Free Caching In by Tracy Krimmer Page B

of him. She’s probably better off without him.”
    Okay, good sign, right? He thought Daniel was a jerk, too. It didn’t make a difference at that moment because I still was stewing over having almost just died, so I wanted to get home. I realize I didn’t literally almost die, but when I reached the top of the wall, it sure seemed that way. After a silent ride back to the bed and breakfast, I went home, without a kiss, and without a doubt staying single in my future.

 
     
     
     
     
     
    CHAPTER NINE
     
     
    Chelsea asked me to go with her to her first doctor’s appointment. Daniel sure as shit wouldn’t volunteer, even if he did know, and she still left her parents in the dark, leaving only me to share in the experience with her. I couldn’t understand why she thought a dot on an ultrasound would make Daniel want to dump his fiancee, the one he cared (I guess) enough to propose to. He didn’t propose to Chelsea, and never would, and once Chelsea got that through her head, maybe everyone would be better off.
    In the excruciating hour we sat in the waiting room, Chelsea got up to pee at least three times. The only magazines sitting around revolved around pregnancy, which sat at the bottom of my interest list. Why did I care about the do and don’t eats during pregnancy, or how to achieve the best orgasm while pregnant? Did people have sex while pregnant? Luckily, someone in the waiting room clicked the television to HGTV, so I zoned out on that while trying not to bring up anything that would make Chelsea cry.
    “Chelsea Wyatt,” the nurse called from across the room.
    Everyone in the waiting room turned to identify where Chelsea Wyatt sat, and evaluated how much her tummy stuck out (barely) compared to the others in the room. Some snickered as I’m sure they arrived around the same time and hoped they won the coin toss to be called back to visit the doctor. Chelsea, on the other hand, perked up, tossed her Pregnancy Yoga magazine on the table (for real, yoga while pregnant? I’m sure a downward dog was really comfortable), and she jumped up from her chair as though to yell, “I won!” I stood up in much less excitement, although I was glad to support her.
    Before we sat in the waiting area, Chelsea peed in a cup, which the receptionist lady informed her she would do every time she came, however often that would be. I could tell by the way she walked she needed to go again. “Chels, why don’t you use the bathroom again?”
    “I don’t need to. I’m just excited.”
    I didn’t believe her, but followed her toward the nurse waiting for us anyway.
    “I’m Sandra, and I’m Doctor Koenig’s nurse. It’s a beautiful day, isn’t it?” The middle-aged woman in her blue and pink polka dotted scrubs motioned us into a room. In such a short time, I heard that phrase twice. Twice! Come on, people, say something original, and if you can’t think of anything original, then anything but the weather.
    I took a seat on the bench while Sandra took vitals from Chelsea. “What an exciting time!” Sandra wrote down information on Chelsea’s chart. Chelsea only smiled, and I couldn’t blame her. Her …. I don’t know what to call him, jerk would do, knocked her up. How exciting could it be, honestly? This lady needed to get her head out of her ass and smell the roses. Not every pregnancy resulted from a committed, loving relationship, and she could make things worse for an expectant mother if she kept spewing words out of her mouth without even thinking.
    She pulled a blue paper sheet out of the drawer. “You can take off everything, but feel free to leave your bra on. Place this over your legs, and Doctor Koenig will be in shortly. Would you like your friend to step out while you change?”
    Please, yes. “No, she’s fine.” Great.
    The nurse left us alone. I kept my focus on a shelf of pamphlets covering pregnancy, STD’s and breast exams while Chelsea stripped down. I never so much as caught a