complications. Could you make a note of that and let the nursing sta know?” Lillian stated firmly.

  “Got it, Doc,” Lori said.

  “But don’t leave the poor woman helpless. See if Doctor Bitzer can take her. And when people call requesting doctors, try and tell them that they’ll get whichever obstetrician they’re referred to. This isn’t a restaurant. They can’t pick and choose,” Lillian retorted.

  “Not a restaurant,” Lori repeated as she jotted down the notes. “Alright, anything else you need while I’m here?” she asked.

  “Not for now. Thank you, Lori,” Lillian replied.

  “At your service, Doc,” Lori replied with a salute. “Good luck with Jen,” she shot Lillian a wink before backing towards the door.

  “Don’t remind me,” Lillian groaned.

  Lori laughed and turned the knob.

  “Is Doctor Foster in?” a woman’s voice carried through the halls.

  “Oh, no,” Lori breathed out as she closed the door.

  “That sounds like Amanda Rothwell—an annoyed Amanda Rothwell,” Lillian guessed.

  “Right on the money, Doc,” Lori replied. She took a deep breath. “I did not sign up for this when I decided to go into this line of work.”

  “It is implied that dealing with hormonal women is a major part of the job description,” Lillian chuckled.

  “I guess I missed out on that fine print,” Lori laughed.

  “I know she’s in there. I can see her schedule on the board behind you,” they heard Amanda Rothwell screech through the door.

  “Who knew working with hormonal women would be a hazard? Wish me luck. I’m going to see what I can do,” Lori replied.

  Lillian chuckled, “If it helps, she’s 39 weeks pregnant.”

  “How is that going to help?” Lori asked quizzically.

  “She’s about to pop. If you walk fast enough, she won’t be able to catch you,” Lillian laughed.

  “Ha-ha, you’re hilarious,” Lori replied flatly. “Laugh all you want but I’m the messenger. It’s you she’s really after,”

  she smirked.

  “Right, I’ll try to prepare myself for the inevitable appointment with Amanda then,” Lillian said.

  “Good idea, Doc,” Lori replied. She took a deep breath and turned the knob. “Here goes nothing,” Lillian heard her mutter as she exited her o ce.

  “Lori! You know where Doctor Foster is, don’t you?”

  Lillian heard Amanda ask as Lori shut the door. Her phone buzzed once more.

  I’ve got my overnight bag ready to go! Jen texted. Lillian opened the text and saw a picture attached to it. She threw her folded arms over her desk and buried her head in them.

  “This is going to be a long day,” she groaned. She could hear the mu ed exchange between Lori and Amanda in the hallway. Let’s get one thing out of the way, she thought to herself as she lifted her head from her arms.

  Lillian swiped on the notification and started constructing the response she had so many times sent out in situations like these.

  I’m sorry I haven’t had time to reply. It’s been a busy morning.

  Jen, I’ve had such a great time with you these past few weeks.

  You’re a fantastic woman, really. And I can’t deny, breakfast does sound tempting but you know the deal we agreed on in the beginning. I just don’t have time in my life for anything other than a casual relationship. You deserve someone who has normal hours and that can spend time with you. I can’t give you that. I don’t want to string you along and waste your time or give you any unrealistic expectations. I’m going to be honest with you: this is nothing more than a casual arrangement for me. It’s been a great four weeks but I think this is where it has to end. No hard feelings, she typed out.

  Lillian read over the text. “Fingers crossed this won’t get messy,” she breathed out as she hit the send button.

  The doorknob rattled and Amanda stuck her head through the crack. “Hello, Doctor Foster…” she said sheepishly.

  “You wore Lori down, I see?” Lillian chuckled. Amanda smiled and nodded triumphantly.

  Lillian felt her phone buzz incessantly in her hand. “Have a seat,” she said as glanced at it momentarily. 8 unread messages from Jen, the notification read.

  Oh lord. That’s going to be fun to deal with later, she thought to herself as she turned her ringer o and tossed her phone in her desk drawer.

  “Now, what can I do for you today, Amanda?” Lillian asked.

