#17 Unexpected news

Sophie burst into the bathroom and patted my back lightly.
"What's wrong with you, sweetheart?" she asked, her face filled with concern.
"I don't know, but please leave me alone…" I said in a croaky voice, flashing the toilet.
"I'm not going anywhere! Shall I call your doctor?" she retorted.
"Uh, no. Just give me a second to clean myself…"
Sophie helped me stand up because I was still feeling dizzy. I splashed some fresh water on my face and brushed my teeth, instantly feeling much better. We walked back into the kitchen, only to find Nickolas looking at us worriedly.
"Are you okay? What happened to her?" he asked, his eyes darting between my best friend and me.
"I'm okay. I guess that thing you cooked made me nauseous…" I replied in a small voice.
Nickolas frowned and looked at his girlfriend for a better explanation, but Sophie just shrugged.
"I'm fine now! Please don't make it a big deal," I sighed, taking my seat back at the table.
My friends tried to act normal, but I could tell that they were still concerned. However, I couldn't find any logical explanation either or had enough time to dwell on it.
After finishing breakfast, Nickolas drove me to the company. It was a busy day with plenty of meetings, so I couldn't afford to be late. Sebastian was more moody than usual, and I didn't want to get on his nerves. A pile of paperwork was already waiting for me on my desk when I arrived at my office. Not to mention the endless list of tasks he had emailed me…
The day passed by in a daze, but thankfully my morning sickness had vanished completely. Although I was more tired than usual, and my back hurt a lot. Nickolas came to check on me every two hours, and I almost scolded him for being so overprotective.
One more meeting to attend before my shift was over. I just wanted to take a nap more than anything. The only thing that kept me awake and on my toes was that meeting's topic. Leclair Corp. was collaborating with one of the biggest hospitals in New York. Their aim was to build an artificial intelligence network that could help doctors diagnose certain diseases. Sebastian had invested a large amount of money for research purposes in that field.
My Boss came to my office, and we walked together to the meeting room. Our guests were already there, and Nickolas was chatting with them. A smile spread on my lips as soon as I recognized one of the men present.
"Mr. Leclair, it's a pleasure to meet again," Dr. Richards said, extending his hand for a handshake.
"Likewise, Dr. I'm glad you could join us today," my Boss replied.
"Evelyn, aren't you going to greet me?" Dr. Richards joked, his lips forming a big smile.
"How could I not, Dr. Richards? I'm so happy to see you again," I replied politely.
"Oh, come here, darling," the middle-aged man said, opening his arms for a hug.
I chuckled a bit, and we exchanged a warm hug. I was touched by this unexpected reunion. However, I couldn't help but notice Sebastian's sour expression.
"I have known Evelyn since she was like four years old. I was a junior resident, and she was one of the firsts patients I ever treated," the doctor explained.
Some of the people present looked at me with wide eyes. It wasn't known that I had a medical issue, so no wonder why most of them were surprised.
"Well, she's my secretary now," Sebastian said, his voice colder than before.
"Oh, I'm not surprised. Evelyn is one of the strongest women I've met. I'm glad that she managed to overcome her illness, and I'm sure that her future will be bright," Dr. Richards stated, his brown eyes glistening with pride.
"Thank you for your kind words, Dr. Richards," I muttered, blushing from his compliment.
"It's true, sweetie. Now, I hope Mr. Leclair treats you well," the doctor continued, sending a glare towards my Boss.
"Of course, he is; I'm glad to work with him. How about we catch up on our news after this meeting?" I asked with a polite smile.
"Sounds like a plan. Let's get this meeting started, ladies and gentlemen," Dr. Richards exclaimed, clapping his hands.
The look Sebastian gave me sent cold chills down my spine. Was he irritated that we spent his precious time with small talk, or was he jealous? In any case, Sebastian had no right to act like that, especially not when I tolerated the sluts he was fucking every day. Besides, Mark Richards was my doctor, and he was at least thirty years older than me and married, too…
Mark was genuinely happy to see me. Back then, I was a lost case for them, a girl that was doomed to die before celebrating her twentieth birthday. But obviously, miracles happen, even in this cruel world. Mark was my doctor for so long, but then he accepted a promotion and moved into a different hospital. So, it was inevitable to lose touch in the meantime. I was glad to see him thrive, and he was happy that I had survived. And that was it.
The meeting was interesting, although I didn't partake much. I kept notes, and I only spoke when Sebastian asked me to. I could tell that this project was important not just as a technological achievement but also for the impact it'd cause in the medical community.
