SWNOVELS Chapter My CEO 344
344 Mid Flight Worry (Winona)
The hum of the engines is a constant, steady sound, almost like a lullaby. Abby is curled up with her favorite stuffed animal, chatting with Sarah, who's sharing her earbuds and explaining how the game on her tablet works.
Bobby is deep in concentration, lost in some bullding game of his own, while Henry naps peacefully beside me, the soft beeping of his monitor like background music.
I touch his little hand and marvel at how much he's grown.
I do feel peaceful, but something is off with me. There's a tightness in my chest, and every time I shift in my seat, I get hit with another wave of dizziness.
The headache, a dull throb at the base of my skull, persists. I press my fingers to my temples, trying to stave it off. I know I do need the bathroom.
I stand up and my lightheadedness has me gripping the seat to steady myself.
"Ma'am, are you alright?" one of the medical team asks.
I force a smile. "I'm fine, just a little dizzy. I think it's the excitement and stress catching up with me. I stood up too quickly."
"You haven't eaten yet, have you?"
"I'm not hungry. I just need the bathroom."
'She doesn't look convinced, but she nods.
I make my way to the toilet and back out without problem. But I am forcing myself to look and act normal.
As soon as I'm back on the sofa, the nurse is kneeling beside me. "Let's check your blood pressure and heart rate, just to be safe."
"I'm sure that's not needed. Maybe a sleep will help."
"You'll sleep better knowing everything is fine. This won't take long."
I nod, leaning back as she wraps the cuff around my arm. The machine whirs, tightening around my bicep, and I focus on my kids to distract myself.
Abby's laughing at something Sarah just said, and Bobby's completely in his own world, barely blinking as his fingers dance across the tablet screen. Henry, oblivious to it all, sleeps in his bassinet.
"Do you have a headache, Ma'am?"
"I do a little. Yes."
I
The medic frowns slightly as she reads the results. "Your blood pressure's a bit low. Nothing to panic about, but I'd like you to drink some electrolytes and maybe eat something light. It could be dehydration. But it might be a virus too."
"Probably exhaustion," I joke, trying to sound casual, but inside, a tiny ripple of worry starts forming. The
344 Mid Flight Worry
last thing I need is to get sick on this trip.
The kids are depending on me to hold it together.
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"It's very possible," she says, handing me a bottle of electrolyte drink. "Stress and exhaustion can do a lot more than people realize. Have you been under more stress than usual lately?"
I give a short laugh. "More than usual? Well, packing up four kids and flying halfway around the world to reunite with my husband certainly qualifies, don't you think?"
She chuckles lightly, but her face remains serious. "That would definitely do it. But let's rule out anything else. Have you been eating and drinking enough lately?"
"I thought I had," I mutter, taking a sip of the electrolyte drink. "I've been a little distracted, though."
"If the symptoms persist I'd suggest a blood test to rule out virus."
"No problem."
"Right now, hydration, food and sleep are your best options."
"I can do all of that."
She glances down at her clipboard, scanning through her list. "Any chance you could be pregnant?"
The question feels like a punch to the gut, knocking the breath out of me. Pregnancy? No. It's impossible. Abby was a miracle. Doctors said I shouldn't expect that to happen ever again.
It's just life's sick joke to make me now feel like I did when I was pregnant. The dizziness, the fatigue, the headache-all familiar. But I know I'll never know the joy of carrying my own child again. 'Even if I did, the chances are zero that I could carry it beyond the first trimester.
I shake my head. "No, that's not possible," I say quickly, "I have a condition. My daughter was a one-in-a-million case." I try to sound convincing, but inside, my heart is breaking all over again, With Henry being here, I'd thought I was over feeling despair about my situation. I got to have Abby. I'm grateful. Now we have Henry to share. Not mine biologically but he's mine in every other way.
"Well, it's probably just stress and dehydration then," she says, still jotting something down. "Make sure to drink the whole bottle and eat something now. Then try and sleep."
I force another smile, even though my mind is spinning in every direction. I finish the electrolyte drink, but my thoughts keep going back to pregnancy.
How I'd love the chance to share a pregnancy with Jayden now. The doctors were clear after Abby. My endometriosis had damaged everything so badly that having another baby wasn't just unlikely-it was next to impossible. They told me I should count my blessings with Abby because she was my miracle.
We always called her that. Now Henry is our second miracle baby.
J put the empty bottle in the trash and glance at the kids again. They're fine, lost in their own little blissfully unaware of the chaos in my head. Their carers are chatting with them and checking in.
e worlds,
"I'm going for a lie down." I tell the carer nearest me. "Abby can join me if she gets sleepy."
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344 Mid Flight Worry
"Yes, Mrs. Brennan. We'll make sure they all get a rest."
"Wake me when Henry wakes, I'd like to feed him."
"We will." She smiles.
The bed is comfortable, but sleep evades me. I can't shut off my stupid mind. I'm angry at myself for thinking thoughts that trigger my past trauma,
What if I am pregnant?
What if, against all odds, it's happening again?
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