The Nurse's Newborn Gift

“So I’m the devil?” Spencer asked, standing right in front of her, with a way too amused smile on his nauseatingly handsome face. He handed her a folder.

Krissy took it. “You weren’t supposed to hear that.” Heck, she hadn’t even realized she’d said the words out loud. “I blame pregnancy brain.”

The look he gave her screamed, “You’re a total nut job,” although without words.

Maybe she was. “It’s a real thing. Look it up. It’s like a pregnant woman’s body is so busy growing another human being, the brain gets overloaded and doesn’t filter stuff that shouldn’t come out of her mouth or remember stuff she’s supposed to do. It doesn’t comprehend the same or think the same. I hope it goes back to working normally once all this is over.”

His smile made her insides feel all fluttery.

Then he opened his mouth. “Your brain never worked normally.”

“Careful,” she gave him the stink eye. “Or I’ll call Kira and tell her you’re upsetting me. She’s gotten even more overprotective now that I’m pregnant.” And more bossy and more opinionated and more of a pain in the butt—who Krissy loved dearly, but still a pain in the butt, which was why Krissy needed to find the energy to go apartment hunting.

“Hmmm,” Spencer said. “It’s not like you to let Kira fight your battles. You going to blame that on pregnancy brain too?”

“No. I’m going to blame that on mother-protecting-the-health-of-her-unborn-baby brain. Stop trying to upset me, Spencer. What do you want?”

He had the good sense to look contrite. “You’re right. I’m sorry.” He leaned in and added, “And I’m sorry about the other day. When I told you—”

“Don’t.” She held up her hand to get him to stop talking. “You already apologized.” About ten times in ten different messages on her cell phone. “I don’t want to talk about it.” Or think about it. “So if that’s the only reason you’re here, you can take your friend and leave now.”

He looked at the man standing beside him. “This is Alfonso Gianelli, a newly acquired player with NYC United. He just arrived from Italy. I spoke with Derrick and then Kira yesterday. She said she could get him in for a full physical this morning. We’d like him to be able to start practicing with the team as soon as possible.”

Nice of her darling sister not to mention a word about it. Krissy held out her hand. “Nice to meet you.”

Alfonso smiled a charming smile, brought her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles.

Spencer flashed him an annoyed look and said something in what sounded like Italian. Alfonso dropped her hand.

Killjoy.

“He doesn’t speak much English,” Spencer said.

Krissy looked Alfonso over and smiled. “He doesn’t need to.”

“Is Kira here?”

“She’s in the back.” Krissy checked the spelling of Alfonso’s name on the paperwork Spencer had given her then wrote it on the label of a specimen cup and handed it to the patient along with two antiseptic cleansing wipes. “We’ll need a specimen for a basic urinalysis,” she told Spencer. “Does he need a drug screen?”

“Already done.”

“Bathroom’s over there.” Krissy pointed.

Spencer spoke to Alfonso in Italian and the other man walked toward the bathroom.

Krissy couldn’t stop herself from watching him walk away, even if she wanted to, which she didn’t. “That is one fine backside on that man.” Tight and round and just begging to be squeezed.

“Stop trying to make me jealous,” Spencer snapped.

“I’m not trying to make you jealous.” For that to happen he’d have to care about her, even the tiniest bit, which he didn’t. “I’m merely stating my opinion.” If verbalizing her opinion bothered Spencer, well, bonus points for that!

“How are you feeling?” he asked.

Now he was going to be nice? Which meant she should be nice too? Fine. “I’m feeling well. No more pains. Derrick has been checking my blood pressure three times a day. Mornings and afternoons it’s been running around one hundred and thirty-eight systolic, seventy-four diastolic. In the evenings it’s been spiking a bit. But I think that’s because by the evening time I’ve taken all I can handle of Kira commenting on everything I do and eat and telling me what I should be doing and eating.” She lowered her voice and looked him straight in the eye when she added, “While I know she loves me and just wants what’s best for me, she is absolutely driving me crazy, more crazy than you drive me, which is something I’d never thought possible. If I don’t find an apartment soon there’s a good chance I might wind up back in the hospital strapped to a bed in an isolation room for the rest of my pregnancy.”

And he was smiling again. Frustrating man. “You find something amusing about me being strapped to a bed in an isolation room for the rest of my pregnancy?”

