“And she will be,” Dr. Feingold assured, urging him to sit down next to her on a bench. Ryan sat stiffly.
“What happened?” Ryan asked.
“She was having some breakthrough bleeding and some cramping. She was right to come into the Emergency Room. We did all the routine tests, though, and everything is fine, both with Faith and the fetus.”
“Why was she bleeding then?”
“It’s not uncommon. Lots of women have spotting while they’re pregnant. It was more the cramping I was concerned about, but as it turns out, Faith had vomited. Her cramps were more associated with an upset stomach than the baby.”
Ryan nodded numbly. “She was upset,” he mumbled, his gaze turning down the hallway. “I have to see her, Dr. Feingold.”
“All right. Just try to keep her calm. I’m going to keep her overnight, just for observation. She can go home in the morning.”
Ryan nodded, barely hearing the doctor, his entire focus on seeing Faith.
* * *
Faith stared out the hospital room window. Light was fading. It would soon be night. It was funny, how a scare like the one she’d just been through made you reconsider so much, really made you appreciate the things you daily overlooked and took for granted, like the beauty of a new day or the simple touch or smile of a loved one. A visit to the hospital really made you think about what was important, and what wasn’t.
She turned eagerly at the sound of the knock at her door.
“Ryan,” she called, smiling. Tears burned in her eyelids. He looked so tall and straight and wonderful...and worried, she realized regretfully as he entered the room.
“I’m so glad to see you,” she said, a rush of love going through her at the sight of him. “The baby is going to be okay. Did anyone tell you?”
She couldn’t quite read his expression as he came next to the bed.
“Ryan? Did you hear me?” she asked. “The baby is going to be fine.”
His dark eyes looked desperate...a little wild.
“I only wanted to know you were all right,” he said.
For a few seconds they just stared at each other. What he’d said had pierced straight to her heart. Why had she been so certain he was only interested in her out of pity because of Jesse’s infidelities or because she carried his child? How else could she possibly interpret the worry and love pouring out of his eyes at this very minute?
“Oh, Ryan, I’m so sorry about running off like that without letting you explain. It’s just...Jesse...and Melanie...and seeing you holding her,” she choked out tearfully.
“She’s been trying to get in contact with me because she’s carrying around a guilt complex about the crash. She feels responsible.”
Faith froze. “Was she?”
“No. It’s not uncommon for a pilot to feel that way after an accident. I’m not best friends with Melanie or anything, but I do feel bad for her. It’s hard for a pilot not to feel compassion for another one in that situation. It’s all of our worst nightmare. Anyway, Melanie misses Jesse and was breaking down when you walked in. I’ve been telling her it was inappropriate for her to come to your house, but she’s been so persistent—”
“I figured it was probably something like that, once I had the chance to really think about it. Being in the hospital like this, feeling terrified that something was wrong with the baby...well, it really gives you a chance to reflect on things,” she said, sobbing softly.
“Don’t get upset, honey. Please,” Ryan implored.
“No, no, it’s okay. I’m all right. I’m just sorry for judging you like that.”
“It’s okay,” he said, his heart plastered all over his usually impassive, top-gun facade. He set his hip on the bed and hugged her tightly.
“Oh, Ryan, I love you,” she said in a pressured fashion against his shirt.
“I love you, too, Faith,” he said, running his hand over her hair, soothing her. “I think I’ve been in love with you since Christmas Eve. At first I doubted what I was feeling. Later, after I returned to Michigan, I started to trust in it. But I could tell you weren’t going to buy it after all you’d been through with Jesse...with me...with us falling for each other so hard and so fast.”
She sniffed and rubbed her cheek against his shirt. “I should have trusted you, Ryan. I should have trusted this,” she said, hugging him closer to her.
He cupped her head in his hand, urging her to lean her head back. She did so, never finding the sight of his face so compelling as she did at that moment, with his love exposed.