, so I prevaricated.
“You passed out, baby cakes.” He moved forward, adjusting the pillows behind my back, making sure I was comfortable. “And you passed out because you were dehydrated and exhausted, and then there was something else about your blood pressure.” He perched on the edge of my bed, his hand on my thigh. “When I asked how your day was, you failed to mention the six-hour surgery you performed.”
“Right. Because if I’d said, yeah, my day was great, I just completed a pancreaticoduodenectomy, you would have known that was a six-hour procedure?” I was being a bit of a brat. But I was scared, and I’d ended up having a really craptastic day.
“I talked to Dr. Woodsen a few minutes ago.”
“And? What did he say?” Brody looked a little pale. I should be nicer to him; I bet hearing that I’d passed out had scared the shit out of him.
“He’s putting you on bed rest for the remainder of your pregnancy.”
I took a deep breath, opening my mouth wide to let loose all kinds of random insults and cuss words. But Brody quickly leaned forward, placing his palm gently over my lips. “I know you’re pissed. I know that you want to yell and scream and throw things.” I nodded, my eyes narrowed. “Focus on the positive. Okay? You and the baby are both going to be fine. You can finish your residency as soon as you pop that kiddo out. This isn’t the end of the world. It’s a little setback. Nothing more.”
He was right. I knew he was. Not that it made swallowing bed rest orders any easier. Part of this was my fault. I hadn’t eaten enough today, and I’d overdone it with the Whipple surgery. But another part of this was Travis’s fault. I needed to talk to the chief. I remembered Wes demanding security come get my asshole ex, but after that everything was blank. I tugged at the hospital gown, making sure the sleeve covered the bruises I was sure I had from the hold Travis had on my arm.
“I know none of this is easy.” Brody crawled up the bed, sitting beside me and wrapping me in his arms. “I hate that you’re having to go through it. But I’m so damn glad that you’re okay. That the baby is okay.” He kissed the top of my head and I melted a little. “And to be honest, you’re handling the news better than I’d anticipated.”
I was pretty sure they’d given me something in my IV to take the edge off when I’d woken up with a headache. “I’ll have to drop out of my residency. I can’t believe it. I am almost done.”
“You’ll take a leave. They’ll save your spot.”
I nodded slowly, tears seconds away from spilling over. Probably, they would have saved my spot with or without the Westons’ influence, but having trustees on my side wasn’t going to hurt. Fuck, today had sucked.
“Baby, please don’t cry.”
I couldn’t help it. I couldn’t slow my tears. “I’m a terrible mom. I can’t even keep the baby healthy. First it was the constant vomiting and now I’m passing out.” The waterworks were triggering a full-blown mental meltdown. “Is this the way it’s going to go? Am I destined to screw up this kid? My biological mom was the worst. Maybe I inherited that gene.” Yeah, I was blubbering like an idiot.
“You are strong and determined, and goal oriented. You are going to set an amazing example for this kid. You will finish your residency, you will. But first, you’ve got to grow the kid.” Brody made me rest my head on his chest, and he used the remote between us to turn down the lights in my room. “We’ve got to stay the night in the hospital.”
He kissed my forehead and I started to cry harder. “Our last night together and we have to spend it here?”
He settled further down in the bed, snuggling me closer and putting his palm on my stomach. “It’s not our last night together, baby cakes, it’s just one night. One night out of hundreds to make sure my babies are safe and healthy.”
Brody never referred to the baby as his. Me? Yeah, he called me his girl all the time. But the baby? Not once.
I wanted to point out what he’d said.
I wanted to ask him what it’d meant.
But I didn’t want to ruin this perfect moment in time.