Pulling my phone from my bag, I looked at the time.
“Oh, shit. Harriet I’ve got to go!” I rushed out, my eyes widening as I pushed away from the table.
“Is it scan time!?”
I nodded, pulling my bag over my shoulder.
“Is he who shall not be named going to be there?”
I shrugged, “I emailed him a few weeks ago with the date and time but who knows.”
“You’ve not heard from him?” she asked as her brows furrowed.
“Not a peep, but honestly, I am fine. It’s good for me.”
She didn’t look convinced.
“I’m sorry, I’ll call you shortly. I really have to go.”
“It’s fine, go. I’ll just cry into my wine as I try and sort the table plan out.” She smirked as she shooed me away.
“I’ll be back soon, you’ve got this. We have five months till the wedding, plenty of time.” I smiled, rushing for her front door and onto the street.
The summer weather was finally making an appearance, the trees and flowers were full bloom and the sun was beating down on my skin. Today was a good day.
I sat in the waiting room of the private doctor’s surgery, of course Preston couldn’t just go to a normal hospital. I flicked through the baby magazines more out of boredom. I didn’t want to get attached. As soon as this baby was born, I was gone. I keep that thought in mind in hopes I’ll believe it when it comes to it.
My skin began to prickle, my palms a little sweaty at the thought of me having to go in alone. He would show, of course he would. This is his baby. This is what he wanted, what he needed to be able to carry on.
I saw a young male doctor come out, his brown hair was glossy and pushed away from his face, his arms were toned and sculpted as the sleeves of his white doctor coat were rolled up around his elbows. His cool, green eyes dance with mine and I feel my heart flutter in my chest.
“Skylar?” he calls out and I spring from my chair, I begin to walk towards him when I hear the doctor’s office door swing open. And there he is.
Mr tall, dark and incredibly fucking handsome wearing one of his signature suits.
I felt doctor dreamy look over at a slightly out of breath Preston before looking back at me.
Oh shit, he thinks we’re dating.
“I’m here, sorry…” Preston breathed as he began to walk beside me.
“Shame was hoping you would have missed it,” I spat, tsking as I did and smiling at the doctor. “He isn’t my boyfriend or anything, I’m just carrying his baby.” I smiled but not before giving Preston a filthy look over my shoulder.
Take that.
I felt Preston’s eyes burn into the back of my head, but I didn’t care. I was going to make him feel how he did me. I am going to make his life hell.
If he thought I would bend over backwards and let him back into my life, then he was wrong.
We might be tied by blood and DNA but that’s the only ties there is.
“First off, I am Doctor Spencer.” His lips tugged on either side.
“Nice to meet you,” I gave him a wide grin.
“Okay, lay down Skylar, let’s get this scan done and check the baby,” doctor hottie smiled at me.
I did as he asked, lifting my t-shirt up and waiting for him to put the gel on my stomach. I heard Preston growl as Dr Spencer’s hands moved over my stomach as he felt softly.
“So how many weeks do you think you are?” he asked as he grabbed the probe and turned the screen on.
“Around ten, eleven I suppose.” My mind drifting back to the one night of passion me and Preston had. I thought that it was it for us, that we would ride off into the sunset on the back of a white horse ready to begin our happily ever after.
But they don’t exist.
I am proof of that.
“Perfect,” he smiled at me before shaking the gel bottle once with force, “this may be a little cold.”
I smiled back at him and I felt the warmth flush to my cheeks. Preston coughed and cleared his throat.
“Are you choking?” I spun my head to face him, false concern lacing my voice.
“Nope, just wondered whether you forgot that I was still here.” His voice was low and gruff, he was pissed off. I wanted him to be pissed off. He fucked this up for both of us. Yes, I was being petty by flirting with the doctor in front of him, but I was only doing it because I knew it would get a rise out of him and that’s what I wanted. I wanted him to know how angry and betrayed I felt by him, how cheap and worthless he made me feel when I overheard the conversation that he had with his father. Yes, I was a whore. I never claimed not to be, but to hear it with such vicious venom coming out of the mouth of the guy that has made love to you, claiming you heart, body and soul, well… it fucking hurts.
“Didn’t forget.” I smirked, turning to face the doctor. He pressed the probe onto my stomach, silence filled the room as he studied the screen.
“Aha, here we go.” The once silent room is now filled with a train like thumping that is echoing round the room. “You’re measuring bang on ten and a half weeks, congratulations to you both.” I didn’t miss the Doctor’s coy tone, his side look to Preston every three seconds or his extra touchy hands that rubbed and stroked my hand or arm at any given moment.
