Page 11 of Unintended Love

She needed help. It was over three hundred and fifty miles to Addis Ababa and her OB/GYN. Javier had always made arrangements for the helicopter to take them to the doctor. She hadn’t a clue about how to do that. He’d always taken care of everything. She rarely even walked into the small town outside the compound. She never had a reason. A cook came into their house three days a week, who always made so much extra food that they had plenty left over for the other days. Sometimes, she and Javier would be invited to the big house to eat with the Riggs family. On rare occasions, they would join Javier’s team and eat in the large dining hall in the men’s barracks.

Theodora had never been to either place by herself. Her world in Ethiopia revolved around Javier.

And now he was gone.

The baby rolled against the bottom of her stomach. She leaped out of bed and ran to the bathroom, making it just in time to fall to her knees in front of the toilet and empty her stomach.

What was she going to do without Javier?

With nothing left inside her stomach, she rinsed her mouth out with water, wiped the most recent tears with the hand towel, and crawled back in bed.

The baby didn’t feel right. She was afraid she was going to lose it, the only thing she had left of her husband. She couldn’t do that. She gently rubbed her hand over her growing bump and made up her mind. There was only one person she could call.

“Clint Riggs.” His voice seemed almost angry.

“Clint,” she said just above a whisper. It took her a minute to control her breathing enough to speak.

“Who is this?” It was a harsh demand. Had she made a mistake calling him? She had no other choice.

She sniffed back her fear. “It’s me, Theodora. I’m so sorry to call you so soon.” She burst into tears. “I think there’s something wrong with the baby.”

“I’ll be right there,” he promised.

It only felt like a few minutes before there was a knock on the front door. She started to get out of bed, but her stomach rolled as though she was going to throw up again. Theodora decided she’d be better off staying where she was. “In the bedroom.” She hoped he could hear her weak voice.

As the front door opened, she heard Clint talking to someone. “Thanks for coming, Doc. I know you normally take care of our men’s bullet wounds and stabbing injuries, but I didn’t know who else to call.”

“I don’t know how much I can help. It’s been over ten years since I did my OB/GYN rotation.”

“I’m quite sure you can do a hell of a lot more than I could.” She heard boots on the tile in the foyer before Clint’s now-familiar voice called, “Theodora? I have Doctor Barnes with me. May we come in?”

“Yes, please, hurry,” she begged.

Clint entered first, the doctor on his heels. They both stopped and glanced around the bedroom.

What must they think? The room was rather dark. She loved the red scarf that was draped over the nightstand lamp, the only light on in the room. Theodora lay propped on half a dozen red and black pillows, one knee bent and the other leg straight. Her red robe now missing, she only wore the black baby-doll pajamas laced with red. She probably looked like she was posed for a sexy magazine shoot, but it was the only comfortable position.

“Oh, Clint, thank you for coming so quickly.” She rubbed her baby bump. That usually calmed their child, but this morning it was having no part of comforting its internal gymnastics.

Clint stopped two feet inside the door and stepped aside for the doctor, who went immediately to his patient, setting his bag on the end of the king-size bed. “Hello, ma’am, I’m Doctor Joshua Barnes. Everybody calls me Doc,” he said in the gentlest voice she’d ever heard a physician use. “Tell me what’s happening.” He held out the round end of his stethoscope. “May I listen to the baby?”

“Sure.” She glanced over at Clint.

He turned to leave. “I’ll just step outside.”

“Clint, please don’t leave me,” she pleaded and held out her hand. “I’m afraid of more bad news. Please stay with me.”

He hesitated. Resignation washed over his face. She somehow knew he was feeling responsible for her and her baby. Clint moved out of the way of the doctor. When she reached up and grabbed his hand, he started to jerk it away, but then allowed her to hold his hand during the excruciatingly long examination. In truth, it probably only lasted a few minutes, but it felt like hours. Each time before the doctor went to touch her, he first looked up at Clint, as though asking permission. What was with that?

Finally, Doc Barnes announced, “Everything sounds good to me. You and the baby both have good, strong heartbeats.” After giving her a reassuring smile, he glanced up at Clint with a wide grin. Returning his gaze to her, he announced, “You need to make an appointment for an ultrasound and a thorough checkup. I take it your OB/GYN is down in Addis Ababa. In the meantime, you should rest.” He packed up his bag, and Clint tried to let go of Theodore’s hand as he walked toward the bedroom door.

“Clint, please don’t leave me.” She sounded desperate even to her own ears.

“Let me walk the doctor out. Then I’ll be back.” Halfway to the door, he turned his attention back to her. “Have you talked to your mother? What arrangements have been made?”

She heard the urgency in his voice about those decisions. “No, not yet. But I’ll call her right now.” She picked up her phone, but she hesitated when she heard them talking.

“I heard rumors that you got married, but I had no idea she was here in the compound…and pregnant. I’ll be discreet,” Doc swore. “Of course I won’t mention anything to your family.”