"I'm so happy for you, Evelyn," Mark after the meeting, once we were finally alone.
"A donor was found, and everything is going well for the past two years," I said with a small smile.
"You finally have your life back."
"Or a second chance in it," I chuckled.
"Are you doing all the necessary check-ups? Who's your doctor now?"
"Dr. Sloan has everything under control. There's nothing to worry about," I replied.
"Good, because you seem a bit pale…" the doctor observed.
"Well, this meeting lasted longer than what we'd expected," Sebastian interjected.
"That's true, Sebastian, but it was enlightening," Mark countered back.
"Mark, there's an emergency, we have to be in the hospital, asap!" another woman and one of Mark's associates informed him from the other end of the room.
Mark nodded and turned back at us. "Now, we can stay in touch," the man said to me with a smirk.
"I'd like that, too," I replied, and we hugged once again.
"Keep her safe, or you'll have to deal with me," Mark whispered into my Boss' ear, giving him a pat on the back.
"She's my responsibility now," Sebastian retorted through gritted teeth.
I tried hard not to roll my eyes; men can be really irritating… I was no one's responsibility but myself.
Sebastian gave me a few more things to do before we call it a day. Thanks to my lucky stars, it wasn't something time consuming, so I managed to finish all my tasks by the time my shift was over. My exhaustion was on another level, and I was craving chocolate.
I couldn't be happier when Nickolas offered to take me back home. Sophie was already there, and she had cooked dinner. We watched a movie all together before I retired to my bedroom and drifted into a deep slumber.
One more week passed by in the same routine. Even the smallest thing I tried to do was exhausting me. I could barely keep up with all my responsibilities at the office. Plus, my upset stomach was torturing me. I even got sick in the middle of a meeting, and I had to excuse myself and leave earlier.
Sebastian didn't seem to care, as long as I was standing at my two feet and kept his office running. On the other hand, Nickolas and Sophie were on the verge of literally carrying me to the hospital for a check-up. I also kept my parents in the dark because they would think of the worst-case scenario…
After a few more days, I started to worry too. What if something was wrong with the graft? Were these signs of heart failure?
In the end, I didn't have any other choice but to close an appointment with my doctor. I took the day off since there were a few tests that the doctor wanted to run. Thankfully, Sebastian didn't throw a fit over it. I made sure to have everything organized for him at the office while another lady took over my place for the day.
I'd lie if I say I wasn't worried. I was nervous as hell because I knew that something was wrong, but I had no clue what it was… I chose to go alone to the hospital; I thought it'd be better that way...
Dr. Naomi Sloan, my cardiologist, was treating me after the surgery. She was a lovely woman with the warmest smile I've ever seen. After a short medical history, a physical examination, and a heart ultrasound, Naomi asked for a few blood tests.
Waiting for the results was almost insufferable, but I managed to keep myself busy by reading one of my books. The sigh of relief that escaped my lips didn't go unnoticed by my doctor once she called me into her office.
"Evelyn, no need to worry, dear," Naomi said, patting my back.
"I'm not going to die, am I?" I asked, my voice trembling a bit.
The doctor chuckled, running her hand through her short, curly, chestnut brown hair. "No, darling. At least not yet!"
I sighed once again and took a seat in front of her office. Naomi looked at some papers in front of her and then took off her round, black glasses; her almond-shaped, brown eyes were cast on me.
"So, my dear, besides the morning sickness and the fatigue you're feeling have you noticed any other abnormalities?" the doctor asked.
"Oh, none that I can't think of," I replied, after thinking about the question for a moment.
"Do you have a regular period cycle? Or did you miss any?" Naomi asked again.
I frowned a bit, taking out of my back a small notebook where I write down my period's exact dates. I blinked a few times, trying to calculate the weeks. How could I've been so stupid not to notice this earlier?
"What's wrong, my dear?" the doctor inquired, noticing my worried expression.
"I think my period is about four weeks late," I said, a blush creeping up on my cheeks.
"Did something like this happen before?"
"No, madam, my period is always on time," I replied.
I already had a possible diagnosis in my mind, even though I was lacking a medical degree.
"Evelyn, it's also confirmed by your blood tests, but I wanted to ask, nevertheless. Congratulations, my dear, you're pregnant!" Naomi said, leaving me dumbfounded…

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A.N. Happy New Year! The first update of 2021 for this story is here! Thank you for reading! As always, let me know your thoughts in the comments! Stay tuned for more...