“If you go out to reception when you’re ready, we will get your next scan booked and also take you down for your bloods.”
I felt my face pale, my palms instantly clammy.
“Bloods?” I stammered, grabbing the tissue from him and wiping the excess gel off before hopping off the bed and pulling my top down.
“Yes,” Doctor Spencer looked at me confused.
I didn’t say anything, I was trying so hard to concentrate on my breathing and not hyperventilate and pass out.
“You have to have bloods to make sure that you and the baby are okay, they literally take five minutes if that.” He stood from his desk and grabbed our paperwork before leading me to the door and back into the light and bright waiting area. The large, square room had floor to ceiling beautiful sash windows. The surgery was a converted old Victorian town house, the character sung from the walls, all the original coving still intact. In every corner there was a plant of some sort. I can’t keep plants alive. I felt my chest begin to rise faster now.
I froze as Doctor Spencer gave the receptionist my files and muttered softly to her, both of their eyes on me.
“It was lovely meeting you Skylar, I will call you in a couple of days when I have your blood results.”
I nodded. I couldn’t speak.
I hated needles, the fear that was pumping through my blood now was making my heart race and my head light.
“I’m going to go…” Preston’s soft voice pulled me from my thoughts, I reached out and grabbed his hands shaking my head from side to side, silently begging and pleading for him not to go.
He turned his upper body back round to face me, his eyes falling to where my fingers were digging into him before our eyes met.
“What’s wrong…?” he whispered.
“Don’t go,” I whispered back, my throat tight and constricted.
He didn’t say anything, just nodded and slipped his fingers through mine as he led me towards the lift.
I was sitting in the leather recliner chair as the nurse began prepping the needle. I felt the tears begin to prick behind my eyes, the lump in my throat thick and burning.
“Sky…” Preston moved towards me, scooping my hand in his. “What’s wrong?”
“I don’t like this…” my eyes moved to where the needle was sitting in a cardboard dish before I turned back to Preston.
“Oh baby, I know, they’re not nice but you need them done so they can make sure you’re okay.” His fingers squeezed round my hand before his thumb brushed against the back of it.
The nurse edged towards me as I froze.
“It won’t hurt,” the young nurse smiled at me.
“Can you just tell me when you’re going to do it.” My voice low and trembling.
“Surely that’ll make it worse,” she said, “would you rather not me just do it?” her tone was clipped.
“No, she asked you to let her know when you’re doing it.” Preston answered before I had a choice, his voice a grumble.
She didn’t say anything, just nodded.
“Okay, Skylar… I’m doing it now.” Her voice was cool and calm, I felt a small scratch on my arm. I turned to give Preston a thankful look and that’s all I remembered before I passed out.
“Sky, baby…” I heard Preston’s voice, my eyes were closed, my mind fuzzy.
“Pres?” I cooed, my eyes fluttering open as the bright white of the room made my eyes hurt.
“Shit, are you okay?” I could hear the concern in his voice, my eyes closing for a moment before I opened them again. I tried to sit up but Preston shook his head from side to side, his fingers brushing away the hair from my face.
“Take it easy, just give yourself a minute or two.”
I sighed, letting my eyes close. I inhaled deeply, letting the air flow through my lungs. It felt good to fill my lungs with fresh air.
“I’m fine,” I reassured him. I sat up slowly, swinging my legs over the side of the bed. My head spun, making my eyes feel like they were moving too quickly for me to focus. Pressing my hand to my head, I stilled.
I heard the chair scrape on the tiles of the hospital floor as Preston was up and next to me.
“Honestly,” I warned him, my eyes narrowing on his, “I am fine.” I snapped as I jumped off the bed.
He didn’t say a word, he just followed. He stayed close, but not close enough that I felt my heart beat race, my skin prickle in goosebumps and my breath catch. The constant pull that I feel from him was unbearable, but at the distance he was it felt just right. I could deal with that. I could breathe easier knowing that he was just behind me. As soon as I was out in the fresh air, I stilled. Closing my eyes and letting my head tip back to feel the beating warm sun on my face.
He stood beside me. Our fingers close to touching but not close enough for it to happen.
“So, fear of needles huh,” I feel his eyes burning into the side of my head. I try not to, but I give in to temptation. Turning to face him I see his lips twisting into a smirk.
“You could say that, yes,” my tone is clipped. I want to be myself around him, like the way it was before he hurt me. He can apologise all he wants; it won’t change anything.
