Starlet Teaser

“I feel like I’m going to die,” I groaned from the bathroom floor. “I can’t keep anything down, Edward!”

“Bella, you’ve been like this for two weeks. Please, let me take you to the doctor,” Edward whispered, brushing back my damp hair. “This flu should have been gone by now.”

“I don’t want to puke in your car,” I muttered. Starlet whimpered, curling to my side. She knew her mommy was sick and she was protecting me from Edward. Not that he’d do anything to me, but she was my baby girl.

“Bella, I don’t care about the car. I care about you. You are throwing up all of the time and you’re wasting away. I’m taking you to the doctor. I’ve already called and you have an appointment in an hour. Do you want me to help you shower?” he asked, helping me sit up. He brushed my sweat soaked hair away from my face. I was weak. I nodded. Besides, I wasn’t about to turn away a chance to see my husband naked. He was seriously a vision of perfection with strong arms, muscled abs and an ass that…hmmm…I wonder if he’d be interested in some shower naked fun time.

He wouldn’t do anything. As much as I wanted him, he was worried and took care of me like I was newborn kitten. His hands, gentle and tender, washed my body and massaged shampoo in my hair. Hastily, he washed his own body while I dried off. I puked once more. I was sitting on the closed toilet, trying to keep the rest of my meager stomach contents inside. Edward lovingly blew dry my hair and dressed me in a pair of yoga pants and one of his sweatshirts.

Starlet yipped as we left, hating when we left her alone, but it was necessary. Driving to our doctor, we went in the back entrance. The paps were always trying to get a scoop on celebrities about pregnancies, foot fungi or any other illnesses. The more salacious the scoop, the more they got paid. As far as I knew, I had the stomach flu that wouldn’t leave. Thankfully, my doctor was aware of my celebrity and I never had to wait in the waiting room. Usually, I was in and out within an hour. For whatever reason, I knew that this would not be as cut and dry.

Settling into the exam room, I put on the hospital gown and waited for the doctor. The nurse had already weighed me, had me pee in a cup and took my temperature and blood pressure. I had lost almost ten pounds, my temperature was normal but my blood pressure was elevated. The nurse said it was probably due to my constant nausea. I grimaced, leaning against my husband while we waited for Dr. Banner. Ten minutes after the nurse left, Dr. Banner breezed in. She was an older, no-nonsense doctor who I trusted completely.

“Your husband called me in a tizzy this morning, Isabella,” she chided. “You can’t keep anything down?”

“Not for over two weeks,” I answered glumly, rubbing my churning belly. “And it’s worse in the morning. Usually after I choke down some food, I can keep it down, but certain things cause me to bolt out of a room like a bat out of hell.”

“Anything else?” Dr. Banner asked. “No fever? No diarrhea?”

“Just the nausea and this insatiable hunger for my husband,” I snorted, giving Edward a sheepish look. “If you catch my drift.”

“Hmmm,” Dr. Banner smiled. “Let me check something. I’ll be right back.”

Weakly, I leaned against my husband. My nose wrinkled. His body wash was causing my stomach to turn. Just as I was about to hurl all over his lap, he put a garbage can under my nose and rubbed my back while I wretched. Dr. Banner came back in as I held the can feebly, sitting on the examination table. I couldn’t sit next to my husband until he showered again with new body wash. “Bella? When was your last period?” Dr. Banner asked, giving me a secretive little smile.