Page 4 of In the Grey of Dawn

Trying to get in the mood and relax into the moment, I reach down and run my fingers through his hair. His head almost instantly jerks back, as he says, “Can you not do that, it takes me forever to get my hair right and I don't want to have to restyle it.”

Well, if Iwasa little bit turned on before, I'm definitely not anymore as images of Chad styling his hair in a fluffy robe flood my thoughts. I can already feel this quick stress relief session is going nowhere fast.

As he returns to his search of finding the mythical clitoris, my phone rings again and I quickly glance and see it's my best friend Mila calling. She knows I'm at work tonight so this must be important.

Answering my phone, I stop Chad by pulling on his hair again. Smirking at the satisfaction it gives me when he moves to the small mirror in the room and starts running his fingers through the tangles trying to fix it.

“Mila? Is everything okay?” I say, slightly worried. It’s never a good thing when someone calls you unexpectedly this early in the morning.

“Hi. I'm so sorry to call you at work. Dante is struggling a bit and we wanted to talk to you.”

“What do you mean Dante is struggling? What happened?” My breath quickens as I try and prepare myself for what she’s about to say. Has he been stabbed? Burned? Had a hand blown off? I know his friend Ace likes to blow things up sometimes, so it’s a possibility. Considering they are both ex-military and now work as mercenaries, literally anything could have happened.

“Nothing, I mean we're all fine if that's what you mean. No one is hurt. It’s just, we got some news and it’s unexpected and amazing, but also not good as well.”

“I don't even know what to make of what you just said, Mila. Why are you calling me this early? What happened?” I stress, holding the phone a little tighter over all of thewhat-if’srunning through my head.

A moment of silence occurs before the distinct sound of the phone being dropped echoes through the speaker. I can hear rushed footsteps and the unmistakable retching of someone vomiting, followed by Dante’s hushed soothing words.

Almost a full minute goes by, along with some rustling before Dante’s gruff voice asks, “Charlie, you still there?”

“Yes, I’m here, what's happened? Is Mila okay? Do I need to come up there?”

“Well I didn't think I'd be the one to tell you this but she's having a hard go of things at the moment. She's pregnant. We’re pregnant, I guess. We're having a baby,” he says, sounding a little spaced out. I can hear his breath has quickened and his voice has lost some of its gruff. The usual strong and steady tone, missing.

“That's amazing,” I say, the words automatically coming out as visions of the Brady Bunch appear in my mind.

Ewww.

I listen to Dante explain how Mila started vomiting one day and then just didn’t stop. How Dr Johnson at the Woodman Medical Centre said she was eight weeks pregnant and had a condition called hyperemesis gravidarum; and how he has been panicking ever since. For a man who usually grunts at people, he has suddenly become incredibly talkative which only highlights how stressed he must be. The struggles of morning sickness, let alone hyperemesis, are seldom talked about, like it’sjust something you have to silently battle through. The reality though is if she’s not treated, then she risks both hers and the baby’s life.

Sitting up on the small bed, I move to start putting my panties on one handed, knowing that nothing more is going to happen with Chad tonight, especially as he is still trying to fix his hair.

I’m tired of the hustle of the city. Tired of every day being a battle of choices and feeling alone in a sea of people. Maybe this is the universe giving me a sign. Perhaps I need to start over somewhere new like Mila did. I could at least take a few months to decide what I want to do and help my best friend and her panicked husband at the same time.

“Hey, Dante?” I say, interrupting him. “How about I come and stay a while and help out? I know you’re building the house and I’m sure Mila said you and Ace had a mission coming up soon. I could come and be her private nurse. Make sure she’s keeping her fluids up. I’ve treated a few women with hyperemesis before so I know what to expect.”

Heavy breathing is all I can hear over the phone before Mila’s soft voice tells Dante that she’s fine; asking if he could go get her a glass of water before his disappearing footsteps echo across the phone as he retreats.

I hear Mila take a deep breath before she says, “This is really hard, Charlie. I didn’t think it would be like this. It’s awful. Not like the movies at all.” Her voice breaks as she tries to control the emotions running through her. “He had you on speakerphone so I heard what you said … I think I need help with this. I don’t think I can do it alone,” she whispers, her voice thick and on the verge of tears.

“You’re not allowed to cry, okay? You cry, I cry, and then it makes all my patients uncomfortable,” I say, trying to make her smile. “You know I’m an ugly crier,” I chuckle.

Taking a deep breath for both of us, I try to keep my own emotions in check as my heart breaks for the journey she’s about to undertake.

“Here’s what I need you to do. I need you to rest, drink and eat as much as you can stomach. Keep my niece or nephew growing nice and safe in your tummy. I’ll be there as soon as I can and we will get you through this. Youwillget through this Mila. I promise. You’re going to have the most beautiful, healthy baby ever. Try not to worry and I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

Her soft sobbing echoes across the speaker as the sound of Dante’s footsteps return. He takes the phone from her and I quickly explain what’s going to happen before ending the call.

Two weeks.

I said I would be there in two weeks to help Mila while he tries to manage everything else before the baby arrives. Two weeks to quit my job, pack up my life and move to the smallest town I’ve ever been to. Two weeks before I might accidentally bump into the man I can’t stop thinking about. I need to remind myself that he’s not the reason I’m dropping everything to go running back to Hidden Valley.

“This is not about him,” I say out loud to myself. Completely forgetting that Chad is still in the room with me.Chad, who is naked, running his fingers through his hair while his cock is somehow still hard. Not even bothering to read the room and see that whatever weweregoing to do is no longer in the cards.

Sighing and trying to remember the reasons I had anything casual with him in the first place, I say, “I think we’re all done here, Chad. I have to get back out on shift.”

Stopping, he lowers his hand from his hair, directing his full attention to me. “Iaskedyou to call me Doctor. I won't bother finding you to join me next time if you're not even going to put out.”

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