  3

  Annabel jumped at the forcefulness of the two raps on her door.

  Let’s get this over with, she thought to herself as she heard the third knock. “Coming!” Annabel shouted while she wiped her hands on the back of her pants. She hastily shut the tap and walked briskly to open the door.

  Annabel braced herself for the familiar face she was about to greet.

  “Hey,” the woman said dryly.

  “Hi, Mel. Come on in,” Annabel said softly.

  “I’m not staying long. I just want to get my stu and go,”

  Mel quipped.

  “Okay, no problem. Let me just get your things. Make yourself comfortable. I’ll be right back,” Annabel replied before she made her way to the bathroom.

  “Okay,” Mel replied as she wandered around the small apartment. “Nice new place you got here,” Annabel heard her say from the living room.

  “Thanks. I’m still settling in, so it’s not where I want it to be,” Annabel replied. She got on her knees and pulled out the box of things she had kept hidden behind cleaning products under her sink. Her finger traced the corners of a frame, and

  her lips curved into a smile as she thought back to that moment frozen in time.

  It was her birthday and Mel had planned a surprise party.

  She had been so busy trying to get her business o the ground that she hadn’t noticed her then-girlfriend sneaking around.

  Annabel had been moaning about wanting to go on a trip

  —somewhere, anywhere. She loved her job, but she hadn’t had a chance to enjoy the perks of owning a travel agency yet. And since she couldn’t take vacation days or go away, Mel had planned a surprise party for her. The theme was “A day in the Maldives.”

  Their home was transformed into a tropical paradise—

  without the downside of finding sand in every crevice of your home for weeks on end. Mel had called one of their party planner friends and pulled a few strings. There was an enormous blow-up pool in their yard, their living room was covered from floor to ceiling in tropical plants, and everyone had dressed—or under dressed—for the occasion. Mel even made sure there was a little bamboo hut that served fancy cocktails; equipped with its very own bartender.

  Annabel remembered being caught o guard when she went home that day. Mel had lured her back to the house early under the pretense of a home emergency. When she arrived, she was taken aback by the rainforest in her living room and the sight of her loved ones jumping out and yelling surprise.

  It took her months to get the horrifying image of her father in speedos out of her head, but she had an unforgettable time that day. Annabel sighed at the picture; Mel had a broad grin plastered on her face as she smashed a piece of cake into Annabel’s face and Annabel had a look of disbelief on hers.

  “Anna?” she heard Mel call out. Annabel shook the memory away and grabbed the box.

  “Sorry, I’m coming!” she shouted. Annabel got o the floor and walked to the living room to find Mel staring at the positive pregnancy test stick that Anna had pinned to her fridge.

  Annabel cleared her throat. “Here are your things,” she said. She placed the box on the kitchen counter and slid it over to Mel.

  “I guess congratulations are in order,” Mel muttered.

  “Oh god, I forgot that was there. But I was going to tell you. You don’t have to say anything, Mel,” Annabel sighed.

  “You must be over the moon. Bravo, Anna,” Mel said flatly as she clapped. “Looks like you got everything you wanted. As usual. Tell me, was it worth it?” she questioned.

  “Come on, Mel. Don’t be like this,” Annabel pleaded.

  “You’re the one that made your decision. You left me,” she said softly.

  “You didn’t really give me a choice, did you?” Mel barked.

  Annabel rubbed her temples. “We’ve gone through this before. We both changed over time. We wanted di erent things. It would never have worked out between us.”

  “You mean, you wanted something else,” Mel quipped.

  “Don’t you dare put this on me. Our relationship was a mess,” Annabel said firmly.

  “We had a good thing going and then you had to go and mess things up for us,” Mel replied. “Five years gone just like that,” she whispered.

  “I didn’t mean for things to end the way they did,”

  Annabel reached out to console the heartbroken woman in her kitchen.

  Mel flinched at her touch. “Weren’t we happy? Wasn’t I enough for you, Anna?” she asked softly. “When we first started dating, you told me you never wanted kids. We built a

  life together and you destroyed all of that for what? A baby?”

  Mel quipped.

  “I never said that,” Annabel replied.

