Page 73 of No Way Home
Betsy hurried off to assist and Dr. Adams scowled.
“I’m happy to get Sage’s vitals, if that helps,” I said
He sighed. “Please. I’ll be there in a minute.”
As I crossed the room, I didn’t let myself doom spiral about whether or not James and Sage hated me now.
I knocked lightly and peeked my head in. Sage sat on the exam table, legs dangling over the side, face pale, bangs matted to her forehead. Oh, that wasn’t good. James stood next to her, holding her hand.
“Hey, guys,” I said.
“Hey, Maggie.” James’s eyes brightened, and I could almost believe he was happy to see me. “I didn’t know you worked here now.”
So Bowen hadn’t told anyone I was here. Wow. Well, that explained why Charlie hadn’t reached out. I’d thought she just didn’t care.
“I’m just on my family medicine rotation.” I smiled.
“Hey, Sage,” I said. “I’m here to take your vitals, if that’s okay?”
“Hi,” she said weakly. “That’s fine.”
James chuckled nervously. “She was brushing her hair and nearly fainted.”
“It’s just vasovagal stuff.” She gazed up at him, reassurance in her voice. These two had always been so sweet with each other, treating their relationship like fragile glass. “Baby girl likes to tap dance against my lungs from time to time. That’s all.”
But one look at James told me he didn’t agree.
I patted Sage’s knee. “You’re probably right. Still, let’s check your blood pressure and listen to your heart and baby girl—just to be sure.”
She nodded. “Sure.”
“Are you all ready for her?” I asked. “Got the nursery painted?”
James ran a hand over his hair. “Not as ready as we’d like to be. The house still isn’t finished. Still have to mud and tape. We wanted to have it done by the time Willow arrived.”
I smiled. “Willow? I love that name.”
“We were hoping to buy the house from Theo,” Sage said, lips pressed together.
James dragged a hand through his hair. “Pretty much.”
“We didn’t mean to get pregnant yet,” Sage admitted, cheeks flushed like she was embarrassed about that. “And now we’re going to be stuck raising a baby with Theo still living there.”
I reached for the blood pressure cart. “You guys don’t like living with him?”
James laughed. “Sage was over it the night we got home from our honeymoon. Theo wakes us up every fifteen minutes until three a.m., screaming at whoever he’s playing with online.”
I snickered. “I remember the screaming.” Theo didn’t know how to play a video game quietly. He played with his whole heart and both lungs. It didn’t matter how many times you reminded him to be quiet. He forgot five minutes later.
“And he keeps popping the lock—bursting in to tell James some interesting fact—when James and I are…” She hid her face and laughed.
“That’s…unfortunate.” I grinned and reached for the blood pressure cuff.
“And awkward,” James snorted.
Sage knew the drill and obediently held her arm out. Her blood pressure was normal, not low—the opposite of what you’d expect from someone with vasovagal syncope. Especially if she was sweating as profusely as she currently was.
Huh.
