by K. S. Ruff
Chapter 11 – Like I’m Gonna Lose You
I gaped at the dining room. Aside from our garages being linked, this was the first real change I’d seen since setting foot inside my house. We’d entered through the garage. My kitchen, family room, and sun room all looked the same, but the dining room was huge and clearly built to entertain.
My formal living room was gone. That space had been transformed into a massive foyer with double mahogany doors. I could see Rafael’s office and the new billiard room from the dining room. The black, white, and gray color scheme Rafael used to have was gone. Warm, neutral tones offered continuity throughout the main floor. The elegantly curved staircases on either side of the foyer were breathtaking. The design was so perfect, I couldn’t even picture what my staircase looked like before the renovations.
Rafael nodded his approval. “Let’s check out the theater room.”
Bosco squirmed. He was eager to explore his new home.
I set him on the floor. We crossed through the dining room into what used to be Rafael’s family room.
Rafael ushered me through the double wood doors. A large movie screen hung on the wall to my right. Deep burgundy curtains framed the screen on either side. Three elevated rows of black leather recliners sat to my left. Thin strips of lights lit the carpeted stairs leading to the recliners. The tray ceiling glowed along the edges, and little pinpricks of light shown like stars throughout the rest of the ceiling.
“How fun,” I whispered. The theater felt so authentic, it demanded a whisper. I wondered whether I’d ever bother with a public theater again.
Rafael sank into one of the chairs. “I can’t wait to hear the speaker system. Maybe we should watch a movie tonight.”
“Sounds good,” I agreed. “I want to see the upstairs.”
Rafael and I peeked inside the billiard room before walking upstairs. “I know Brady is anxious to see you. I was thinking of ordering pizza and inviting him over for dinner.”
We turned around when Bosco barked. I laughed. He was trying to follow us, but he couldn’t pull his hind legs over the first step.
Rafael jogged back down the stairs and scooped him up.
I waited at the top of the stairs. “I’d like to see Kadyn, Shae, Cenia, and the rest of the gang. Can we invite them too?”
He set Bosco on the floor. “As long as you rest and let me do all the work.” He led me into what used to be his bedroom.
“Rafael,” I gasped. White walls, white linens, white furniture, and white filmy curtains sent me reeling back to Santorini. Large canvas wrapped photographs of the Aegean Sea offered brilliant pops of blue against the stark white room.
He folded me in his arms. “I know you’re scared, and you want to wait on the nursery. I thought this would make a beautiful room regardless of how we use this space.”
I burrowed into his chest. “It’s perfect.” The only thing we had to do was replace the bed with a crib, but I wasn’t willing to risk that… yet.
He led me to our bedroom. “I’ll send a text inviting everyone over for dinner and a movie. You rest. I’ll walk Bosco. We’ll join you just as soon as we can.”
I nodded gratefully, undressed, and crawled into bed. I felt tired and a little depressed. I could see everything I’d ever dreamed my life would be, but it was still dangling just out of reach.
Rafael brushed my hair aside so he could plant a kiss on my cheek. “Sleep, my love. I’ll stand guard.”
He was worried I might have a seizure. Each of us whispered his own prayer when my eyes slid closed.
* * * * *
“Rafael said I could sleep over.” Shae set her bag and her Scrabble game by the stairs. “This place looks amazing. It’s like it was always meant to be this way.”
I gave her a hug. “Would you like the grand tour?”
Rafael pulled her from my arms. “I’ll give her the tour. You’re supposed to be lying down.”
I rolled my eyes. “You were in the theater room. Someone had to answer the door.”
Shae gaped at my tummy. She gave a little yelp when Bosco bolted into the foyer.
I laughed. “That’s Bosco.”
“Oh my God. He’s so adorable!” Shae knelt on the floor. Bosco tried to escape, but she caught him, ruffled his fur, and rolled him on the floor. “Look at all that fur. I could just eat him up.”
The doorbell rang.
Rafael strode toward the door. “Kadyn. Good to see you.” They clasped hands and patted one another on the back.