His smile grew. He didn’t even try to hide it. “I find you amusing, Krissy. Always have.”

She looked away. “Not always.”

A woman carrying a small child walked in and got in line behind Spencer. Krissy leaned to the side to see her. “May I help you?” She needed a little break from the soon-to-be godfather of her baby.

Spencer stepped away, far enough to respect the woman’s privacy while Krissy checked her in. “You’re all set.” Krissy gave the woman a friendly smile as she handed back her insurance card. “A nurse will be with you in a few minutes.”

No sooner had the woman left to find a seat in the waiting room, Alfonso returned. Perfect timing. Krissy held out a little plastic tray and he set his urine specimen on it. Then she placed their new patient paperwork on a clipboard, hooked on a pen, and handed it to Spencer. “Do the best you can to help him fill this out. When you’re done, I’ll take you back.”

While Spencer and Alfonso took two chairs in the waiting room, Krissy accessed the computer system to see if Kira had already set up a new patient file for Alfonso. Of course her ever efficient sister had. Then she walked Alfonso’s urine specimen back to their small lab, slid on a pair of latex gloves, and completed a dipstick urinalysis. After waiting the required length of time, she loaded the normal results into the computer on the counter.

“Hey,” Kira said from behind her. “Why aren’t you out at the desk?”

Krissy turned around to face her. “Why didn’t you warn me Spencer was coming in today?”

Kira walked over to grab the phlebotomy tray. “Because I didn’t know he’d be here. He called the answering service over the weekend. They’ve been having problems getting immediate appointments with the general practitioner they’d been using. He asked if we could complete a physical exam on a new player today. He said someone on the athletic training staff would be bringing him over.” She handed the phlebotomy tray to Krissy. “Since you’re here, I need blood drawn in room three. Orders are here.” Kira handed Krissy her laptop. “I’ll go get started on the physical exam for Spencer’s soccer player.”

“No need.” Krissy stood. “I’ll do it.”

“You sure you feel up to it?” Kira studied her. “When I say feel up to it, I mean mentally and emotionally. He had you pretty upset the other day.”

“If Spencer is going to be a part of my baby’s life, I need to learn how to deal with him.” She walked toward the door. “Best I do it in a medical setting where there’s resuscitative equipment available.”

After drawing five tubes of blood from a middle-aged female and packaging them to be picked up for processing, Krissy freshened the paper liner on the exam table in room nine then returned to the waiting room. “Alfonso Gianelli,” she called out.

Alfonso smiled and stood. Spencer stood, too. When the men approached, Krissy said to Alfonso, “Are you okay with him going in with you?”

Alfonso looked at Spencer who said something in Italian.

Alfonso turned back to Krissy and said, “Yes.”

Krissy looked up at Spencer. “How do I know what he’s saying ‘yes’ to?”

“I’m here to translate,” Spencer said. “Word for word.” He walked past her. “Where do you want us?”

Krissy walked them back to the scale and took Alfonso’s height and weight. Then, with his back to the eye chart—because Krissy didn’t trust him not to cheat—Spencer helped translate Alfonso’s letters for the eye exam. After that Krissy walked them to the exam room where she completed a hearing exam and took Alfonso’s temperature, pulse, respirations, and blood pressure. Spencer watched every move she made.

After going through the physical exam health screening questions—with Spencer’s help—and entering all of the information into her laptop, Krissy took an exam gown from the drawer and handed it to Alfonso. “Please tell him to take everything off. The gown opens in the back.”

No sooner had she escaped to the hallway, Spencer caught up with her. “Hey,” he said, gently taking her by the arm. “Is there someplace we can talk in private?”

“I’m working.” Krissy tried to pull away.

He released her. “I know. So am I. It’ll only take a few minutes.”

Fine. Krissy switched the plastic markers to the right of the door to red, indicating the patient was ready to be seen by the doctor. Then she led Spencer into the staff lunchroom. Once inside she closed the door, picked up the receiver on the wall-mounted phone, and called the front desk. “I’m taking a break in the lunchroom if anyone needs me.”

After hanging up, she crossed her arms over her large belly and turned to look at Spencer. “You have two minutes.” She glanced at the clock on the microwave. “Go.”

