"So why did Tori know you were going to ask me to marry you?" Sarina sits back, her face remaining neutral at the moment.
I sigh, "I mentioned it at the showing to her during conversation." I say trying to remember what exactly was said.
Sarina nods, "You two must have been good friends back at Uni then, I'm guessing?"
I nod, "Yeah, we had a social psychology class together that required a study group for group projects. She was part of the group." I spare her a glance before returning my attention to the road. I can see her chewing on her lip in thought.
Sarina sighs, "She seemed happy for you."
I hate the way she's forcing that smile onto her face. I pick up her hand and kiss it, "She IS happy for US." I emphasize. "She's gone through a rough marriage and a nasty divorce. I'm sure she was just a little jealous because hers didn't work out." I try to reassure her.
"You two really caught up together at the showing then." I hear the tone in her voice that she's trying to keep in check.
Doing my best to defuse the building irritation I can feel coming off of her, I let her know the truth. "She's a patient of mine now, Sarina. She felt she needed some help to get over some of her issues and she was directed to me because some of the stuff she experienced. That's how I know about that."
Sarina looks at me from the corner of her eye and just says, "Oh."
I know she's irritated and annoyed at the moment about it, but what can I do? She's just a patient to me now. Not that she was much to me before either.
Sarina is quiet the rest of the way home, biting her thumb nail with out biting through it. I'm afraid to ask what's on her mind, not wanting a fight to start if it's about Tori being my patient now. When we walk through the door she informs me she's hopping in the shower as I pull out some wine for us.
"Did you want a glass?" I ask holding up the bottle.
"Afterwards, yes."
She leaves and I hear the shower start as I take a seat on the couch to watch some tv. I'm about five minutes into a show when I hear her shout.
"OH SHIT!"
I set my glass down and rush into the bathroom, where she stands in the shower, blood dribbling down her legs her hands over her stomach like she's in pain.
"Sarina?! Are you okay?!" I rush to her and ask seeing her washing herself in between her legs. "You started your period?" Confused, I ask to make sure. I know that her birth control implant keeps her from having one though.
Grumbling, she continues to wash her self the blood has dripped. "Yes.... I did. I had an appointment that I had rescheduled from the month prior to get a new one. However, that was while we were in Switzerland, so I had to reschedule. I have to go in on Tuesday for the removal of this one and new one implanted. I guess I waited too long and it's effects have run out." She grips her stomach and groans, "God... I forgot how bad cramps can be...."
"Do you need me to get you anything? Do you have any pads or tampons?" I ask.
Through gritted teeth she points to the cabinets under the sink, "Pads should be somewhere under there. I also have a menstruation cup but it needs to be boiled in hot water before I can use it. My pain medicine for cramps in under there too. Check the date please." She groans as blood continues to slowly dribble down her legs.
I dig through the cabinet and pull out pads, a funky looking cup in a box and then her medicine. I take the cup and start a pot of boiling water to clean it. I pour a glass of water and take the medicine to her, checking the date. It was good till the end of next month.
She crouches in the shower, whimpering.
"Sarina?" I'm growing concerned from the amount of blood and clots I see she's passing. "Baby, come on. I should take you to the hospital, that just doesn't seem right." I grab a towel, turn off the water and wrap her up in it. She just nods and I see the misery on her face that she's in.
I run and grab her some underwear and a simple dress for her to wear. I read the directions on the box of pads and try to place it in her underwear for her. I wipe her legs down and help her into her underwear. She whimpers and groans as she straightens her body to step into them and while I slide the dress over her arms. I grab extra pads, her brush, and turn the stove off before I come back to Sarina who's hobbling slowly to the bedroom.
"I've got to grab my purse and shoes." She sniffles, tears starting to mar her face. I grab her purse and help her into her flats.
"I've got you baby." I tell her, picking her up and carrying her to the car. I gingerly place her inside and make sure she's buckled in before locking the house up and heading to the hospital.
"When did you start feeling bad baby?" I ask her.
"Earlier this morning, but I thought I just needed to use the bathroom, because when I did it got better. It's been on and off all day though, more annoying than anything. It started really hurting right as we got home, that's why I hopped in the shower." She's twisting and writhing in her seat, sweating, and looking clammy at the same time.
"I think I'm going to be sick..." She groans and I'm quick to pull over so she can open the car door and vomit.
