One month later

 

Audra sat in her office, preparing to leave, when a nurse rushed in, saying a lady was in the lobby, calling her.

 

“My shift has ended, nurse Jude. Go and ask the other doctors to go and see her.“ She responded, taking off her white coat.

 

Normally, she would have gone even if her shift had ended, but today she couldn't. She had forced herself to come to the hospital, and she planned to leave the moment her shift ended.

 

Audra hadn't been feeling well for a week now. She had been feeling nauseous, and to eat, she had to force herself, even though most of the time she threw up all she had eaten.

 

Her assistant had asked her to run a test and see what was wrong with her, but she thought there was no need for that because she was just tired.

 

She was going through a lot of things at the moment, and she knew everything would be better soon.

 

“That's what I wanted to do, but...

 

“But what? I really can't see any other patients at the moment, Jude. I myself am not feeling that well.“ She cut her short, arranging the files on the table and preparing to leave.

 

“The lady's husband has refused. He said only a female doctor can take care of his wife. The lady is in labor, and if we keep on dragging time, something bad might happen to her. This won't ruin the hospital's reputation but yours as well, since your name is on the duty roster that you are on today.“ Nurse Jude advised.

 

Taking nurse Jude's words into consideration, Audra put her coat on and walked out of her office. This was not the first time that she had to deal with possessive husbands who didn't want any male doctors to touch their wives, and honestly, she was yet to get used to it.

 

“What is it, ma'am? How are you feeling?“ She asked, gently squeezing her shoulder. The woman kept on groaning without saying anything. “What happened to her?“ She asked the panicking husband.

 

“I think she is going into labor. Please do something, doctor.“ The husband pleaded.

 

Right, she is in labor. Audra said to herself, recalling that nurse Jude had mentioned it when she came to call her.

 

Audra instructed the lady to be taken to the emergency room since her condition wasn't that good.

 

She had gone into labor earlier than expected, and the baby's pulse couldn't be felt. Her own sickness wore away as she sank into her job.

 

The lady had to be taken to the emergency room, where the baby was conceived through an operation.

 

Audra sighed in relief when the operation went well. The mother was fine, as was the baby, even though she was born prematurely.

 

The husband, who was all that while pacing around in the lobby waiting for the doctor's to come out, sprang to his feet when he saw the red lights in the operation room going off.

 

He almost knocked down Audra at the door when he went to ask her how the operation was.

 

“The operation went well. We had to perform a C-section surgery to rescue the baby.“ She responded, supporting herself with the door since her world was swiveling around and her sight was becoming blurry.

 

“What of my baby?“ The husband asked, panic evident in his eyes.

 

“The baby is fine too, but she'll be put into an incubator since she's born premature.“ She explained it to him.

 

“Thank you, doctor. Can I see my wife now?“

 

“Yes, but she is asleep. One of the doctors will lead her to her room since I have transferred wards for her.“

 

When the man left to see his wife, Audra thanked the other doctors for helping her with the surgery, even though their shifts had ended just like hers, and left for her office.

 

“Are you feeling well, doctor Audra?“ Nurse Jude asked, walking in after her. “I saw you struggling to walk, and I thought I should come and see you.“

 

“It's like I said earlier, Jude. I am not feeling too well, but I'll head home now. By tomorrow morning, everything will be fine.“ She responded while stretching her hand to grab her cay key from the table.

 

She wanted to run out of there and head home before another possessive guy walked in, demanding a female doctor.

 

Audra had never figured out if it was coincidence or just timing because anytime she was on duty was when those possessive men always came in and when her shift had ended.

 

She always had to work some extra hours because of them. At first, it was hard, but she is now used to it. But not on a day like today, when she was sick.

 

“Are you sure? I'll advise you to see a doctor before things get worse, or you can let me run tests for you.“ Nurse Jude insisted on not believing that Audra was okay.

 

“Like I said, Jude, I am fine.“ Audra sighed and turned to walk out of there, but the dizziness she was feeling overpowered her.

 

She tried to grip the table but failed, so she stumbled forward. When she thought she would fall, she felt herself falling into someone's arms.

 

“Doctor Amos, I need your help here. Doctor Audra has passed out.“ That was the last thing she had before sinking into darkness.

* * *

“Hey, you are awake.“ A voice said this when Audra opened her eyes and started looking around.

 

“Where am I?“ She asked weakly, trying to sit. She had tried to remember what had happened, but nothing was coming into her head.

 

“You passed out when heading home. It's a good thing that nurse Jude was with you, or else you would have injured your head.“ The doctor responded, looking at the IV drop beside her.

 

“For how long have I been sleeping, Doctor Amos?“ Audra asked, finally sitting.

 

“An hour and a half. You haven't been taking care of yourself, Audra, have you?“ Doctor Amos replied while writing something in his notebook.

 

“A lot of things are going on in my life at the moment; that's why. Can I have water, please?“ She asked when she felt her throat itching dryly.

 

Doctor Amos reached for a jug on the bedside table, then poured a glass of water for her. He brought the glass to her lips while saying, "Whether things are going on in your life or not, you need to take care of yourself unless you have a spare body at home.“

 

Audra chuckled at his joke, then promised him to take care of herself. “ So. What's wrong with me? Malaria? Fever? or am I just tired?“ She asked.

 

Doctor Amos looked at her with a wide smile on his face.

 

Audra narrowed her eyes at him, wondering what it was that he was happy about. Now sure that Audra had no idea, doctor Amos pulled paper from the file on the table and gave it to her. "Congratulation, Audra; you are one month pregnant.“ He announced.

 

Audra, who wasn't expecting that at all, froze. She was pregnant. How? That was impossible!

 

The memories of that evening one month ago, when Warren suddenly came to the house, came haunting her. After he was done with her, she forgot to take pills, even though she had said to herself that she would do so.

 

She started going after the divorce papers, then looked for houses, and after she had settled in her new house, she forgot about the pills, and that was the result.

 

How can she be pregnant with a man who has never loved her?

 

A man who didn't hesitate to throw her out of the house when his childhood sweetheart came from abroad?

 

“Should I tell him about the baby?“ Audra asked herself while chewing her nails.