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� What about Monday?� Nick asked.

� I can�t, I�m meeting with Mr. McMahon-�

� Ok, then Tuesday,�

� No,� I laughed. I�m too busy,�

� Doing wha-� I heard a crash in the background. � Damnit,� Nick said.

� What happened?� I asked twirling the phone cord around my fingers.

� Damn lamp fell over. Being the wonderful electrician I am, I was trying to fix the short in it earlier, and I guess I must have sat it back on the base wrong,�

� Why don�t you just get a professional to do that-�

� Hey I�ll get a professional when you go to the doctor,� He said. � Now what was your excuse for Tuesday?�

� I�m busy,�

� Doing what? Nothing is more important than your health,�

� Thanks dad,� I laughed. � I�m not sick, I�m just tired. I don�t need a doctor to tell me that,�

� Well I do. Just go for me,� HE whined.

� Fine,� I sighed.

� On Tuesday,�

� I can�t go on Tuesday,�

� Why not?�

� I just can�t. I�ll go-�

� You�ll go on Tuesday. I�ve been begging you to go for three weeks now. I�ll go with you if I have to.�

� You can�t go with me on Tuesday,�

� Why not?�

� How are you going to go to the doctor with me, if there�s an electrician at your house?�

***

� How long have you been feeling like this?� Dr. Norris asked scribbling on his notepad.

� A few weeks. I�ve been working really long hours at work and-�

� So it�s just been lightheadedness and fatigue?�

� Yes. That�s all, and even that�s subsided in the last couple of days-�

� Then why are you here?�

� A friend of mine has been worried about me, and I promised him I�d come,�

� Your tests should be back-� He began to say before the phone rang. He smiled at me apologetically and picked up the receiver. � Yes� ok� thank you�. I�ll�be down shortly.� He said before hanging up. � Well,� He said leaning back in his chair. � All your tests came back normal, but you do have anemia,�

� Anemia?�

� It�s not life threatening, that would explain your fatigue. You body�s not producing enough red blood cells-�

� I know what anemia is, but why would I get that? I�ve never had it before-�

� Well you have a rare condition called Betathalasimia. It�s common in pregnant women, when your body doesn�t produce the extra blood cells needed to support two systems-�

� Ok, but I�m not pregnant,�

� Yes you are, Heather.� HE smiled.

� No, You don�t understand, I can�t be,�

� But you are,� He laughed lightly. � This Anemia isn�t going to harm you or the baby in any way, you�ll just take iron pills while you�re pregnant and after the pregnancy you can stop.�

� I�m pregnant?� I said, barely above a whisper; mostly because the wind had been knocked out of me. Suddenly my mind flashed back to that night with Marcus. If I thought it was bad before, it had just gotten ten times worse. Marcus got me pregnant. That son-of-a-bitch. What was I going to do now? What about Nick? What would he say? My heart was racing a mile a minute, and my brain was trying to come up with answers I didn�t have. Why hadn�t I noticed? I hadn�t I been more careful? I should have turned his ass in when I had the chance. A million and one thoughts coursed through my brain, but they all came back to one� I was having a child by the man who raped me.

� I�m not sure how far, we�d have to do an ultrasound, to pinpoint an exact date-�

� Can I use your phone, please?� I said quietly; because my voice had left me a long time ago.

Dr. Norris noticed my sudden change in disposition and concern suddenly appeared on his young face. His brown eyes were caring, and thoughtful. I looked at him for a few minutes, before he spoke.� Sure. I�ll leave you alone for a few minutes.� He said. He grabbed a few files from his desk, turned his phone in my direction and stood. � If you need me I�ll just be down the hall,�

� Thank you, Dr. Norris,� I said, keeping my eyes on the desk. I waited for him to leave before calling Nick. After several rings, he finally picked up. � Nick Carter,� He said flatly.

� Nick,� I said weakly, my voice lodged in my throat.

� Heather?�

� Can you come and get me please,� I said, my voice cracking. � I can�t drive home,�

� What�s wrong?� He said, well demanded. � What�s the matter?�

� Please just get here as soon as you can. I�ll explain everything then,�

� You�re scaring me, Heath,�

� Well I�m scared. Just get here as soon as you can,� I said before hanging up.

Part Eight