Lauren stared at the phone pressed against her ear, barely processing the words that had just left Dr. Patel’s mouth.
Pregnant.
Her heart slammed against her ribs, her fingers tightening around the edges of the couch cushion. She swore she misheard. That wasn’t what he said. It couldn’t be.
"Sorry, what?" she managed to croak out.
Dr. Patel’s voice remained calm, gentle. "Lauren, you're pregnant."
The words rang in her ears, bouncing off the walls of her brain like a pinball machine. Her throat felt dry. Her entire body went rigid.
Pregnant.
Larry must’ve seen her face because he sat up straighter, concern flashing in his eyes. "Lauren?" His voice cut through the fog, and he reached for her wrist. "What is it? What did he say?"
Lauren didn’t answer. She couldn’t.
Because holy. fre
