Picturing Perfect by Melissa Brown, Lori Sabin Page A
Authors: Melissa Brown, Lori Sabin
Tags: Contemporary
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mine. We swayed to the song, as I dreaded the familiar chords of the final verse.
"Jase, I—"
"I know you have a boyfriend," Jason said softly into my ear. "But, I'm not giving up."
"You're not?" I asked, feeling like the wind had been knocked out of me.
"Nope."
"What do you mean?"
"The right guy gets the girl, remember? I'm going to show you who that guy is."
So desperately I wanted to kiss him. I wanted to pretend that our future wasn't already doomed from the start. I wanted to tell him that I had been in love with him for fourteen years. Instead, I glanced at the lily on my wrist.
"You bought me a corsage tonight because I didn't have one at Homecoming?" I said, a tear forming in my eye.
"Yep."
"You remember so much."
"I remember everything, Haddie. Everything."
The song ended, and I forced myself to pull away. Before I was able to utter a word, Warren tapped Jason's shoulder.
"May I cut in?" he asked. Jason smiled widely and patted him on the shoulder. He was so gracious even in times of thick, unfathomable tension.
"Of course, buddy."
Jason kissed my hand.
"Another dance later, perhaps?"
Unable to resist smiling at his charm, I nodded.
"Perhaps," I replied, a tear rolling down my cheek.
And just like that night fourteen years ago, the rest of the evening was a total blur. I know I danced with Warren, and I'm pretty sure I danced with several other clients. But, the best four minutes of the evening was the short time Jason Kelly held me in his arms.
Barry Manilow sang softly through the speakers of my gynecologist's office. I was just here for my annual exam several months ago and truthfully, I was embarrassed to be back again so soon. Most of the women in the waiting area were in their late twenties or thirties. Most of them appeared to be pregnant. Some looked uncomfortable with large, bulging bellies. One woman had a tiny little bump but was clearly ready for people to acknowledge her pregnancy. She was wearing a maternity blouse that accentuated her belly, and she continuously rubbed her tummy as she waited to be called back to an exam room.
The paperwork was ridiculous. Questions about screenings, blood tests, ultrasounds, etc. My head was swimming as I paged through it all. I wished my mom were there to know which boxes to check. Better safe than sorry. Checking all the boxes, I signed off on every screening possible. When I finished checking the final box, a nurse called me back. Before even saying a word, she placed a plastic cup in my hand.
"We need a sample from you. Write your name on the cup, put the cap back on and leave it in the window inside the bathroom. Then meet me in Room 4."
"All right."
Geez, that was a lot of instructions. My brain was on overload. And as silly as it may sound, I felt like the nurse was judging me with her eyes. Thinking about how stupid young people are these days, having unprotected sex, blah blah blah. I forced myself to take a deep breath and followed the directions I was given.
After leaving my urine sample, I made my way to room 4. The nurse was waiting for me. She took my blood pressure and weight before asking me to remove my sweatshirt. It was time for blood work. Vial after vial sat on the table, taunting me.
"Um, are you going to fill all of those?" The blood drained from my face.
"It's not as much as it seems. Can you make a fist for me?"
The nurse pressed on my skin to find a vein. Turning my head, I stared at the wall, feeling a pinch.
"Okay, open your hand," she said softly. Her voice was surprisingly soothing.
She finished filling several vials before covering my arm with a Band-Aid and patting me gently on the forearm. Next, she handed me a gown. I noticed a large machine in the room with a projection screen on the wall.
"Dr. Myers is going to give you an internal ultrasound. You'll need to remove your pants and underwear. There's a sheet for you to cover up."
"All right." I felt like that was the only phrase in my current
"Jase, I—"
"I know you have a boyfriend," Jason said softly into my ear. "But, I'm not giving up."
"You're not?" I asked, feeling like the wind had been knocked out of me.
"Nope."
"What do you mean?"
"The right guy gets the girl, remember? I'm going to show you who that guy is."
So desperately I wanted to kiss him. I wanted to pretend that our future wasn't already doomed from the start. I wanted to tell him that I had been in love with him for fourteen years. Instead, I glanced at the lily on my wrist.
"You bought me a corsage tonight because I didn't have one at Homecoming?" I said, a tear forming in my eye.
"Yep."
"You remember so much."
"I remember everything, Haddie. Everything."
The song ended, and I forced myself to pull away. Before I was able to utter a word, Warren tapped Jason's shoulder.
"May I cut in?" he asked. Jason smiled widely and patted him on the shoulder. He was so gracious even in times of thick, unfathomable tension.
"Of course, buddy."
Jason kissed my hand.
"Another dance later, perhaps?"
Unable to resist smiling at his charm, I nodded.
"Perhaps," I replied, a tear rolling down my cheek.
And just like that night fourteen years ago, the rest of the evening was a total blur. I know I danced with Warren, and I'm pretty sure I danced with several other clients. But, the best four minutes of the evening was the short time Jason Kelly held me in his arms.
Barry Manilow sang softly through the speakers of my gynecologist's office. I was just here for my annual exam several months ago and truthfully, I was embarrassed to be back again so soon. Most of the women in the waiting area were in their late twenties or thirties. Most of them appeared to be pregnant. Some looked uncomfortable with large, bulging bellies. One woman had a tiny little bump but was clearly ready for people to acknowledge her pregnancy. She was wearing a maternity blouse that accentuated her belly, and she continuously rubbed her tummy as she waited to be called back to an exam room.
The paperwork was ridiculous. Questions about screenings, blood tests, ultrasounds, etc. My head was swimming as I paged through it all. I wished my mom were there to know which boxes to check. Better safe than sorry. Checking all the boxes, I signed off on every screening possible. When I finished checking the final box, a nurse called me back. Before even saying a word, she placed a plastic cup in my hand.
"We need a sample from you. Write your name on the cup, put the cap back on and leave it in the window inside the bathroom. Then meet me in Room 4."
"All right."
Geez, that was a lot of instructions. My brain was on overload. And as silly as it may sound, I felt like the nurse was judging me with her eyes. Thinking about how stupid young people are these days, having unprotected sex, blah blah blah. I forced myself to take a deep breath and followed the directions I was given.
After leaving my urine sample, I made my way to room 4. The nurse was waiting for me. She took my blood pressure and weight before asking me to remove my sweatshirt. It was time for blood work. Vial after vial sat on the table, taunting me.
"Um, are you going to fill all of those?" The blood drained from my face.
"It's not as much as it seems. Can you make a fist for me?"
The nurse pressed on my skin to find a vein. Turning my head, I stared at the wall, feeling a pinch.
"Okay, open your hand," she said softly. Her voice was surprisingly soothing.
She finished filling several vials before covering my arm with a Band-Aid and patting me gently on the forearm. Next, she handed me a gown. I noticed a large machine in the room with a projection screen on the wall.
"Dr. Myers is going to give you an internal ultrasound. You'll need to remove your pants and underwear. There's a sheet for you to cover up."
"All right." I felt like that was the only phrase in my current
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