Sandpiper Way (Cedar Cove #8)(25)

Thinking about broken hearts brought her right back to the sheriff. Faith had to forcefully stomp on that thought. It might take some doing, but she was going to put him completely out of her life.

The morning went smoothly, and Faith discovered that she fit in well with the rest of the staff. Tuesdays and Wednesdays were apparently the least busy at the clinic, which was why she was scheduled for those two days this month. After the first of the year, she’d be working Monday, Thursday and Friday.

Her morning consisted of routine cases, innoculations and paperwork. She had one last patient to see before lunch—a twenty-nine-year-old woman by the name of Megan Bloomquist. Apparently Megan was distraught because she thought she might be pregnant. It seemed to be a case more appropriate for Pregnancy Crisis than the medical clinic.

“Hello,” Faith said, opening the exam room door. “I’m Faith Beckwith.”

“Hello.” The young woman sat in the chair with her ankles crossed. Her red-rimmed eyes were fearful. “You’re not the doctor, are you?”

“I’m Dr. Timmons’s nurse.”

The young woman nodded, clenching and unclenching her hands.

“I’m here to take your blood pressure and your temperature and find out how Dr. Timmons can help you,” Faith explained. She pressed the thermometer lightly against Megan’s forehead. Her temperature registered and Faith noted it on the medical chart—normal.

Megan sniffled. “I think I’m pregnant and I…don’t know what to do.”

Faith noticed the wedding ring on her finger. “You don’t want the baby?”

“I do…” She covered her face with both hands and started to sob. After a moment she regained some control of her emotions. “Craig and I want children, but…but I had a miscarriage three months ago. I’ve only had one period since then.” She took out a small day planner to check the dates.

Faith felt a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach as she noted the details of Megan’s last period. Troy’s daughter was named Megan and she’d recently miscarried. Could it be? How was it that her very first day on the job, Faith would run into Troy’s daughter? She struggled to hide her dismay.

“I took a home pregnancy test and it was positive.” Slowly Megan straightened. “But I just need to be sure, and my own doctor’s booked solid.”

Faith didn’t bother to point out that home tests were pretty reliable these days. She could understand Megan’s uncertainty after having a miscarriage.

She was startled to hear Megan say, “Craig and I decided that it might not be a good idea for me to get pregnant again.”

“Ever?” That seemed a rather drastic decision.

“Well, certainly not this soon,” Megan told her. “We…we were hoping for some definitive word on my health.”

“In what way?”

Megan lowered her head. “I might have MS. It’s in the family and because there might be a genetic link…”

This could only be Troy’s daughter. Looking away, Faith reached for the blood pressure cuff. “There are tests you can have that will reassure you,” she said briskly.

“Oh, I’ve had those tests.”

Faith waited.

Megan’s shoulders drooped. “The MRI was inconclusive. You see, my mother was diagnosed with it when I was young, and it was after she’d miscarried several times. When I lost my pregnancy it occurred to me that it might be for the same reason.”

Faith checked Megan’s blood pressure and wrote it down. Again, normal. After Troy had used his daughter as an excuse to end the relationship, Faith had done a bit of research on MS, looking at reputable Internet sites and talking to a few doctors she knew.

“It’s funny you should mention MS, because I recently read an article about the latest findings and heredity as a potential cause.” Faith did her best to sound professional.

“You did?” Megan’s eyes widened with interest.

“The article’s about a University of Washington study. It states that the children of people with MS have a one percent chance of inheriting it.”

“Only one percent?”

“The Mayo Clinic site says the chances are four to five percent. Either way, those odds are in your favor.”

The young woman stared at her intently.

“I don’t think you should be this concerned, Megan. Your mother would want you to live your life without this worry hanging over your head.” She gave the girl’s arm a squeeze.

Fresh tears welled in Megan’s eyes. “That’s really wonderful news.”

“There could be any number of reasons you miscarried your first pregnancy. It doesn’t mean it’ll happen again.”

“Craig and I were devastated.” She blinked back tears. “My father, too…”

“It’s never easy to lose a child,” Faith said gently. “I had a miscarriage myself. That was many years ago, of course. Both my children are grown and married with children of their own. Yet even now I sometimes wonder about that lost baby.”

“Losing the pregnancy came so soon after my mother’s death,” Megan whispered brokenly.

“I’m sorry.” Faith took hold of Megan’s hand, and the young woman gripped her fingers painfully hard.