by S. E. Lund
Of course, it was at that precise moment that my pager sounded. As one of the fellows in the pediatric neurosurgery program, I shared calls with Brodinski. This week was my turn. I had to check my pager.
“Sorry,” I said, my eyes closing in frustration. “I have to check my messages.”
“I know,” she said and kissed me as I let her slip out of my arms.
I went to my jacket pocket and removed my pager. Unfortunately, the code indicated that there was an emergency in the ER and I would have to go in and oversee my resident. He wasn’t yet ready to manage cases solo.
I pulled on my jacket and then took Kate into my arms and pressed my still-hard dick against her, grinding my hips against hers.
“I hope the dragon deflates on the way to the hospital or I’ll be fired,” I said jokingly. “It’s not my fault I have such a hot wife.”
“Your wife is pregnant and not quite so hot,” she said and straightened my scarf.
“You’re incredibly hot,” I said, meaning every word. “I never realized what a turn-on it is to have you pregnant, all your nerve endings sensitive…” I raised my eyebrows, for Kate seemed especially responsive since she became pregnant, her orgasms even easier and more intense than before. I had to persuade her that there was no danger as a result. That nature would never have made it so that a woman’s orgasm made her miscarry or else the species would have gone extinct.
“I won’t be so hot when my belly gets even bigger,” she said and smiled. “More like fucking a walrus or beached whale.” She laughed out loud at that and I leaned in once more and kissed her, wishing that I didn’t have to leave her, but I had to go.
“I have to go, you vixen,” I said and kissed her a final time, before going out the door. I turned around and waved at her when I reached the top of the stairs, and she waved back.
“I’ll be waiting for you,” she said in a soft seductive voice.
“I’ll be ready for you,” I said.
Then I was gone.
On my way to the hospital, I mused on how Kate’s pregnancy had gone so far. She’d had a very bad time with morning sickness, and had to try two different medicines before she found one that lessened her nausea enough that she stopped losing weight. Unfortunately, it made her very tired and she slept most of the day, waking up when the sun went down as if her biorhythms were out of whack. Now that she felt better in the evenings, she stayed up late to try to get work done. Our schedules clashed as a result although we made it a point to spend several hours together each night, to catch up with each other’s days and of course, for the affection and companionship.
Pregnancy made her body lush and responsive, and I never imagined how much I’d enjoy fucking her, even when her belly began to show – especially when it did. I couldn’t explain it, but it must have been some kind of primordial lust of the rutting male, pleased by the fact that he impregnated his partner. Whatever the cause, I enjoyed it immensely, even if we didn’t have sex as often as before and even though Kate didn’t always come to bed with me as I liked.
I knew she had to feel as if she accomplished something during the times she was feeling well.
The time between the second ultrasound when we learned we had a baby girl to the twenty-week period when she started to feel the first faint movements of Sophia, were busy and happy. The only problem was the constant low level of frustration I felt about Lisa and her demands that I treat her ‘nice’. I hated being blackmailed but hoped I could humor Lisa until my fellowship was over in August. Kate was due at the end of August and I’d be on my way to being a fully-accredited pediatric neurosurgeon once I had finished my paternity leave.
Lisa would have to eventually give up. She wouldn’t have me around any longer and would have to transfer her focus on to someone else. Life was good, with that one small exception. As I drove to the hospital to see what waited for me, I had hope that it would all be over.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Kate
By my third trimester, with nothing to do but paint, I was able to complete a number of works I started in Africa, including a series of three studies of my elephant mother and baby. Luckily, I had taken several photos of the two, had sketched out a few options for composition and I had what I felt was a great collection of paintings.
I even submitted my work to a small art gallery in Harlem, which showcased local artists. Although I wasn’t living in Harlem any longer, the curator of the gallery said if I could show I’d lived in Harlem in the last decade, that was good enough for them. I showed her the photos I’d taken of each work in the series and she thought they would be great for an upcoming series of wildlife artists in the fall and told me she’d keep me in mind. She asked me to email my images and she’d submit my work to the committee that would choose the works to showcase.
So, although I was sad that I had to withdraw from my MA temporarily, I felt real satisfaction that I had the time to focus on my art. It made me feel less of an imposter and more like a real artist, whatever that meant. If I could get my paintings in the gallery, and if any of them actually sold for money, I’d be ecstatic. Despite how I felt towards Sefton for making advances on me despite my protests, he did challenge me to rethink my approach to art. He made me think about my art as more than just for decorative purposes, to match the sofa in someone’s living room. I still had to find my ‘voice’ but at least I felt like I had one, even if it was still in development. The more pieces I completed, the more I’d find out what art meant to me and I would develop my own voice.
By my seventh month, I was feeling really great. Even though I was larger, my nausea and vomiting had stopped entirely and I was still sleeping well, my appetite had returned, and I was doing daily yoga for pregnant women. I kept up reading new articles in my field, with the hopes that I could return to finish my MA thesis after a year of being a new mother. Drake was going to take a year off everything and stay home with us, so he could be there the entire time. I was excited and hopeful that I had passed the first and second trimester and was now on my way to full term. With my nausea gone, I was truly content. The renovations at the apartment on 8th Avenue were finally all finished with the exception of the nursery, which was filled with boxes and was being used for storage out of superstition on my part. I didn’t want to get too far ahead of things by finishing the nursery, but with every passing week, and with good lab tests and a good ultrasound, I felt pretty relaxed, all things considered.
