Page 24 of All or Notching
When the Doctor appeared to say I was surprised would be an understatement because Tristan did not stand at the bottom of my bed. This one also wore scrubs under a lab coat, but he had thinning white hair and faded blue eyes that crinkled when he smiled.
“Hello, Ms. Downing. It looks me like you’ve been experiencing what we call Braxton Hicks contractions.”
Sally and I glanced at each other.
“You’re Doctor Tessler?” I asked.
“I am.”
“I thought you were retired?”
He gave me a peculiar look. “I am, but I’ve been doing a few extra rounds to cover off some shifts for friends. Do I know you?”
I think back to our conversation. While I remember feeling desperate to leave the hospital, so desperate I’m sure my blood pressure would soon rise, I was also confused over Tristan’s father not appearing to know who I was.
“I’m Laurel.”
“Yes.” He glanced at the chart. “Laurel Downing.”
“Tristan…”
“You know my son?”
“I do.”
Just then, we hear the scrambling of sneakers on linoleum flooring, and Tristan appears, like the last time, his chest heaving as he tries to catch his breath.
Upon seeing him, my heart stops fluttering, and a sense of calm falls over me. This man grounds me. I don’t know what I’ll do if he leaves me after this baby is born.
“Laurel! Oh my God, are you okay? Is the baby coming?” His attention is zeroed in on me, oblivious to Sally, his father, and a nurse standing nearby.
“I’m find, Tristan, but I’d like to go home.”
“Home? Slow down. What happened?”
“I was having cramps, I got scared. So I came here, looking for you. But everything’s okay now.”
He steps closer and wraps his arms around me, hugging me tightly. “I’m sorry. I was in with a patient. I came as quickly as I could. What do you mean everything’s okay now?” He pulls back and looks around, noticing the others for the first time. “Dad?”
“Son.”
“What are you doing here?”
“They paged Doctor Tessler. I didn’t realize you were on shift. I’m covering for Ian Frye today.”
“Oh.”
I tug on Tristan’s sleeve.
He swings back.
“I want to leave. Please.”
“Hold on a second, honey.”
“Son, I didn’t know you had a…is this your girlfriend?”
Tristan looked at me, his eyes wide, uncertainly written all over his face. His mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water. The pain that seared through me at that moment is as sharp now, hours later.