The Texan's Baby (Texas Rodeo Barons)

Nicole looked up and alarm showed in her eyes. “What’s wrong? You look terrible.”

“I’m not feeling well. It’s...” Her voice broke, embarrassed. “I’m sorry. I think there’s something wrong.”

She felt suddenly light-headed and began to sway on her feet.

Nicole leaped up and immediately came to her assistance, lowering her into the chair. “You’re white as a ghost,” she said softly, kneeling beside her. “Is it the baby?”

Lizzie nodded, her eyes blurred by tears now. “Yes. I’m so sorry. This is so unprofessional.”

Nicole said an unladylike and definitely unprofessional word and grabbed both their purses. “Forget professional. Let’s get you to the hospital. Can you navigate for me?”

Lizzie nodded.

“Let’s go then. Can you walk?”

She nodded again. “I’m just...scared.” The feeling swamped her again, panic collecting in her chest.

“Well, of course you are. Come on now, let’s go.” Nicole put a hand under her elbow and led her outside. “My car’s over here.”

It only took minutes to get to the hospital and Nicole pulled right up to the emergency doors and got out. “Let’s get you inside, then I’ll park and come in, okay?”

“You don’t have to do that. You barely know me....”

Nicole put her hand on Lizzie’s. “That baby is Chris’s, too, and I happen to think a lot of him. Besides, you shouldn’t be alone.”

Lizzie walked into the emergency room and was grateful for Nicole’s presence as she was triaged by a nurse. When they told her she was being taken to a room right away, she tried to smile at her unexpected friend. “Thank you. For driving me. For staying.”

“I’ll park the car and come right back.”

Lizzie walked through the sliding doors as if in a dream. Minutes later she was dressed in a hospital gown, examined, and a portable ultrasound was brought in. Once the test was done she had to wait, and the curtained-off area offered privacy but no guard against the other sounds of illness around her. She put her hands on her tummy and closed her eyes. “Stay with me, baby,” she whispered. “Please stay with me. Your mommy needs you. Your mommy needs to make things right.”

In that moment it was just the two of them in the drab cubicle. She remembered taking the pregnancy test and thinking just flipping wonderful. Remembered her big plan to tell Chris and get on with things in a very businesslike manner. And none of it had gone the way she’d planned. She’d fallen in love with him instead and then she’d gone and ruined it all. Maybe it wasn’t too late. Maybe he could forgive her....

But if she lost the baby, why would he? This baby was the one thread holding them together. “Please don’t take my baby,” she pleaded softly. “Please.”

She pulled her knees in tight, closed her eyes again, and prayed.

“Lizzie?” Nicole’s soft voice interrupted her thoughts as she peeked around the curtain. “I thought maybe you didn’t want to sit alone, but if you’d rather, that’s okay, too.”

She could use the distraction. Besides, Nicole had been wonderful considering they were, well, not quite adversaries but not friends either. “I could use the company,” she murmured.

“I brought you some water. They said it would be okay.” Nicole held out a plastic cup with a bendy straw.

“Thanks,” Lizzie answered. Nicole sat in a chair by the bed. She took a sip of the water and since Nicole hadn’t asked, offered what little she knew. “They saw me and did an ultrasound, but I don’t know anything yet.”

Conversation lapsed, and the two sat in silence for a long time. It was odd; Lizzie didn’t feel the need to speak and somehow, neither did Nicole. And yet Lizzie was glad the other woman was there. Her impression of Nicole yesterday had been accurate, it seemed. They clicked. It was the damnedest thing.

A nurse popped her head around the curtain. “Lizzie? There’s someone in the waiting room for you, but we can only let one person back here at a time.”

Lizzie looked at Nicole. “I called Chris,” Nicole said. “I figured he’d want to know.”

Her throat tightened. “I think I’d like to see him.”

Nicole smiled. “Of course. I’ll be in the waiting room for a little while longer.” She stood and made to leave the curtained area.

“Nicole?” Lizzie looked up at her. “Why did you do this? You didn’t have to.”

Nicole smiled wistfully. “Because there are times in life that people need help. And sometimes they just need to know there’s someone else in the room. Besides, I like you, Lizzie.”