Kadyn set his duffle bag on the floor. His eyes widened when he saw my tummy. “Wow. That’s impressive.” He hugged me gently before joining Shae on the floor. “So, this is Bosco.”
I looked up when Rafael opened the door. Brady and Jase stepped inside. Each of them carried a suitcase.
Brady set his bag by the door. “May I?”
I gave him a hug. “Of course.”
Brady dropped to his knees so he could hold my belly in his hands. He grinned when the baby kicked. “That’s awesome.”
Shae frowned. “I want to feel.”
“Me too,” Kadyn interjected.
Rafael frowned. “Can we move into the family room so Kristine can sit down?”
Jase set his suitcase down. “She should put her feet up.”
Kadyn’s eyes narrowed. “Kri? What’s going on?”
I swallowed nervously. “I’d rather wait until everyone arrives. I don’t want to have to explain twice.”
The doorbell rang again.
Shae paled. “Is there something wrong?”
Rafael greeted Cenia and Roger. Bosco bounded toward them.
Jase steered me toward the family room before I could give them a hug. “She’s not supposed to be on her feet. She’s supposed to be on bed rest.”
Kadyn noticed the dining room. “Two tables?”
I chuckled. “Rafael likes having you guys around.”
“And you don’t?” He joined me on the couch. “May I?”
Jase and I exchanged smiles. “Sure.”
Kadyn smoothed his hand over my belly.
Shae sat on the other side of me. Her hand joined Kadyn’s.
The baby rolled.
Kadyn smiled.
“That’s a baby,” Shae breathed.
Cenia dropped a kiss on my cheek. “I’ve missed you. You look great, Kri.”
Kadyn moved next to Shae so Cenia and Roger could join us.
Rafael led Phil, Marie, Ethan, and Dakota into the family room. “We’re just waiting on Brogan and Aidan now.”
He turned on his heel when the doorbell rang again. “Scratch that. Everyone’s here.”
Cenia eyed my tummy uncertainly. “How do you feel?”
I grasped her hand and pressed it to my belly. “I feel tired, anxious, excited, content, and terrified.”
“All at the same time?” Roger marveled.
I nodded. “All at the same time.”
His hand joined Cenia’s. Their eyes met. “I can’t wait to see you like this.”
She blushed.
“Are you?” I gasped.
She smiled. “We’re due in January.”
“Our circle is growing again.” Tears welled in my eyes.
Cenia gave me a hug.
Brogan and Aidan joined us. They held twelve boxes of ZPizza in their arms.
Cenia and Roger rose. Congratulations sounded all around.
Brogan and Aidan set the pizza on the counter.
Brady and Jase served the drinks.
Rafael joined me on the couch. “I’d like to catch everyone up to speed before we eat.”
Our friends gathered around.
He grasped my hand. “Kristine has preeclampsia, a pregnancy complication that has placed her and the baby’s life at risk. Our OB doctor in Lisbon has encouraged us to deliver the baby.”
“But you’re only six months along,” Cenia objected.
Rafael forced an even tone. “Kristine wants to delay the delivery
a few more weeks, so we can increase the baby’s chance of survival.”
“What kind of odds are you working against?” Phil demanded.
“The baby has a forty percent chance of survival at twenty-four weeks,” Rafael answered. “Kristine’s blood pressure keeps inching up despite the blood pressure medication Dr. Barriera prescribed. Each day she remains pregnant increases her risk of seizures and multiple organ failure. She could die if she remains pregnant much longer.”
Shae shook her head. “No. That can’t be.”
Kadyn pulled her close when she burst into tears.
“We’re meeting with Dr. Meinig first thing Monday morning,” Rafael revealed. “We’re hoping he’ll allow her to remain on bed rest here at home, but he may insist on admitting her. They can monitor her more closely at the hospital. Kristine wants to delay delivery for two more weeks. The baby’s chance of survival increases to eighty percent at twenty six weeks.”
Our friends stared at us.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered.
“We wanted you to be prepared,” Rafael added. “Just in case.”
