My suspicions were confirmed a few weeks later when Luci informs me that she is pregnant. Paranoid, she draws symbols all over the backs of paintings and on the bottom of rugs. When I question her, she tells me that they are nothing but protection symbols to keep the baby safe. Another precaution, under no condition am I allowed to tell anyone that she is pregnant. No close friends, no family, not even fellow staff members. When I arrive at the hospital the morning after she informs me that she is pregnant, I find myself treating a teen with severe stomach pain. After immediate examination, I turn back to the nurse.

"Order the standard tests. I'll be back shortly."

I walk out from behind the privacy curtains and move to my other patients, checking labs, making a diagnoses, handing out discharge papers, a typical day. And then Hailey brings me the girl's labs.

"She's pregnant?"

"Indeed."

"Yes. I'll do that now."

She reacts just as expected. Confusing, denial, anger, and then acceptance. She curls up into the fetal position. When she says her stomach hurts, I examine her lower region.

"You're in labor."

"What?!"

"The baby is crowning. I'm going to send you up to labor and delivery, alright?"

She nods as another contraction hits her. I send her up with some nurses and Hailey turns to me.

"That reminds me of a case we had a while back. The one with the fever. Remember her?"

"Yeah."

"She was in isolation for a while before she was released. Hasn't been back since. Wasn't she pregnant?"

"Yes. I don't know what happened after that."

Just then, an ambulance call distracts her from further questioning.