Read Online His Woman, His Child by Beverly Barton - Free Book Online
Authors: Beverly Barton
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asked.
"No, thanks. I think we can handle things. I'll talk to you later."
"Sure thing."
Susan slid over to the edge of the bed and tried to stand. Hank replaced the telephone receiver quickly, then grabbed her by the arm.
"I'm sick again," she told him.
"Hold on, honey."
He swept her up into his arms and ran toward the bathroom. The minute he put her on her feet, she leaned over the commode and emptied her stomach.
"Oh, Lord, Hank!" She gasped for air. "I'm so sick."
Supporting her around the waist with one arm, he reached over and turned on the sink faucets so he could dampen the washcloth. He wiped her mouth and chin, then dumped the cloth into the sink.
"I'm not waiting for the doctor to call back," he told her. "I'm taking you to the emergency room right now."
She nodded, but only slightly, as if the movement caused her pain. "I think that's a good idea." She grabbed the front of his shirt. "I'm scared. I'm afraid something's wrong with the baby. What—" she swallowed her tears "—what if I'm miscarrying?"
"We're going to the hospital. I'll call Dr. Fair's service again and tell them to have him meet us. Everything's going to be okay." He walked her over to the vanity stool, sat her down and clasped her chin. "Stay right here, in case you get sick again. I'll be right back with your coat and shoes. Don't move. I'll carry you to the car."
All the way to the hospital, he kept thinking about the possibility that Susan might miscarry. Maybe it would be better if she did. Lowell had wanted to be a father. He didn't. But Lowell wasn't around anymore to see his wife through her pregnancy and to be a dad to the child she was carrying. If Susan lost the baby, then he wouldn't have to be responsible for her or the child. Once he finished Lowell's term as sheriff, he could leave Crooked Oak and Susan behind him. Without the child, there was nothing to bind him to her.
The endless minutes of waiting in the emergency room seemed like hours. What the hell was taking them so long?
"Sheriff Bishop, you can come back in now," the gray-haired nurse informed him. "Dr. Farr has finished examining Mrs. Redman and she's asking for you."
He hesitated momentarily. What if she'd lost the baby? What if he was going to have to comfort her and try to convince her that it had been for the best?
Hank opened the door to the examining room, took a deep breath and looked inside to find Susan sitting on the edge of a padded table. She glanced up at him and smiled. That could only mean one thing. He felt as if he'd been punched in the belly with an iron fist.
Thank God, she hasn't lost the baby! Where had that thought come from? he wondered. Surely not from the same logical mind that had, only moments before, rationalized the benefits of a miscarriage. On some elemental, totally primitive level, he must want the child.
"The baby's fine," Susan said.
"What about you?" Hank asked.
"Susan's going to be all right," Dr. Farr said. "She's picked up a stomach virus somewhere and that is what's causing the cramping and severe vomiting."
"What about the spotting?" Hank looked directly at the doctor.
"It's perfectly normal for a woman to spot a little during the first trimester. It's nothing to worry about. We've given her an injection that should help ease the symptoms of the virus. She needs to drink clear fluids and get some rest." Dr. Farr turned to Susan. "Now, little mother, you can stop worrying. I want you to go home, rest and relax. If you aren't feeling a lot better by this afternoon, call me and I'll make a house call."
"To make a promise like that, you must be certain that I'm going to be okay." Susan laughed.
Dr. Farr patted Hank on the shoulder as he paused beside him on his way out of the examining room. "I'm glad you're around to look after Susan. She's going to need a good man to take care of her for the next seven months."
Forcing a smile, Hank nodded.
"Is it too late for you and Caleb to go hunting?" Susan asked. "I
"No, thanks. I think we can handle things. I'll talk to you later."
"Sure thing."
Susan slid over to the edge of the bed and tried to stand. Hank replaced the telephone receiver quickly, then grabbed her by the arm.
"I'm sick again," she told him.
"Hold on, honey."
He swept her up into his arms and ran toward the bathroom. The minute he put her on her feet, she leaned over the commode and emptied her stomach.
"Oh, Lord, Hank!" She gasped for air. "I'm so sick."
Supporting her around the waist with one arm, he reached over and turned on the sink faucets so he could dampen the washcloth. He wiped her mouth and chin, then dumped the cloth into the sink.
"I'm not waiting for the doctor to call back," he told her. "I'm taking you to the emergency room right now."
She nodded, but only slightly, as if the movement caused her pain. "I think that's a good idea." She grabbed the front of his shirt. "I'm scared. I'm afraid something's wrong with the baby. What—" she swallowed her tears "—what if I'm miscarrying?"
"We're going to the hospital. I'll call Dr. Fair's service again and tell them to have him meet us. Everything's going to be okay." He walked her over to the vanity stool, sat her down and clasped her chin. "Stay right here, in case you get sick again. I'll be right back with your coat and shoes. Don't move. I'll carry you to the car."
All the way to the hospital, he kept thinking about the possibility that Susan might miscarry. Maybe it would be better if she did. Lowell had wanted to be a father. He didn't. But Lowell wasn't around anymore to see his wife through her pregnancy and to be a dad to the child she was carrying. If Susan lost the baby, then he wouldn't have to be responsible for her or the child. Once he finished Lowell's term as sheriff, he could leave Crooked Oak and Susan behind him. Without the child, there was nothing to bind him to her.
The endless minutes of waiting in the emergency room seemed like hours. What the hell was taking them so long?
"Sheriff Bishop, you can come back in now," the gray-haired nurse informed him. "Dr. Farr has finished examining Mrs. Redman and she's asking for you."
He hesitated momentarily. What if she'd lost the baby? What if he was going to have to comfort her and try to convince her that it had been for the best?
Hank opened the door to the examining room, took a deep breath and looked inside to find Susan sitting on the edge of a padded table. She glanced up at him and smiled. That could only mean one thing. He felt as if he'd been punched in the belly with an iron fist.
Thank God, she hasn't lost the baby! Where had that thought come from? he wondered. Surely not from the same logical mind that had, only moments before, rationalized the benefits of a miscarriage. On some elemental, totally primitive level, he must want the child.
"The baby's fine," Susan said.
"What about you?" Hank asked.
"Susan's going to be all right," Dr. Farr said. "She's picked up a stomach virus somewhere and that is what's causing the cramping and severe vomiting."
"What about the spotting?" Hank looked directly at the doctor.
"It's perfectly normal for a woman to spot a little during the first trimester. It's nothing to worry about. We've given her an injection that should help ease the symptoms of the virus. She needs to drink clear fluids and get some rest." Dr. Farr turned to Susan. "Now, little mother, you can stop worrying. I want you to go home, rest and relax. If you aren't feeling a lot better by this afternoon, call me and I'll make a house call."
"To make a promise like that, you must be certain that I'm going to be okay." Susan laughed.
Dr. Farr patted Hank on the shoulder as he paused beside him on his way out of the examining room. "I'm glad you're around to look after Susan. She's going to need a good man to take care of her for the next seven months."
Forcing a smile, Hank nodded.
"Is it too late for you and Caleb to go hunting?" Susan asked. "I
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