“What for?”
“For being such an asshole back at the hotel. You told me you didn’t wanna be with me, and I should have just accepted that. It’s not exactly my choice.”
She nodded and looked down at the boring white sheets over her body. The whole room was white. It was enough to drive her nuts. “Yeah. That’s not why I’m crying, you know.”
“I figured as much.”
Several seconds passed, and she began to pick at her nails. “I lost the baby, Nick.”
He sat down next to her and pulled her into a hug. “I know. The doctor told us.”
“Does anyone know it’s yours?”
“No, they think it’s Joel’s.”
She sighed. “I was under too much stress. I feel awful. The worst part is that I didn’t even want it in the first place. I didn’t appreciate the fact that a little life was growing inside me. Now I want it more than anything.”
“It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have fought with you.”
“Dammit, Nick, it’s not your fault! It’s mine! I should have realized how precious it was and taken some time off or something. I was the one who let myself get that stressed out.” She sighed. “So many couples would have killed to have a baby, and I had the chance and I probably would have ended up getting rid of it somehow.”
Just as Nick opened his mouth to comfort her, a tall guy with tan skin, brown hair and brown eyes burst into the room. He spoke up before Nick could get a word out. “Oh my God, Liz, I came in on the first flight available! Are you all right?”
She looked up and for the first time in days, a genuine smile spread across her face. “Joel!”
Nick immediately backed off. “I think I’m gonna go down and get something to eat,” he mumbled.
“Liz, why didn’t you tell me you were pregnant?”
“I – I – Well…”
“It’s something I helped create.”
She let out a sigh of relief. He didn’t even know it was Nick’s. She would have to tell the doctor it was Joel’s, too. She would be coming in soon to ask questions. She had let Liz deal with the shock first. Joel would never have to find out. “I just found out a few days ago.”
“Gosh, we haven’t seen each other in two and a half months. You’d think you would have noticed earlier.”
“Yeah, I thought so, too, but I didn’t.” She began to cry again. “I wish I hadn’t lost it. I shouldn’t have worked so hard.”
“Hey, hey, it isn’t your fault,” Joel whispered, pulling her into a hug.
Meanwhile, Nick listened to their conversation in complete disbelief. She didn’t tell him. How could she not tell him? The poor guy thought it was his baby.