  “Really? Because you literally woke up one day and wanted kids,” she sneered.

  “I was always honest with you. I told you that I didn’t want children right then, but I did in the future. You heard what you wanted to hear. Don’t lie and tell me otherwise.

  You knew all of this—I never hid it from you,” Annabel answered.

  “The baby fever kicked in and you felt your body clock ticking. You chose that over us,” Mel sco ed.

  “People change, Mel. They grow. It wouldn’t have worked out for us. I want to be with someone who is open to grow and develop with me. I told you from the get-go that children would be on the cards for me someday. It was your choice to pretend like I never wanted kids,” Annabel explained.

  Mel shook her head and sco ed, “Well, is it everything you imagined?”

  “It wasn’t an easy road to get here, Mel. But if you’re asking me if I’m happy about this, then yes, I am beyond happy,” Annabel replied.

  Mel pulled the box of her belongings towards her.

  Annabel watched as her eyes scanned through the contents of the box. Her eyes settled on the picture of them at Annabel’s birthday; the same one she had just been staring at earlier. Mel’s lips curled slightly; it almost resembled a small smile but it vanished just as quickly as it appeared. Her face crumpled. “I would have given you the world, Anna. I loved you with everything I had,” she said.

  “I know you did and I loved you too. That’s why all of this has been so hard for me,” Annabel shared.

  “Clearly,” Mel responded sarcastically.

  Annabel folded her arms across her chest. “What does that mean?” she asked.

  “I heard your company’s doing great and you seem to be settling into your little home just fine. Now this? You don’t seem to be having it hard at all,” Mel spat.

  “You think it’s been easy for me? Five years of my life was destroyed too, Mel. You weren’t the only one in that relationship. I had to go through the break up too. On top of that, this whole IUI thing has been a nightmare. Do you know how many heartbreaks I’ve gone through? Do you know how many tries it took me to get to this point? You think this just happened overnight? I’m giving this my everything,” Annabel barked.

  She felt her eyes sting and a single tear rolled down her cheek. “Don’t pretend like you know what’s going on in my life, Mel. You have no idea,” Annabel said softly as she wiped the tears away.

  Mel sighed and lowered her head. “Shit. I’m sorry, Anna.

  Please don’t cry,” she begged. “I didn’t mean to upset you.”

  Annabel exhaled deeply, “It’s fine, Mel.”

  “I want to be happy for you. I really do, but…” she paused.

  “I get it. I do and I don’t blame you,” Annabel responded.

  Mel shot her a knowing glance and grabbed her belongings. “Good luck with everything, Anna. I hope you get everything you want,” she shared.

  “Thank you. I know how hard this has been on you and it means a lot hearing you say those words,” Annabel admitted.

  “Take care, Anna,” Mel whispered as she walked past Annabel. Annabel trailed behind her. “It’s fine. I’ll let myself out,” she said softly.

  “Bye, Mel,” Annabel replied.

  Mel turned back to look at her a final time then shut the door behind her, and Annabel sank into the kitchen chair.

  That could have gone better, she thought to herself.

  Annabel’s phone buzzed. She pulled the little device out of her pocket and felt her heart stop.

  1 unread email: Forest Vale Fertility Clinic, the speech bubble read. Annabel crossed her fingers as she pressed on the notification. Her eyes scanned the email.

  Dear Miss Lacey,

  We are happy to inform you that we have confirmed your obstetrician appointment at Forest Vale General Hospital Obstetrics department.

  Your appointment date: 16th March

  Time: 2:00 pm

  Please reply to this email to confirm the date and time of your appointment.

  Best Regards,

  Forest Vale Fertility Clinic Sta .

  Annabel’s lips curved upward into a broad grin. I can’t believe I’m one step closer to becoming a mother, she thought to herself. Annabel swiped through her calendar and looked through her schedule. She had nothing scheduled on that day.Annabel replied to the email immediately and confirmed the appointment. She slid her phone back into her pocket. A dazed smile was plastered on her face as she continued on with her day.

