Addison felt like she knew him.
She had a vague impression of familiarity with the doctor sitting across from her, without being able to pinpoint a clear memory of him.
His face looked familiar. Tanned skin, defined features, high cheekbones, a strong jawline, a stubble of two or three days, and a mustache accentuating his full lips. Dark hair and eyes, with a deep and calm gaze. Yes, she was sure she had seen him before. The problem was that she didn't know where, how, or when she had met him.
It could have been anywhere. A medical convention, a conference, a training course, a mutual patient, or a relative of a patient. Perhaps she had read an article written by him in a medical publication that she came across in the past, or, more mundanely, ran into him in some corner of Los Angeles during the four years she had been living in the city.
She couldn't remember. It was like the door to her memories was locked, and she held a huge keychain with thousands of different keys. She knew she was close to the answer, but it would take a lot of effort to get there. There were hundreds of possible options, and that was putting her in a bad mood.
Damn hormones. Damn momnesia. Addison was aware that during pregnancy, women could experience a transient decline in their cognitive abilities, including memory. Blame it on hormonal fluctuations; it was normal for them to have forgetfulness, confusion, difficulty recalling short-term information, or concentrating.
It was an evolutionary adaptation, a biological phenomenon that, while understandable, felt frustrating to her. She knew her brain was undergoing a process of neural reorganization, prioritizing care for the baby growing in her womb and neglecting details that she wouldn't have missed before.
Addison had always had a brilliant memory. She could remember not only the names and faces of her patients but also the unique details of each one, like their medical histories, their babies or relatives, or even the room number they occupied in the hospital.
She was quick to memorize concepts and medical terminology in med school, as well as complex procedures in the OR during her residency. She never needed a calendar to remember the birthdays and special events of her loved ones. She found it easy to remember words in other languages, allowing her to communicate with patients of various nationalities and build a closer relationship with them.
However, that gift seemed to have faded since she became pregnant. Days earlier, she had lost her lucky scrub cap, and thanks to one of the NICU nurses, she was able to recover it. She had also forgotten a surgery that she had scheduled the previous week, and Charlotte had to drag her out of bed angrily because the whole team was waiting for her in the OR. Oh, and the countless times she had forgotten her keys, to the point of considering tying them to her wrist. And now, feeling great helplessness at not being able to locate the doctor in front of her.
She shouldn't have listened to Amelia. She shouldn't have agreed to go to the office of a complete stranger without at least checking his professional profile or reading evaluations from his colleagues or reviews from his patients. What if his face looked familiar because she had seen him in the news, being accused of malpractice?
With all the fuss surrounding Katie Kent's lawsuit against Violet, she had been seeing cases of doctors who had been sued in recent days, but she hadn't retained any names in her head. What if this Jake Reilly was one of them and she had no idea? Because until the medical board suspended his license, he could continue seeing patients normally and...
"Ready?" he said, bringing her abruptly back to reality.
Clearly, she hadn't been paying attention to anything he had said. She had seen his lips moving, yes, but it felt as if he were muted.
"Excuse me?" Addison stammered.
"Shall we begin?"
She took a deep breath and crossed her arms.
"Listen, I'm coming here because it's not ethically correct for me to continue my own pregnancy care, and it's physically impossible for me to deliver myself," she started in an arrogant tone. "I want you to know that nothing you tell me now is information I haven't heard before."
Amelia raised an eyebrow, confused. When did her sister-in-law get in such a bad mood?
"Don't come at me with your lectures about why I waited so long, why I didn't come in for a check-up earlier, why I don't have prior studies, and all that crap. I just found out. Okay? I'm ten weeks and three days along. I know how old I am, and I know I have a high-risk pregnancy; I don't want to hear any comments about it. I'm an OB/GYN, a neonatal and fetal surgeon. And I also have completed a fellowship in medical genetics. I know how to handle this; I saw the baby last week in my practice. I've seen it all, so... God, let's just get started. Nothing you say will surprise me."
