Relief almost brought him to his knees.
Then he noticed how she was walking unsteadily. She fell to one knee. His stomach dropped as he raced toward her. Had she tripped? Was she hurt?
“Jacey! Jacey?” He knelt beside her on the hard pavement, ignoring the people around him as he clasped her cheeks between his hands to raise her face. Shit, she was burning up.
“Oh hell, you’re sick.” Standing, he scooped her up into his arms. Turning, he carried her toward his car.
“Derrick?” she murmured. “What’s going on?”
“Shh, baby. Just relax, I’m going to take care of you.” He let her legs drift down as he reached into his pocket for his keys and unlocked his car. Opening the passenger door, he picked her back up and placed her inside.
“Derrick, this isn’t a good idea,” she said tiredly, opening her eyes to stare up at him as he buckled her in.
He brushed her hair off her face, worried about how pale she was.
“What’s not a good idea is you wandering the streets when you’re obviously burning up with fever.”
“I’m fine. It’s just a cold.” A cough wracked her body and he winced at the wheezing sound as she gasped for breath. Leaning her forward, he rubbed her back.
“Come on, baby. Breathe, just breathe for me. Good girl. Now you just sit back and rest while I get you to the hospital.”
He shut her door and ran around to the driver’s side.
“Hospital?” she murmured. “No hospital…can’t afford it.”
“Don’t you worry about it. I’ll take care of it. Just like I’m going to take care of you.”
Reaching over with one hand, he squeezed her thigh gently.
Despite the fact that he was worried about her health, a surge of relief and satisfaction filled him. He intended that nothing would happen to her again.
***
Derrick watched as the doctor examined Jacey. The nurse had already taken her vitals, and changed her into a hideous hospital gown. He’d lied and told them he was her fiancé. Although they’d given her ring less finger a glance, they hadn’t questioned him.
People normally didn’t.
“Well?” he asked impatiently as the doctor pulled his stethoscope back and the nurse helped Jacey lie back on the bed.
“Sounds like bronchitis, but we’ll need to get an x-ray to rule out pneumonia.”
“No…no x-ray,” Jacey said quietly, opening her eyes.
“Jacey, it’s okay.” Derrick grabbed her hand, wanting to reassure her.
“No x-ray, it’s not safe for the baby.”
The doctor looked up from where he was writing on a clipboard.
“You’re pregnant?” He looked to Derrick for confirmation. Derrick scrambled to keep the shock from his face. Being pregnant was something he should know… as her fiancé.
“Yes,” he said. “She’s pregnant.”
“In that case, x-rays are out. How far along are you?”
“Umm, nearly 12 weeks,” she replied.
The doctor wrote it down. “I think we better keep you in for observation, just overnight.”