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Post by Christian Ward on Oct 26, 2016 3:12:40 GMT -5
Diana was in the bathroom again. She was acting her normal independent self for a while after they had returned from Russia, but it wasn't long before she was passive and tired again. And constantly in the bathroom. These new potions Dr Hanley had given her were making her horribly ill. Christian spoke through the door. "I'm ringing Hanley, he'll sort this out."
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Post by Diana Ward on Oct 26, 2016 3:18:19 GMT -5
"Alright." she replied not fighting him. It wasn't that she didn't fight him anymore, because she did and just as frequently as she had before. But she would cave before the real fighting began mostly out of exhaustion. The last fight she had been passionate about was over whether or not to call Hanley.
They had been fighting, Diana didn't even remember why, but she suddenly burst into tears. She couldn't tell who had been more shocked by her actions, her or Christian. He had argued that something was seriously wrong with her and Hanley needed to be called, but she had fought to be left alone.
This morning however was a different story. It was the third day in a row she had thrown up, not always in the morning, but at some point during the day and she was sick of being sick. She finished cleaning herself up and came out of the bathroom.
"Call him." she said annoyed with him, with herself, and with everything in general. She moved to the bed and hugged a pillow to her chest while laying down.
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Post by Christian Ward on Oct 26, 2016 3:47:48 GMT -5
Christian was already halfway down the stairs when Diana conceded. He hadn't planned on giving her a choice, but was pleased (and disturbed) that she had given in to him. He unlocked his office and retrieved his mirror. The conversation was short, and surprisingly one sided.
"Does she need another check up?"
"Yes," he answered, surprised by his forwardness. Usually Christian was the first to speak. "She's been having-"
"Yes, yes. That's to be expected. I'll be right there."
Christian muttered to himself as he put the mirror away that, "if he knew the damned potions would make her ill, why did he clear her fieldwork?" Not two minutes later the doorbell rang and Christian was welcoming Dr. Hanley inside. "She's upstairs," he explained as he started on the stairs.
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Post by Diana Ward on Oct 26, 2016 3:53:47 GMT -5
Diana chewed on her fingernail waiting for Christian to return. She was surprised by Hanley's appearance and angered by it as she had changed her mind about seeing him and was going to tell Christian as much when he came back to her. But the man had worked too fast and there was Dr. Hanley.
"This really isn't necess-" she looked at Christian and stared at him hard. "Fine!" she yelled turning around and going back up the stairs.
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Post by Christian Ward on Oct 26, 2016 4:13:46 GMT -5
"Some antipsychotics might be helpful," he said loud enough for her to hear him as the men continued their way up the stairs. But that was a pre-existing condition and Christian secretly loved that about her. Very secretly.
Hanley acted as if he had not heard their quarreling, as it was none of his business. His business was to give Diana the news of her blood work results. The good doctor was happy to be treating the third generation of Wards.
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Post by Diana Ward on Oct 26, 2016 4:26:19 GMT -5
"I'll save you the prescription doctor, just get rid of the cause of psychosis." she said calmly but intently looking at Christian and dismissing him with her eyes.
She turned away from both of them and sat on the bed, waiting for Christian to leave so she could yell at his doctor for giving her drugs that were making her crazy.
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Post by Christian Ward on Oct 26, 2016 4:38:53 GMT -5
"With pleasure," he retorted, stopping in the doorway. He gestured for Dr Hanley to go in, then he shut the door and went back downstairs to bask in the few moments of peace the doctor's visit would afford him.
Hanley nodded at Christian as he left, then turned to Diana who was sitting on the bed. "Have we been feeling a little nauseous lately?"
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Post by Diana Ward on Oct 26, 2016 4:42:21 GMT -5
Diana didn't answer the doctor at first. Instead she went to the door simply to open it and slam it in response. Yes, it was childish. No, Diana didn't care.
She took a deep breath then, turned and smiled toward the Doctor as if everything were calm and normal. Then she frowned, "Actually Doc, I have been, and I don't think the potions you gave me are worth their salt. I've been nauseous. Moody...more so than usual. And tired all the time. When I'm not tired I'm hungry, and then I'm tired again." she complained.
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Post by Christian Ward on Oct 26, 2016 4:53:33 GMT -5
Hanley nodded as she listed the symptoms. He didn't know that Diana already had a child, otherwise he would have been surprised that she didn't recognize what her list equated to. "Ms Crawford, please sit down. I want to discuss the results of your blood work."
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Post by Diana Ward on Oct 26, 2016 4:57:49 GMT -5
Diana had been too distraught the last time she learned of her pregnancy to understand or recollect what was going on.
Suddenly she felt a shiver of fear as Hanley told her to sit down. This is where karma came back to her and she would learn she had some incurable disease. Some degenerative damage done to her after too many scrapes here and there.
She turned several shades paler as she did as Hanley asked and sat.