He reached into the front pocket of his slacks and took out a folded up sheet of paper. “I know you’re supposed to be resting. Which I hope you’re doing?”

Since he looked more concerned than confrontational, she told him, “I am. And I’m taking it easy at work, too. Believe me, Kira makes sure of it.”

“Good. Figuring you might be too tired to do it yourself, I did some research,” he held up the paper. “From what I’ve read, a woman in her third trimester of pregnancy, which you’re in, should take Lamaze classes to learn how to breathe and cope with contractions, even if she’s thinking of getting an epidural.”

Wow. Of all the words that could have come out of Spencer Penn’s mouth at that moment, Krissy never would have expected to hear ‘Lamaze classes’ and ‘epidural’ tossed into a conversation.

When she didn’t respond, because, wow, she was still trying to process what’d just happened, Spencer kept right on talking. “This is a list of local hospitals and their birthing classes, everything from baby care to breastfeeding.”

Krissy fought back a smile. Did Spencer Penn really just say the word breastfeeding? This entire encounter could only be described as bizarre.

Either he didn’t pick up on her amusement or he didn’t care. “Your doctor’s office probably gives Lamaze classes, most do. You should find out about that when you go for your first appointment there. Is Kira going to be your coach?”

“My coach?”

“Come on, Krissy. You’re killing me.”

He rubbed his hand over his head and Krissy wondered if his hair was as soft as it looked. Jeez. Where the heck had that come from? She shook her head to clear her wayward thoughts and get back on topic.

“Haven’t you thought about who’s going to be in the delivery room with you?”

No, she hadn’t. In fact, she purposely worked very hard to occupy her mind so she didn’t have to think about it, which was getting tougher and tougher as her delivery date approached. Of course Kira would do it if she asked, but her sister already had so many responsibilities. Too many responsibilities. Yet the thought of going through it alone...she looked away from him through the window to the parking lot outside so he couldn’t see her fear. “Boy, you’re taking this godfather stuff pretty seriously. I’d kind of figured your responsibilities wouldn’t start until after the baby is born. So you can relax.” And back off. Unless...she swung back around. “Unless you don’t trust me to do what’s best for my baby.” That had to be it. “Unless you don’t think I’m capable of managing—”

“Whoa.” He held up both hands. “Calm down. I’m not here to upset you, I’m trying to help.”

“Well I don’t need your help. And I don’t need Kira’s help. I’m going to do this on my own. I can do it on my own. I will do it on my own.” She repeated her mantra of late.

“But you don’t have to do it on your own, Krissy. Jarrod wouldn’t want you to go through all of this on your own.”

Jarrod. God how she missed him, how she wished he was here. Tears pricked her eyes.

“Let me help you.”

“Why would you want to help me?” she snapped. “You blame me for Jarrod’s death.” Now she blamed herself, too. “You hate me.”

“I don’t hate you.”

Even though he towered over her, Krissy stared him down. “Liar.”

“I don’t. I know you’re not responsible for Jarrod’s death. He was an adult. He made his own decisions, however misguided they may have been. I’m sorry for what I said and how I acted when you came to my apartment. I was mean. You didn’t deserve it. Seems I had some unresolved issues where Jarrod’s death was concerned. But I’m over them now.” He motioned to a chair. “Please, sit down. You look ready to collapse.”

Now that he mentioned it, she kind of felt ready to collapse, too. Probably because this was the most energy she’d exerted since she’d left the hospital three days ago. So she sat.

Spencer sat, too.

“Glad I was available to help you resolve your issues,” Krissy said, even if, as a result, she now felt even more weighted down by guilt. “Happy to be of service.” In truth she wasn’t happy at all. Rather than look at him, Krissy reached to take a packet of artificial sweetener from the basket in the center of the table and started flipping it between her fingers.

“Hey.” Spencer reached over, slid a knuckle under her chin, and tilted her face up so she had to look at him. “I’m sorry, truly sorry, from the bottom of my cold, unfeeling heart,” he said, with such sincerity she believed him. But the damage was done, the truth had come out—about Jarrod and about what Spencer really thought of her—and there’d be no unhearing it.

Only moving her eyes, Krissy glanced at the clock on the microwave. “You’ve exceeded your two minutes.” She didn’t like this nice, self-deprecating version of Spencer, didn’t like the way it made her feel, didn’t know how to respond to it.