“In case Kristine or the baby dies?” Aidan’s hands clenched while he tried to rein in his frustration.
Rafael nodded. He kissed my hand and drew me closer.
Kadyn retrieved a box of tissue for Shae. “Do your parents know?”
I lifted my head from Rafael’s chest. “Yes. They fly in tomorrow. They won’t leave until after the baby is born.”
Cenia squared her shoulders. “What can we do to help?”
Rafael sighed. “I have to return to Lisbon after the doctor’s appointment so I can testify at a preliminary hearing in that pedophile case. Kristine’s parents will be here, but they don’t know their way around. Brady and Jase will be staying here indefinitely. I don’t want Kristine left alone in case she has a seizure.”
“We can cook meals,” Marie offered. Dakota agreed.
“I can run any errands you might need,” Ethan offered.
“We haven’t thrown a baby shower.” Cenia frowned. “We need to shop for the baby.”
My heart clenched.
“We’re going to hold off on that for now,” Rafael stated. “Once the baby is born and everyone is stable, we may take you up on that offer. I have a feeling he will be in the NICU for a while. He only weighs a pound right now.”
Dakota gasped. “That’s so tiny.”
He pressed his hand to my tummy. “Prayers, moral support, and some company while Kristine is on bed rest. That’s what we need more than anything.”
“You know we’ve got this,” Brogan stated. “You won’t face this alone.” He knelt before me. “Kristine, I’ll do anything… anything you need.”
Tears streamed down my face.
Kadyn cleared his throat. “I think we should pray.” Our friends clasped hands while forming a tight circle that included us. “Please, Lord, hold Rafael, Kri, and their unborn child in your loving arms. Protect them, guide them, and keep them safe from harm. Strengthen their faith and understanding. Ease their fears and doubts. Allow them to feel your presence. Grant us a miracle. Allow Kri to carry this baby to term and bless us with a healthy baby. In Jesus’s name we pray. Amen.”
Rafael and I stumbled blindly into their arms.
* * * * *
My head popped up when I heard the garage door opening below the house.
“Stay put,” Jase growled. He set a steaming mug of peppermint tea on the end table next to the couch.
My heart beat anxiously while I waited for my parents to appear. We’d already broken the news to them, but I was worried about how my mom would respond once she saw me. I was praying my father wouldn’t cry.
“Where’s my baby girl?” Dad bellowed.
Bosco’s head popped up. He was curled next to me on the couch.
I rubbed his ears. “It’s okay. They’re supposed to be here.”
Brady rose from the couch.
My parents hugged me long and hard.
Bosco sought cover in Jase’s arms.
I squeezed my father’s hand. “How was your flight?”
“Good.” He smiled. “I really like your flight attendant and the pilot Rafael hired.”
Mom pulled Bosco from Jase’s arms. “He’s even cuter in person. How’s he adjusting to his new home?”
The tension eased from my shoulders. “Good. He has yet to clear the stairs, though.”
Rafael set their luggage in the foyer. “Brady and Jase will be watching over Kristine while I’m away.”
“It’s good to see you again.” Dad shook their hands.
Mom set Bosco on the floor so she could give them a hug. “Are you still worried about the SVR?”
Rafael shoved his hands in his pockets. “They may target her in an effort to manipulate Maxim, given her role in his inauguration.”
Dad nodded solemnly. “Thank you for keeping her safe.”
Mom studied me. “You’re looking a little puffy, honey. Are you feeling okay?”
“I’m tired, which is ridiculous since I’m resting all the time.” I’d been battling a headache for three days now, but I wasn’t about to admit that in front of Rafael.
“We’re going to see the OB doctor tomorrow,” Rafael informed them. “You’re welcome to join us.”
“If you don’t mind,” Mom replied.
Rafael nodded. “Would you like me to show you around the house before I start dinner?”
“Sure,” Dad agreed. “I want to see the theater room Kristine’s been raving about.”
Mom followed them into the dining room. “I’d like to help with dinner.”
I eased back onto the pillows.
Brady dropped next to me on the couch. “Are you feeling okay?”
