Checkmate

“Co

“Yeah, no problem,” he said, trying to figure out how to convince his friend to wait a little while longer.

He walked through the door that led to the examination rooms, not bothering to ask where Rory was since he overheard the nurse tell her which room to go into. Plus, they’d just tell him to wait in the waiting room since they weren’t related and he wasn’t her husband. Next month could not come fast enough as far as he was concerned.

“Rory?” he asked as he knocked on room ten’s door.

“Co

“Can I come in?” he asked, already opening the door and walking in just as Rory pulled on her shoe.

“Yes,” she said, smiling and looking happy, which was a bit unexpected, but he wasn’t going to complain since he liked seeing her happy.

“Andrew’s appointment is ru

“Just a few more minutes. Can you sit with me?” she asked, taking him off guard.

“Is everything okay?” he asked, not that he had a problem with sitting with her, but it was just an unusual request coming from Rory.

“Yeah, it’s just boring in here by myself. Do you mind?” she asked, giving him a sweet smile that he was helpless against.

“Sure,” he said, returning her smile as he moved to stand next to her as she sat on the exam table.

They didn’t have to wait long before a doctor came into the room, looking surprised to see Co

“Your test results all look great, Rory. I ran a pregnancy test,” the woman a

Oh shit…………

“The test came back negative. You’ve been under a lot of stress and have been working too hard. I think once you’re able to slow down and take a break then your cycle will go back to normal,” the doctor a

“Thank you, Dr. Hahn,” Rory said, quietly.

Co

“I can write you a prescription for birth control if that’s what you want,” Dr. Hahn said, smiling. “But, I’d like to talk to you about your other request first.”

Co

“Aw, shit,” he said, giving Rory a quick kiss on the cheek before he followed the nurse out the door, thanking his lucky stars that he’d managed to avoid becoming a daddy and been given a chance to keep his friend for a little while longer.

Definitely a great day.

* * * *

“Do you think that you could swing by and visit Andrew in a couple of hours?” Co

It had been foolish to let herself get her hopes up. She should have gone to the doctor sooner or at the very least, bought a home pregnancy test, but she’d been so damn positive that she was pregnant. She’d never been late before a day in her life. It was only natural to assume that she was pregnant. She’d been stupid, so damn stupid and now her heart ached and all she wanted to do was cry, but she couldn’t.

Co

“Rory?” Co

“Yes?” she asked, feeling like she was in a daze.

“Can you check up on him for me later?” he asked, reminding her that at least she had something else to focus on for a while.

“I’ll try to, but I might not be able to,” she said, avoiding his eyes as she lied to him.

“Why not?”

“I have to go away for a few days.”

“What the hell are you talking about? Now? You need to go away now when Andrew is getting his transplant?” Co

“I’m sorry, but I got a call from Trevor while you went to check up on Andrew. I guess with the all the excitement I forgot to tell you, but Zoe’s not feeling well and Trevor is ru

“Okay,” he said, sighing and not sounding particularly happy, but at least he let it go. “Drive safe, baby, and give me a call when you get there to let me know that you’re okay.”

“I will,” she said with another forced smile as she gave him a quick kiss on the lips, glad that this at least bought her a few days to get over her heartache.

* * * *

New Haven Hospital

The next day……

“We’re not supposed to release you unless you have someone to take care of you,” the nurse explained even as she helped Rory out of the wheelchair and into the waiting taxi.

“My brothers are going to take care of me,” Rory said as another wave of dizziness shot through her head and threatened to make her lose the green Jello lunch that they’d forced down her throat.

“Are you sure?” the nurse asked, looking uncertain.

“Yes,” Rory assured her, thankful when the nurse took her at her word and closed the door behind her.

“Where to, miss?” the driver asked.

“The Holiday I

Thirty minutes later she was letting herself into the hotel room and praying for death with each step. She thought a soak in a hot bath would help, but by the time she made it to the bed, it was obvious that she wouldn’t be making it that far, at least not today.

Chapter 38

“You’re fired. Get the fuck off my site,” Co

“What? You can’t fire me!” Dave, the man that he’d foolishly hired as a supervisor and gave one too many chances to, said, getting into Co

“I just did,” Co

“What the hell am I supposed to tell my wife?” the man demanded as Co

“That texting your girlfriend got your ass fired!” Co

He pulled his phone out and after one look, shoved it back in his pocket and kicked a bucket full of sand out of his way, not giving a damn where it went. Three days, three fucking days without a single word from Rory. He’d never gone this long without talking to her or seeing her and he didn’t like it, not one fucking bit.

This wasn’t like Rory. He wasn’t the type of asshole that expected her to check in. He wasn’t overbearing and would never try and keep tabs on her, but he was really starting to worry. Three days without a word. The night that Andrew received his transplant he called her to tell her that everything was going good so far and to tell her that he loved her, but she didn’t answer. The next day he sent her an email update of the project and still nothing.