Chapter_23
The tension in the clinic was palpable, the silence between them stretching endlessly as Olivia sat, her head lowered, trying to make sense of everything. The sound of the curtains swaying in the wind felt like the only thing breaking the stillness.
Tyler, his tone as cold and detached as ever, broke the silence. “When did you start vomiting?”
Olivia’s hands clenched the sides of the bed, the question making the weight of everything crash down on her. She could no longer hide from the truth. She closed her eyes, her voice barely a whisper. “Two days ago.”
He continued with the same clinical indifference, “Do you feel unwell apart from that?”
A shiver ran through Olivia as she barely breathed out, “I haven’t had my period this month.”
The words hung heavy between them, and for a moment, there was no sound except for the soft rustling of the curtains. Tyler’s response was quick and practical. “Let’s go to the hospital for a check-up.”
Her mind raced, but she simply nodded, her voice almost lost in the air. “Okay.”
Tyler bent down slightly to her level, asking in a tone that was almost gentle, “Can you walk?”
“Yes,” Olivia replied, though as she tried to stand, her legs wobbled beneath her. Tyler’s hand shot out, steadying her before she could collapse. She panicked slightly when she fell into his embrace, but he released her quickly, his grip only settling on her arm. He looked down at her, his expression unreadable. “Are you standing steadily now?”
Her voice was so quiet it almost wasn’t there, a barely audible confirmation. “Yes.”
The drive to the hospital felt like a blur. Olivia’s mind was a whirlwind of thoughts—fear, relief, devastation, confusion—she couldn’t pinpoint what she felt. Her heart raced, her stomach twisted, but she couldn’t decipher any of it. Was she relieved that she might not be pregnant, or was it the fear of something else? Tyler, silent as ever, glanced at her in the rearview mirror, his face tight with something she couldn’t quite read. He looked away, focusing on the road ahead, and they both sank back into the oppressive silence.
When they arrived, Tyler stayed close as she went through the check-ups. At one point, he stepped away to the smoking area, leaving Olivia standing alone in the sterile hospital corridor. She couldn’t help but steal glances at him while he smoked, watching his profile as he leaned against the wall, his demeanor cold and distant. Her heart pounded painfully in her chest. She could never quite figure him out. It was like he was there, but at the same time, so far away.
Tyler returned after about ten minutes, his face as unreadable as ever. He stood in front of her, and she couldn’t help but ask, her voice tinged with uncertainty, “Should we tell Naomi?”
He looked at her for a long moment before replying, his voice flat, “Let’s wait for the report.”
Her face paled even more, the fatigue of the situation weighing on her. “You and Naomi will be relieved if I’m really pregnant.” Her words felt like they were spoken in another world, as if she were trying to convince herself.
Tyler didn’t respond immediately. He just stared at her, his eyes colder than usual. Olivia felt like she was staring into the abyss, but there was no answer in his gaze.
The minutes dragged on, each one heavier than the last. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the doctor emerged from the examination room. Olivia froze, her heart beating faster as she looked at the doctor, unable to move. The fear that had gripped her chest for the past few days held her in place. She couldn’t bring herself to step forward.
Tyler, sensing her hesitation, walked up to the doctor and asked in his usual flat tone, “How is it?”
The doctor held up the report, his face professional. “She’s not pregnant. She has gastroenteritis and excessive mental stress.”
The words hit Olivia like a wave. Her body seemed to release all the tension she didn’t realize she had been holding. She closed her eyes for a brief moment, her shoulders sagging as if a weight had been lifted off her. She had never realized how much she had been holding onto the possibility of pregnancy until it wasn’t true. It was like she could breathe again.
Her lips trembled as she exhaled in relief. Not pregnant—the phrase echoed in her mind like a song of freedom. But even in that relief, a shadow of something else lingered, something she couldn’t quite put into words. The relief didn’t erase the confusion, the exhaustion, the constant unease she had been feeling for days. Still, the weight on her chest seemed lighter, even if only for a moment.
Tyler glanced at her, his gaze unreadable, as he turned back to the doctor for more details. But Olivia could barely focus on his words anymore. She was still trying to grasp the relief flooding through her—and, somehow, the pang of something else that came with it.