“Not really,” I admitted.
Jase grabbed the blood pressure cuff. He shoved the stethoscope in his ears and wrapped the cuff around my arm. He pumped air into the cuff and studied the gauge. “One-fifty-eight over ninety-five. We’ll check it again in fifteen minutes. If it rises above one-sixty…”
“I know,” I groaned. “You have to take me to the hospital.”
Brady pulled my feet onto his lap. His fingers kneaded the soles of my feet. “Why don’t you try to get some sleep? That may help lower it a bit.”
Jase turned the lights down in the family room. “I’ll move the ingredients for the Chicken Marsala over to the kitchen across from the theater room so the noise doesn’t wake you when he starts cooking.”
“Thanks, Jase.” I whispered another prayer before tumbling into sleep.
* * * * *
“Kristine?”
I opened one eye and promptly slammed it shut. “Can you turn the lights down? It’s a little bright.”
“Remind me to purchase black out blinds,” Rafael murmured softly.
“I’ll order them while you’re in Lisbon,” Jase answered from the doorway.
Rafael smoothed his hand over my hair. “Do you want to take a shower before we head to the doctor?”
“No. My head hurts too bad to shower.” I grimaced when he sat me up.
Rafael and Jase exchanged glances. “I want you to drink some water.” Rafael raised a glass to my lips.
I drank half the glass. “My stomach feels sick.”
Jase’s long legs ate the distance between us. “I think we should head to the doctor’s office.”
Rafael set the glass on the nightstand. “I agree. Will you let her parents know we’re leaving early while I help her dress? We’ll meet you downstairs in fifteen minutes.”
Jase strode from the room.
Rafael eyed me worriedly. “Do you need to use the bathroom?”
I nodded.
He helped me from the bed. “I’ll find something comfortable for you to wear while you wash up and brush your teeth.”
I swayed when he released me.
“Kristine!” Rafael panicked. “What’s going on?”
I rested my head against
his chest. “My head hurts. I feel dizzy. I think... I’m going to be sick.”
He scooped me in his arms. “Screw the bathroom. We’re heading to Dr. Meinig’s office.”
“Rafael!” I cried. “Please. I’m going to throw up.”
He carried me into the bathroom and held my hair as I heaved into the toilet. “How long have you had this headache?”
“This is the fourth day,” I groaned miserably.
His jaw clenched. “Why did you keep this from me?”
I sank against his chest. “I didn’t want you to worry.”
He grasped my chin so I was forced to look at him. “If you’re going to keep secrets, then I’m going to ask the doctor to admit you so we can monitor you more closely.”
“I’m sorry.” My eyes slid closed. The bathroom was even brighter than the bedroom.
He set me on the vanity, washed my face, and brushed my teeth. I felt so miserable, I began to cry. He grabbed the trash bin before carrying me downstairs.
My parents were pacing anxiously at the bottom of the stairs. “Is she okay?” Dad asked a little too loud.
“No,” Rafael answered. “We need to leave now.”
“Jase went to retrieve the Lincoln Navigator. He should be idling outside the garage.” Brady scooped Bosco into his arms. “I’ll walk Bosco. Let me know if Dr. Meinig sends you to the hospital. I’ll meet you there if he does.”
Rafael nodded. Once.
Within seconds, I was tucked inside the vehicle next to my mom.
“Did you take her blood pressure?” Jase asked.
Rafael shook his head.
Jase stepped on the gas.
“Your father ran a bunch of red lights when I was in labor with you,” Mom revealed in an effort to distract me. “Imagine how crazy these two will be.”
Dad pretended to shudder. “Those poor nurses.”
“Those nurses will be just fine as long as they make Kristine their top priority,” Jase growled.
“See?” Mom patted my knee.
I reached for her hand while I curled into my seat. “I’m so glad you’re here.”
The receptionist’s eyes widened when Rafael carried me into the office. I’d seen Dr. Meinig twice before graduation. Brady and Jase joined me for those appointments since Rafael was in Lisbon. “Ms. Stone?”