Darkness Before Dawn by Claire Contreras Page A

and other things on a table.
    "Are you serious?" I say, gritting my teeth. "You think what you guys are doing to me is worth me killing myself over?"
    Dean's eyes are blazing and his jaw is clenched. He takes a deep breath and runs his hands through his unruly brown hair. I know he's trying to rein in his temper while Dr. Kellogg is silent, just watching us.
    "Dean, step outside with me," the doctor says again, and this time, he goes.
    When I'm done putting on the robe, I sit on the exam table and wrap my arms in front of my chest in an attempt to warm up.
    Doctor Kellogg walks back in by himself and begins asking me questions as he listens to my chest.
    "When was your last period?" he asks as he presses down on my lower abdomen.
    "Umm..." I don't know how to answer that because I don't know how long I've been gone. I contemplate asking him what date it is, telling him what my situation is, but the sinking feeling in my stomach reminds me that Dean brought me here for a reason. I wonder how many women he's had to bring here. Dr. Kellogg stops examining me and looks at me expectedly.
    "I'm not pregnant, if that's why you're asking. I'm on birth control, or at least I was on birth control before..." I answer quietly. I was supposed to refill my prescription, but never got around to it, obviously.
    Cole and I were always careful, wearing condoms, pulling out, even though, a couple of times he didn't pull out, which pissed me off. Cole seemed to think it would be okay if I got pregnant, but told me it wouldn't happen anyway and alas, he was right.
    "Well, let's have you take a test anyway, just in case."
    "Sure," I say with a shrug as I take the little see-through cup from his hands and head to the bathroom.
    When I come back, I place it on the table and go back to the exam table.
    "Sore throat?" he asks and jots something down when I nod in agreement. Every time I try to swallow, it hurts.
    "Nausea?"
    "Hmmm...not really. Well, lately yes, but my throat hurts so much and anytime I try to eat anything it's just...yuck."
    He nods. "That's understandable, stick to soups and liquids until you start to feel better." He gets up and takes the urine sample and puts a stick in it, then takes it out and places it on the table.
    "You can get dressed while this gives us a result. I'll step out and give you some privacy," he says with a smile.
    I get dressed and sit back down until I hear him knock lightly again. He comes in, sits down beside me, and we continue to small talk about his wife, where I went to school, what I studied. He's telling me about a nephew of his who had gone to law school and dropped out as he gets up to look at the test. I breathe a sigh of relief at the look on his face, even though I knew I had nothing to worry about.
    He jots something down and looks up at me smiling. "The test is positive," he says softly, still smiling.
    My stomach drops. "What? Like positive I'm not pregnant? Or positive..." I ask numbly, expecting him to tell me this is some kind of sick joke.
    His smile falters and he gives me a confused look. "You're pregnant."
    I gape at him as my hands fly over my mouth. "I can't be pregnant," I say in a muffled voice. I'm stunned silent, watching him, waiting for him to tell me it's some type of sick joke they're playing on me. When I see his unchanging expression, I think of Cole and how happy he'd be if he were here with me. I start to sob quietly into my hands. Doctor Kellogg puts a hand on my shoulder and gives me a sympathetic look.
    "I'll have to do an ultrasound. My machine is in the basement. Do you think you'll be okay to walk down there?" he asks softly.
    I nod my head as unwanted tears spill down my face. Oh my God. I'm really pregnant? I wipe my tears and walk out of the room clutching my robe closed. Dean is sitting right outside the door, but stands up quickly when he sees me.
    "Are you okay?"
    "No," I answer hoarsely. "I'm not okay, at all."
    "What's wrong with her?" he demands as he looks at