  4

  Annabel watched the days go by patiently until the 16th rolled around. Now, she was on the 3rd floor of Forest Vale General Hospital, standing in the Obstetrics department reception at 2 pm on the dot—having a heated debate with a nursing assistant.

  “Miss Lacey, I understand what you’re saying but you can’t choose your doctor and neither can the fertility center,” the nursing assistant explained.

  Annabel’s eyes narrowed. She’s feeding me a line. I know it, she thought to herself. Her eyes scanned the young woman’s face and settled on her name tag. “Lori, is it?”

  “Mm hmm,” she hummed, an insincere smile on her face.

  “Listen, Lori, I did not come all the way here to see just anyone. I specifically requested Doctor Foster and I am not leaving until I have an appointment with her,” Annabel said through her teeth.

  “Miss Lacey, there really is nothing I can do. My hands are tied. You’re just going to have to settle for whichever OB

  you’re referred to. Unless there is a pregnancy-related complication, it is highly unlikely that you’re going to be seeing Doctor Foster,” Lori explained.

  “You can give me the same spiel as many times as you want but I’m not going anywhere until you get me an appointment with Doctor Foster,” Annabel replied firmly.

  “What about Doctor Bitzer? She’s got plenty of space today. You can see her right away,” Lori tried.

  “Thank you but no thank you. I’m sure Doctor Bitzer is lovely, but I’m not seeing anyone but the best. The head of the department. The nationally renowned obstetric surgeon, Doctor Foster,” Annabel repeated.

  “Miss Lacey, work with me here,” Lori breathed out exasperatedly.

  LILLIAN’S rounded the corner to reception and saw the annoyance clear on Lori’s face as she dealt with a patient.

  Lori looked exasperated.

  Lillian’s eyes flickered to the woman she was talking to.

  Her gaze trailed the expanse of the woman’s body starting from her toned calves in heels below her tight skirt, to her shapely hips and ass. She had voluminous dark curls in a ponytail.

  God, Lillian. Get a grip.

  “Unless you’re o ering me an appointment with Doctor Foster, my feet are staying firmly planted on this spot right here,” the woman responded. “I’ve got all day, too.”

  Lillian was amused by the air of confidence about this woman. She stood in front of Lori, unapologetically demanding what she wanted. Which happens to be me, Lillian thought to herself.

  “Usually, Lori only reserves such looks of contempt for me,” Lillian chuckled. “What’s going on here?” she asked.

  “What’s going on here?” The woman turned her head and Lillian noticed her full lips beautifully drawn out in bold red

  lipstick and her pale blue eyes with long dark lashes.

  “Nothing, Doc. I was just trying to explain to Miss Lacey that this isn’t a restaurant. She can’t pick and choose her OB.

  She needs to see whoever is referred to her but—" Lori paused when the woman interrupted.

  “And I was trying to explain to Lori here that I had requested to see Doctor Foster from the start and I am not leaving this hospital until I have an appointment with her,”

  the woman explained.

  “I see,” Lillian nodded in understanding. “Lori, make sure—Miss Lacey, is it?” she asked.

  “Yes,” the woman nodded.

  “Make sure Miss Lacey gets that appointment with Doctor Foster. I think Doctor Foster will be able to fit her in before the C section she is doing later.” Lillian said.

  “But, Doc, I thought you said—" Lori started.

  “Just do it, Lori,” Lillian said as she walked away.

  “ONE SECOND,” Lori said as she typed something out on her computer. She picked up the phone and cradled it in between her face and shoulder as she dialed a number.

  “Doctor Foster? I’m calling to inform you that we’ve added a new patient onto your roster. A Miss Annabel Lacey, I thought you could fit her in now before your C section,”

  Lori said into the phone. Annabel heard an inaudible response. Whatever it was, Lori rolled her eyes. “Yeah, yeah.

  I’m not going to listen to you anymore, Doc. I’m sending every pregnant woman in town your way.”

  “This isn’t a restaurant,” she mocked. “My ass,” Lori muttered under her breath. “I’ll get you her folder as soon as she’s done filling in the forms,” she said. Lori placed the phone back in its holder. “I swear. That woman is going to be