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Post by Christian Ward on Oct 26, 2016 5:07:18 GMT -5
"The reason you've been feeling this exhaustion, excessive appetite, sickness it is not because of the potions I've prescribed you." Hanley adjusted his glasses on the bridge of his nose. "You are with child." He wanted to congratulate her, and Christian, but as a learned doctor he knew to deliver the news and gauge the reaction before injecting his own thoughts on the matter.
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Post by Diana Ward on Oct 26, 2016 5:13:01 GMT -5
Just like that the light came on. Diana remembered the metaphorical stove she had left on in the kitchen. All the pieces clicked together.
Diana laughed. A high tinkling laughter that bordered on hysteria. She stopped suddenly and swallowed the reality of her condition.
"No." she said mentally ruling out the obvious, "No I couldn't be." she said still talking to herself rather than Dr. Hanley.
She laughed again, just seconds before she became ill once more. This time it wasn't the pregnancy, but rather the news of the pregnancy.
"Oh Mother F*cker!" she cursed using Christian's favorite word. Mentally she was adding up dates, but none of the dates made sense to her. Finally she sat back on the bed in shock.
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Post by Christian Ward on Oct 26, 2016 5:17:35 GMT -5
"That is how these things end up," Hanley said, laughing at his own joke. "Nevertheless, I am going to have to recommend that you do not go back into the field. In your condition it would be very unsafe for the baby."
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Post by Diana Ward on Oct 26, 2016 5:25:58 GMT -5
"What?" she asked almost in tears. How had this happened to her? Just a little over a month ago she had been cold, hard, tough, and on her own. Now she was living in the most delicious sin she could think of with her ex, indulging in all sorts of warm fuzzy feelings, and most importantly pregnant!
Now she had this Albert Einstein of a man telling her that she can't do what she had made into her life's purpose for the past two years. Of course it wasn't him that would be telling her no, it was the six-foot, two hundred some odd pound man downstairs who would sit on her (gently) if need be until she gave birth to his son or daughter...again.
"N-no, no, no, no, no..." she said shaking her head at him, "No, you can't tell Christian."
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Post by Christian Ward on Oct 26, 2016 5:37:56 GMT -5
This was not the reaction Hanley had envisioned when her test results came back. He had been eager to share the news, excited that the younger Ward had finally settled down. "Of course not. That is not my place. But Ms Crawford, I do insist you avoid your traditional activities." (Read: murdering)
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Post by Diana Ward on Oct 26, 2016 5:42:20 GMT -5
Diana felt trapped, as though the room were swallowing her up and at the center of it was this tiny man whom Diana could squash like a bug. Not that she would. She liked the good doctor. She also knew that nothing she did to him could change the reality she now faced.
"You have to swear Doctor Hanley. Please... swear to me that you won't tell him." Her pulse was racing, but at the moment it was of the utmost importance that Christian not discover the truth.
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Post by Christian Ward on Oct 26, 2016 11:22:01 GMT -5
Hanley raised his hands in surrender to her request. "Yes, yes. I swear my dear girl." His duty as a medical professional was first and foremost, though his employment with Christian was a very close second. He was, logically, a tad worried that a secret of this nature, once it got out as they always did, would upset Christian and he might take his frustrations out on Hanley. But Hanley had cared for Christian since he was a young boy when he worked for Christian's father. He had seen that boy grow into a cunning man. It made him proud much in the same way an uncle would feel for his nephew. He knew Christian did not view it similarly in return, but Christian had kept the old man on when he took over the business and that showed some sort of sentimentality. Keeping a secret lik this would be difficult, but Hanley was certain that once Diana got over the shock of the news it wouldn't be secret for long.
"Now, my dear, you will need regular check ups every month."
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Post by Diana Ward on Oct 26, 2016 16:04:03 GMT -5
Like every woman who learns they are pregnant Diana placed a hand on her still flat stomach as if coming to grips with the idea that life was growing inside of her. It was a beautiful, magical thing, but it was also terrifying. Diana's previous experience with being pregnant, giving birth, and being a mother was traumatic. She was still coming to grips with the results of her last pregnancy.
She was breathing heavily and her chest started to hurt. There were too many emotions, too much going on. She begun to cry.
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Post by Christian Ward on Oct 26, 2016 18:14:31 GMT -5
Hanley conjured a handkerchief and handed it to Diana. This was a normal reaction to the surprise that you were going to be responsible for another life soon. And knowing the general sort of "work" that Diana and Christian engaged in, Hanley understood how difficult of a change it would be for them both.
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Post by Diana Ward on Oct 26, 2016 18:33:50 GMT -5
Diana wept for a while just sorting out how she was feeling. She still wasn't sure but she knew crying would solve nothing. She sat up and cleared her throat, "Forgive me Doctor Hanley, I'm just a bit shocked." she said almost formally.
"I must insist that Christian knows nothing of this, and that you tell him the reason for my illness is the potions. Then, I will need some anti-nausea potions, and whatever I need for the baby. I will agree to monthly check ups, but I cannot quit my traditional activities." she said with finality.
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