One and Only

Chapter 11

"Oh, that's good. You're hot, so at least it'll be a cute baby."

"Henry you can't say things like that." I said shaking my head and starting our session. The hour went by rather quickly and I managed to get through it without my stomach yelling at me, but I was still hungry as hell. It was too late to eat the food Khalil cooked, so I went searching in the office kitchen. All I found was a bag of chips, so best believe I stole the whole bag. Unfortunately, I didn't have much time before my next appointment at 2:30, so I damn near inhaled them. I was down to the crumbs when Calista was telling me my next patient was here, I told her to send the in as I ate the rest and wiped my face and shirt off. My next patient came in and the second he opened his mouth, I smelled onions and garlic and I struggled to hold in my gag. I shook his hand and led him to the couch while fighting the urge to throw up. I didn't want to be rude and cover my nose, but all his talking was making it hard. His breath was filling the room like toxic gas and I could barely focus on what he was talking about. Every time I responded, a gag threatened to open the flood gates. Thankfully, his was a shorter session and when his hour was up, I patted myself on the back for not throwing up in front of him. I walked him to the door, but before he left the door frame, he turned around and thanked me for today. The onions and garlic smell hit me like a semi-truck this time because of his proximity to me and that was the final straw. I quickly waved him out my office, found my trash can and threw up the little food I did have in my stomach. When I was done, I went to the bathroom to wash my face and brush my teeth.

The rest of my day, much like the first half, was back to back patients. I had a max of 15 minutes in between each of them, so I didn't have time to make a food run either and I didn't want to ask my colleagues because it seems like the whole office is busy today. Everybody had nearly back to back patients and I'm sure they're all starving too, so I pushed my hunger to the back of my head.

My last session of the day ended at 6:45 and I was more than ready to leave, my stomach was now growling almost constantly and I had a damn headache. I packed up a few of the new cases I'd gotten as referrals and since I was the only staff member left in the office, I turned off all the lights and locked up before riding the elevator down. My phone rang as I got in the car and 'Babydaddy' flashed across the screen. I picked it up while connecting to the Bluetooth in my car.

"Hey baby," his deep voice boomed through my speakers and scared the daylights out of me. I forgot to turn the radio down earlier from my mini jam session this morning. "I was just calling to tell you I'd be home late tonight and don't wait up for me."

I didn't have the energy to ask him why, so I just said ok and hung up. He called back, but I didn't answer, my main focus was getting something in my stomach. I stopped at the diner across the street from the hospital where Abriell works and decided to visit her. I ordered something for the both of us and took it to the hospital knowing that she probably hadn't eaten yet either. I walked in through the emergency room entrance and one of my favorite doctors rushed over to me.

"What's wrong Avaa, do you need a gurney. GET ME A GURNEY!" he said frantically.

"Patrick, shut up I'm fine, do I look hurt to you?"

"You never know, you could have internal injuries and stuff," he shrugged and pulled me in for a hug, which is when I caught a whiff of his cologne and got dizzy. It was the same cologne Khalil wore when I threw up on his shoes that day. I backed away from him and steadied myself on the intake desk.

"Woah you alright."

Patrick made a few steps toward me and I stuck my hand out for him to stop.

"Yeah I'm fine, it's just your cologne, its making me nauseous."

He eyebrows furrowed in confusion then rose in realization.