I even went to a few Saturday night gigs to watch Mersey play. Usually, though, I let Drake go on his own, not wanting to monopolize his time with his band. Instead, I’d fall asleep on the sofa watching a movie and Drake would wake me up when he arrived home and carry me to bed.
Lisa continued to pester Drake, but so far, nothing more alarming had happened between them. She seemed happy to have him pay attention to her at the hospital – sitting with her at meetings, walking together down the hallways, sitting together when they went out with the other residents for a drink. Maybe she really did just want a friend. I didn’t trust her not to want Drake if she could have him, but I did trust Drake. I knew she was not his type. Not in the least.
I was what he needed and wanted.
I went to dinner at the O’Riley’s a couple of times and enjoyed Mrs. O’s matronly attention. She and Sarah were always so interested in how I was doing, and they seemed as excited as Drake and I were about our pregnancy.
My father was doing much better, having finished almost a year of rehabilitation, and could now get around really well with just a cane, most of the use of his paralyzed side returned, although there was still some loss of control. He was alive and he was much happier.
The only hole in my life was Dawn. With my delivery fast approaching, I felt sad that she and I had not yet found our way back to each other. There had been no further developments on either side, and she had not stayed with Kurt so I had no idea whether she was back to her old views of kink or whether she still felt as awkward as
I did about renewing our friendship.
It was early June and I had started feeling more energetic during the day, getting up before noon, and even going out each day for a walk now that the weather was getting really nice. I would take the same route down 8th Avenue to Central Park’s west entrance, sit for a while and listen to the birds, enjoying the warmth of the afternoon. I'd stop and get a decaf tea at the Starbucks near Columbus Circle, then make my way back to the apartment to get some work done, make supper, and wait for Drake to come home.
On my way back to the apartment, I took my time, wandering down the side streets , enjoying the green that was returning to the city, and the sounds of the traffic surrounding me.
“Kate!”
I heard someone call my name and turned around to see Dawn running down the street towards me. At that moment, a black SUV screeched to a stop at the curb beside me and out jumped a huge man with a shaved head, dark glasses. He stood between me and Dawn and held his hand out, his other hand on his hip as if he were reaching for a weapon.
“Stop right there,” he said in an authoritative voice.
When I realized who he was – one of the security guards Drake had hired to protect me – I held my own hand up to stop him.
“It’s okay,” I said quickly. “She’s a friend.”
“You sure, Mrs. Morgan?”
I waved him off. “Yes,” I said. “She’s my oldest friend.”
He adjusted his jacket and nodded, then got back into his SUV.
“What the hell, Kate…” Dawn said, an expression of horror on her face. “You have a frickin' bodyguard now?”
“Drake wanted to be extra safe,” I said, trying to shrug it off. “I barely know he’s around.”
“What’s up with you two that you need a bodyguard?” Dawn said, apparently unwilling to let it go. “Have you been threatened?”
I shook my head. “No, just being safe. Drake’s worth a lot of money and now so am I, I guess.” I forced a smile.
“Look at you,” she said and stood back, her gaze moving over me, coming to focus on my belly, which stuck out through the gap in my jacket. I had intended on getting a proper pregnancy coat, but hadn’t been out much so I was making do. “How far along?”
“Almost twenty-eight weeks,” I said and rubbed my belly. “She’s a little girl and we’re calling her Sophia after my mother and great aunt.”
“Sophia…” Dawn said with a wistful smile. “Who would have thought you’d be married and pregnant right away? I thought the two of us would finish our Master’s and then get jobs, travel the world… Speaking of our Master’s, how’s your thesis?”
I shook my head. “I had to do another leave of absence due to acute morning sickness. I’ll start again once I’ve adjusted to motherhood.”
“Don’t do that,” Dawn said, a look of horror on her face. “That’s what my mother said, and she didn’t go back. Go back before you’ve adjusted or you might never do it. From what my mother said, it never gets easier. You just get better at coping.”
I shrugged. “I’ll play it by ear. Whatever I decide, I can go back and finish in a semester, so it’s no hurry.”
Dawn didn’t look convinced. “Think of how much our lives have diverged in so short a time.”
“Life happens,” I said, unhappy with the note of disapproval I heard in Dawn’s voice as if she thought I had made a mistake marrying Drake and getting pregnant so quickly. “Drake happened. We fell in love. Why wait? I think his father’s death and my mother’s death made both of us feel that waiting could be a big mistake. You never know what could happen and then we might regret that we didn’t do it when we had the chance.”
“It’s your life,” Dawn said and smiled, but she sounded unconvinced. “You’re the one who has to be happy with it, not me.”
I nodded, hoping she meant it. “What about you? Are you still seeing Kurt?”
Her face actually turned red at that. “News sure gets around,” she said a bit sheepishly.