I look in the trunk and grab a couple plastic bags that are in there and hand them to her so I can get her to the hospital. This is not good. I pull up in front of the ER entryway and ask the security guard for a wheelchair. He tells me to move the car and he'll get us one.
I find a spot near enough to the front, helping Sarina out of the car as she grips her purse and me. I walk her up to the entryway, practically jogging to get to the security guard and a nurse who's pushing a wheelchair.
"What seems to be the problem here?" The nurse asks as I set her down and stand back up. Her eyes widen looking at my shirt.
Glancing down I see the blood on my shirt and motion to her.
"She just started bleeding about an hour ago and it's not letting up. She has severe lower abdominal pain, vomiting, and by the looks of it a fever." I inform her as we walk into the back for triage.
"Name, age?" Another nurse walks up.
"Sarina McNeal, Thirty-three." I inform her.
"Mrs. McNeal, are you pregnant or anyway you could be pregnant?" The nurse asks and I swear my heart stops.
Sarina sniffles clutching her stomach, "I don't know.. I was supposed to get a new implant on Tuesday." She cries.
The nurse nods, "Go grab a test kit and the sonogram machine. Call the Ob/gyn on call right now, tell them we may have a possible miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy that's ruptured." They rush her to a chair shaped exam table and help her up on her feet.
"Mrs. McNeal, I need you to remove your underwear, to check a few thing down there. I'll let your husband help you into this hospital gown, and we have to check you out down there." She grabs a gown out of a supply cabinet and places some absorbent chuck pads on the table. She pulls the curtain closed and I quickly help her out of her clothes and into the gown. Even with her unsteady on her feet we get in done quickly.
I help her up on the table and pull the curtain back for the nurse to come back in.
They notice the red spots on the wheelchair and her dress but immediately start pulling out stirrups for her feet and a sheet to cover her lower body. Another nurse washes her hands and has a tray of items that she starts to unwrap from their plastic packaging.
They start talking her through what they're going to do and all I can do is hold her hand, concerned and growing more concerned by the second as I hear them talk about her cervix possibly being dilated and wiping away lots of blood as they try to see. A technician with a machine comes in and asks if they're done. They take a sample of the clots she's passing and let the other nurse gel up her stomach.
"Now this may be a little painful and I'm sorry if it is, but we're going to see what's going on. Alright?" The technician says calmly, trying to soothe Sarina as she lays there in silent tears, pain etched on her face. The technician moves her gown up and the sheet down for her modesty.
I clutch Sarina's hand a little tighter, as the technicians face starts pinching up as she moves the device over her stomach. When she gets to her right side, Sarina cries out in pain.
"I know, I'm so sorry honey." The technician says as she goes to put the device back on that spot, "But I have to, so please bare with me. I'll be as quick as possible, I promise."
Sarina sobs, but nods and grimaces, squeezing my hand and gritting her teeth as another person comes in.
"Hello, Mrs. McNeal, I'm Doctor Green the Ob/gyn right now." Sarina just nods to the woman and the doctor asks the technician, "What are you seeing?"
The technician pauses as she goes over the spot that made Sarina scream earlier. Sarina cries out again, but instead of moving she starts waving her hands. I grab the trash can, and she vomits into the trash.
The technician leaves and the doctor starts calling out some orders as I hold the trash can up for Sarina.
"Mrs. McNeal, Your bleeding because it looks like you've had an ectopic pregnancy and tube's ruptured. We need to do surgery to fix it or you will bleed to death."
My heart stops and I exchange a horrified look with Sarina. Everything happens so quickly after that though, as they move her bed with her in it to the OR and start prepping her for surgery.
"Brian!" Sarina calls out for me when she looses the grip on my hand.
"I'm here baby!" I move myself to stand next to her, taking her hand again as they get an IV in her other arm. I try to soothe her, telling her everything will be alright and they're going to fix her. Everything will be fine. Then we're outside the OR and I'm asked to wait outside.
"I love you, Sarina. I'll be waiting for you when you wake up, baby." I kiss her forehead as she sniffles and nods before she's rolled into the OR and I'm left waiting.
I'm freaking out, pacing, my heart trying to beat out of control but tries to stop when I realize she was pregnant.
She had been pregnant...
I fall back onto a chair and cover my face in my hands and just cry.