Spencer released her chin and held out his hand. “Can we have a truce? Maybe start fresh?”

“Why?”

He reached down to her lap and took her hand into his. “We were friends once, good friends for a long time.”

But they weren’t friends anymore.

“And that’s my best friend’s baby in there.” He pointed to her belly. “Can’t we put our differences aside and do what’s best for Jarrod’s baby?”

Rather than remind him that little J.J. was part her baby too, Krissy thought about his proposal. She’d spent most of the last five and a half years traveling from place to place and had no local friends, as in good friends she’d feel comfortable calling for help in the middle of the night, in White Plains, where she now lived to be close to her sister. It’d be nice to know, in case of emergency, she had someone she could call aside from Kira and Derrick.

“Come on,” Spencer said with a handsome smile. He let go of her hand and held his out. “Friends?”

After a brief hesitation, more to make him wait than anything else, Krissy shook it. “Friends.”

“Good.” Spencer unfolded the paper he’d set down on the table and turned it so she could read what he’d written.

“On top,” he pointed, “is the hospital information. Down here,” he moved his finger lower, “is the rental agent for my building.”

“Whoa.” Krissy sat back. “No.”

“It’s not my intent to overstep, but you mentioned you needed an apartment.”

“I am not moving into your building.”

He looked offended. “Why not? It’s nice. It has security. It has ample parking and is close to shopping, Derrick’s office, and White Plains Hospital. Also, I checked, they have two one bedroom units and three two bedroom units available for immediate occupancy. With a recommendation from me, you could probably be in by the end of this week, early next, assuming your credit’s okay.”

While Krissy liked the sound of ‘immediate occupancy’, “I can’t afford it.”

“I happen to know you were the sole beneficiary of a huge life insurance policy. You couldn’t possibly have...” He hesitated, his eyes studying her face as he seemed to be trying to figure out the safest way to finish his statement.

Krissy stared back, at a crossroad. She could pounce on him for even thinking she’d blow through all the money Jarrod had left her. Or she could avoid confrontation and take the high road, so to speak, which is what she decided to do. After all, Spencer was trying to be nice. She could try too. “I have every cent Jarrod left me, and it’s been accruing interest for the past five years.”

Spencer let out a relieved breath. “Good. Then you can afford—”

“No I can’t. I need someplace cheap. What if my baby is a genius and wants to go to an Ivy League college? I want to be able to send him. Then there’s graduate school or medical school.”

Spencer smiled. “Getting a little ahead of yourself there, aren’t you? The baby’s not even born yet and you’re planning his college education?”

“No. I’m being a responsible parent and trying to ensure the best future I can give my and Jarrod’s son.”

Spencer simply stared at her with an odd look on his face.

“What?”

“Nothing,” he answered, glancing away. “I just...didn’t...”

Krissy finished for him, “Expect I’d want to be a good, responsible parent?” She could have gotten offended. Instead she looked down at her belly and rubbed each side. “Jarrod entrusted me with a part of him. He believed in me, believed I’d make a good mother for his child. I’m honored to have his baby, to give his parents a grandson. I loved him, maybe not the same way he loved me,” she wiped at a tear threatening to spill out of her right eye, “but I did love him. And I love our baby and will do everything in my power to see he grows up happy and healthy and is afforded every opportunity I can give him.”

She lifted her eyes to Spencer. “I’m not the same person I was in high school. I may not do things according to everyone else’s schedule, but I do what needs to be done by the time it needs to be done.”

She pushed back from the table and stood. “Thank you for this information.” She picked the paper up from the table, folded it, and slid it into the pocket of her scrub top.

Spencer stood, too. “I picked my apartment building, because I’m there. Well, not all the time. It’s soccer season now, so I’m busier than during off season. I rotate traveling to away games with another assistant athletic trainer.” He slid his hands into the front pockets in his slacks, the move relaxed and confident and oh, so sexy. “What I’m trying to say is, I thought it would be nice for you to have a friend close by just in case. Middle of the night? I can hop on the elevator, be there in minutes, rather than getting into the car and driving to wherever you are. Unless there’s some other guy you’d rather call, then by all means, call him. Either way, I don’t plan on bothering you.”

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