Page 31 of One Last Run

"Gwen and I wanted to have one more baby, and so we did a few rounds of IUI, and I got pregnant," Maggie said. "There were some complications, though.”

“What does… that mean?” Kiera asked slowly. Danica glanced from Kiera to Maggie, trying her hardest not to put on her doctor’s hat and begin speculating.

“We had chromosomal testing that showed Trisomy 18, so after a few more scans and tests, we made the decision to terminate the pregnancy," Maggie explained. She looked as if she had explained the situation enough times to take the initial sting out of the words, but the weariness in her face was plain to see.

Danica’s heart sank. That kind of testing usually came after the ten-week mark, so Maggie would have been nearly in her second trimester.

"Fuck," Kiera said, shaking her head. "I'm so sorry, babe."

"Yeah, I’m still working through it," Maggie said. "It’s hard not to blame yourself for something like that, even though I know in my rational mind I did nothing to cause it. It gets scary when you surprise doctors, you know?”

Danica gave her friend a sympathetic smile. “I get that completely. But you made the right choice. Trisomy 18 is so scary.” Birth defects were nothing new to her as a neonatologist, but Trisomy 18 haunted her with its seriousness. She reached to grasp Maggie's hand, her heart aching for her friend. "No one takes that decision lightly. How’s Gwen doing?”

Maggie nodded. “It’s been hard on her, too, but she’s really committed to working through it in grief therapy and it’s been good for her.”

"We both support you completely," Kiera added. "That’s such a difficult kind of pain. I’m so sorry you and Gwen are going through that.”

Maggie nodded, her chin quivering like she might burst into tears. Instead, she looked up at the ceiling and blinked quickly. “Thanks,” she said in a choked voice. “I was a fucking mess for a while. I was so sad I could barely get out of bed for a week after.”

“That’s completely understandable. What you went through is horrible, and I’m so sorry,” Danica said.

Kiera nodded, adding, “I think I’d be the same way.”

"Me too. Do Pete and Izzy already know or would you rather keep this private?” Danica asked.

Maggie wiped at her eyes, composing herself. "Izzy already knows. She flew out to Austin to help me with the kids after the procedure.

Caught entirely off-guard, Danica stared at Maggie. "Really?"

"Yeah, she was great. I begged her to move in and be my nanny," Maggie said with a smile. "She even offered to carry for us if we wanted to try again, but I don’t think I’m ready for that anytime soon."

Danica nodded, still shocked beyond words, but Kiera seemed to speak for both of them. "Izzy Izzy? Our Izzy? Isabel Tierney?"

Maggie rolled her eyes. "Yes, our Izzy."

Danica squeezed Maggie's hand again. "I wish I had known. I would have flown down there in a heartbeat."

"I know, but you're big and important and I knew work was stressful and you were working overtime. And I wasn't going to take Kiera away from the girls to babysit me," Maggie explained.

"I would have made it work," Danica said. “And I’m still around if you ever want to talk it through. I know that our social workers have the names of a few support groups, if you or Gwen ever need.”

Maggie squeezed her hand again. “I do think when I’m ready, it’d be nice to talk to other folks who have gone through the same thing.” She sniffled, then wiped hastily at her eyes. “Okay, tellme something salacious so that I don’t cry through this entire pedicure.”

Danica paused, basking in the calf massage part of the pedicure that had just begun. She was warring with whether to jump in with the news about Eddie, but didn’t know if it was really the right time. What Maggie had shared was so heavy, and she was resistant to turning the spotlight on her instead.

Kiera sighed heavily, speaking first. "Well, while we're sharing, I'm next. I think Alex is cheating on me," she said, taking a sip of her mimosa. Her tone was the same as someone remarking on unremarkable weather, casual and bored.

Danica paused, her own drink halfway to her lips. "What?” Her mouth hung open in shock. Kiera and Alex had been married for nearly ten years and had two kids together. Kiera was beautiful and smart and funny and who in the world would cheat on such an angel of a person?

"Yeah, I guess I shouldn't say ‘I think.’ I know. I went through his texts on the iPad." Kiera stared down at her feet, watching the pedicure technician start with the nail polish.

The image of Kiera poring over texts on an iPad sent a pang of heartbreak through Danica. She reached to her other side, taking Kiera's hand.

Maggie shook her head slowly. “Oh, Kiera. I'm so sorry. That’s awful. Do you know… who?”

"A coworker.” Kiera swallowed visibly, a muscle in her jaw working.

“Damn,” Danica said solemnly. It was always a coworker. Danica's mind briefly wondered if Eddie had ever had feelings for a coworker, but she didn’t even feel jealous thinking about it. As a dentist, he was surrounded by female assistants and hygienists, but teeth made for a pretty unsexy work environment. She couldn’t remember what Alex actually did for work as a Civil Engineer.

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