The throbbing pain left her momentarily speechless, rendering a reply to Mitchel impossible.
©
The lines of Mitchelâs face deepened as he knocked again, his tone impatient.
âWhatâs going on?â
The clamor was reminiscent of a fallen object.
Mitchelâs mind immediately leapt to the worst-case scenarioâAriana fainting.
He dove towards a nearby drawer, rummaging for the changing room key.
Ariana, meanwhile, pushed aside the wheelchair that had assaulted her ankle and endeavored to rise.
But as she made the attempt, pain flared up anew, resulting ina cold sweat breaking out on her forehead.
It had been a day filled with unexpected falls.
She ruefully reflected on her decisions.
If only she had not sought Holden, this chain of mishaps could have been avoided.
And to top it all off, she hadnât even been able to see him.
Just as her mind circled this thought, another knock resonated from the door.
Mitchelâs voice, steady and calm, drifted in, âAriana, if you donât answer, Iâll have to come in.
â
The sound of a key turning in the lock followed his warning.
Ariana, who was not yet fully dressed, mustered a weak response.
âPlease, wait outside.
Iâm alright, just not finished dressing yet.
â
Hearing Arianaâs frail voice, Mitchel suspected her condition was far from alright.
âs
âHave you fallen?â he questioned.
âYes,â she admitted, voice strained.
âI was leaning on my wheelchair when it tipped.
I tumbled down with it.
â Annoyance flickered through her as she wrestled with the half-on pants, replacing them with her dirty skirt.
©
âCan you stand now?â Mitchel knocked twice on the door, concern lacing his voice.
Ariana made an attempt to rise, only to discover her other foot had suffered a twist.
As if the universe had decided to play a cruel joke on her, labor pains seized her.
She gripped her belly, focusing all her energy on calming herself.
Summoning what strength she could muster, she answered Mitchel, âI canât get up.
I need to rest a bit.
â
Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updatesâ¦
Mitchelâs brows knitted together in concern.
âYour voice doesnât sound too good.
I should come in and check.
â He began to tum the key in the lock, only to be stopped by Arianaâs outburst.
âDonât come in! Iâm not dressed yet.
â Pain had begun to paint a sheen of sweat on Arianaâs forehead.
She gently stroked her belly, hoping to calm the baby.
To Mitchel, in this predicament, gender barriers were immaterial.
Heâd spent so many hours studying the human anatomy in the lab, and to him, bodies were merely subjects of study.
Softening his tone, he tried to reassure her.
âAriana, let me in.
As a surgeon, Iâve seen countless bodies.
To me, youâre just another patient.
â
âI understand.
Just wait,â Ariana replied, knowing she couldnât continue in this state.
Leaning against the wall, she took a deep breath, hoping to quiet the turbulence within her and soothe the baby in her womb.