“You didn’t think I’d hear? We’re involved with Doctors Without Borders, so I do hear about Kurt now and then.”
She made a face. “No, it’s just that we were trying to keep things quiet. Anyway, we’re not together any longer. It didn’t work out. Kurt’s a real player. Too much for me.”
“Are you okay?” I said, wondering if things had ended badly for her.
“Oh, me? No problem,” she said and waved her hand. “He was fun, and I learned a lot, but we’re really not compatible. It’s not the kink,” she said quickly. “It’s that he’s an atheist. I can’t be with someone like that long term.” She shrugged as if it was no big deal, but I heard a bit of hurt in her voice.
I nodded, and forced another smile, at a loss at what I could say. It was at that moment that I knew whatever we had before was gone. Everything Dawn said felt like criticism.
“Well, I better go,” I said, a heavy weight of sadness filling me.
“Yeah, me too,” she said and we stood there, glancing around, at a loss of how to say goodbye.
“See you around, Kate,” Dawn said and leaned in to hug me. I let her, but I felt stiff, because as much as it hurt, I still couldn’t get over how she threatened to hurt Drake way back then.
“See you,” I said and forced yet another smile.
Then I turned and walked away.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Drake
Unfortunately, Lisa was not going to give up easily.
After a long morning of surgery and rounds, I was only too happy to leave the hospital early so I could meet Ken and the band at O’Riley’s for an early practice. I had to check on patients before I left the hospital, but then we’d meet and have a meal, practice in the bar, working on a new set of Brit Invasion songs by the Yardbirds and Dave Clark Five.
“Where are you going in such a rush?” Lisa asked as I tried to slip out of the conference room without making any small talk with her.
“Checking on patients before I leave.”
“You’re going to happy hour with us?” she said and it was then I remembered that our group had decided to go out together for Thursday happy hour.
“No can do. I’m meeting my band for a bite and then we have a practice. Gotta run,” I said and tried to slip through the doorway without stopping.
“Sounds like fun. Where are you playing?”
“Gotta run,” I said, feigning that I didn’t hear her. I turned and walked briskly down the hallway to get the hell out of there before she could ask me any more about the practice. I did not want her coming.
“Drake,” she called out, her voice sounding exasperated. “Wait up.” I heard her footsteps behind me and rolled my eyes. I didn’t slow down. Instead, she ran to keep up.
“Where are you playing?” she said again.
“You can’t come,” I said, trying not to sound too impatient. “We’re working on a new set and I’d rather not have anyone hear it yet.”
“So you’re practicing in a studio somewhere?”
I didn’t say anything, stopping in my office to remove my lab coat and slip on my jacket.
“You can’t come, Lisa,” I said more firmly.
“Yes, I can,” she said and frowned, her hands on her hips. “You have to be nice to me, remember?”
I shook my head but didn’t say anything. Then my office phone rang and I saw it was Kate.
“Hi, sweetie,” I said when I answered, smiling at hearing her voice. “I’m just on my way out to meet Ken and the boys for supper before practice.”
She told me she was going to get something to eat at her favorite deli close to Central Park.
“Be careful walking along 8th Avenue,” I said, sorting through files on my desk while I held the phone against my ear with my shoulder. “It’s busy this time of day.”
“I’ll be careful,” Kate said and I could hear the amusement in her voice. “I’m a big girl, and know how to cross the street.”
I smiled. “I’m
sure you do, but still. I’ll be home around eleven. See you then.”
“I’ll be waiting for you,” Kate said. “I love you.”
“Me, too,” I said and smiled. “I love you, Ms. Bennet. I’ll be ready for you.”
I hung up and turned to see Lisa still standing in the doorway, her arms crossed, listening.
“I think I’ll come tonight,” she said again, matter of fact as if it was up to her alone. “Where are you playing?”
“No, Lisa,” I said firmly. “I said I’d rather you not come.”
“Where are you playing? Tell me.
I said nothing in reply. “Gotta go. See you,” I said and closed the door to my office before making my way down the hallway to the stairwell. When I reached it, I looked back and she was angry. I could see it in her face and the way she held her hands in fists.
I’d won, and she didn’t like it. I didn’t want her at the practice and was glad that she wouldn’t know where I was.
When I arrived on the main floor, I sat in a small empty office and thought about the situation. Lisa scared me. I checked my watch and had a few moments free before I had to meet Ken and the boys so I texted Fred Parker. I knew what I had to do. I had to talk to Fred and tell him the truth.
Can we meet briefly? I have an HR issue.
He texted me right back.
Sure thing, Drake. I’ve got a few minutes open. What’s up?
I sat and considered my response.
A problem with one of the residents has arisen and I need to discuss.
I waited for his response. Finally, my cell dinged and I read his text.
Do I need an HR rep with me?
I texted back right away.
No, please. This is between us. Thanks.
He responded.
Okay. See you at my office in five.
I put my cell away and exhaled heavily, wondering how to word my confession about Lisa. I wasn’t sure how much to reveal or whether it was better to just withdraw and not say anything. Discretion is the better part of valor, or so I had read.