"Well, then you know how this works. We'll start with the ultrasound, and then I'll ask you some questions to fill out your medical file. Okay?" he inquired, sitting beside the ultrasound machine.
Addison grimaced in resignation and lifted her pink gown, exposing her abdomen.
Jake, with remarkable care, began applying gel to the lower part of her belly, an action that should have felt routine but felt uncomfortable under Addison's expectant gaze.
After gently spreading the gel, he placed the transducer on her skin, and the black-and-white image quickly appeared on the screen.
"Wow, you didn't mention it was twins," he said, frowning in confusion.
"What?!" Addison's face turned pale, as if life itself had escaped her body at that precise moment.
With an almost instinctive impulse, she jumped up on the exam table, quickly turning the ultrasound monitor for a better view. Amelia, sitting next to her, also jumped up, stifling a scream of surprise.
Jake couldn't help but let out a small laugh at the transformation in Addison's expression. It was a sight to see her face go from disbelief and horror to absolute anger.
"Well, I think I surprised you," he chuckled.
"Damn," Amelia laughed too, biting her lower lip, "good joke, buddy."
"This isn't funny!" Addison complained, collapsing back onto the exam table, her heart still racing in her throat.
"It's only one fetus," Jake said now in a more serious tone.
"I know, I can see it. What a shitty joke," she replied indignantly.
"I'm sorry, I just wanted to make you laugh a little. You seem too tense; I wanted to lighten the mood."
"And the best way to calm me down was to give me a heart attack? Idiot!"
"Addie..." Amelia murmured, embarrassed.
"I'm sorry," Jake repeated. "I truly am. It won't happen again. Do you want us to continue?"
"Well, that's why I came," Addison said, raising both eyebrows with annoyance. If she had disliked him from the beginning, now she disliked him even more for trying to be funny. She just wanted to finish the consultation and leave.
Jake nodded and placed the transducer back on her belly. The rest of the ultrasound went smoothly. The baby, now measuring 40 millimeters, was doing well, growing and developing perfectly. Seeing that everything was in order brought great relief to the mother.
"How old are you?" Jake asked once they were all seated at his desk. He was assembling her medical file on the computer while Amelia and Addison sat on the other side of the desk.
"Forty-three years... October 13, '67..." Addison replied somewhat embarrassed.
"Okay, good. Is this your first pregnancy?"
"No. But it's my first baby..."
Jake diverted his gaze from the screen to look into her eyes.
"I had an abortion seven years ago. Um... I was five weeks along. Mifepristone and misoprostol. No complications."
Jake pressed his lips together and nodded without saying anything. Even though Addison felt he was judging her with his silence, he wasn't.
"Last menstruation?"
"February 1st."
"Okay... so... your estimated due date would be..." he said while checking the calendar on his computer.
"November 7th."
"That's right. November 7th. Okay, I'm gonna ask you some questions about your general health. Do you have any medical conditions, like hypertension, diabetes, or thyroid issues?"
"No, I've never had serious health problems. Actually, the most serious thing that happened to me was being diagnosed with infertility at 39, you know, early perimenopause; I only had two eggs left, didn't ovulate, those things..."
"Do you smoke? Drink?"
"I don't smoke, and I stopped drinking alcohol as soon as I found out I was pregnant. I also reduced my caffeine intake..."
"Do you take any kind of medication regularly?"
"No. But this week I started taking prenatal supplements. You know, folic acid, DHA, vitamins C, D, and B12, iodine, calcium, and iron."
"Perfect."
"Yeah, the problem is I don't know how much of that is being absorbed. You know, I'm vomiting a lot. I have trouble keeping food down, I'm not hungry all the time; everything makes me nauseous..."
"Have you tried any antiemetics?"
"Yes, of course. It's just that sometimes even that doesn't work. The nausea is intense and constant. You know how many times I thought I was going to throw up in front of my patients? Or in the OR? I'm getting desperate."
"Okay, let's intensify the doses. You're going to take a 25 mg pyridoxine pill three times a day, and before bedtime a 12.5 mg doxylamine pill," he said while writing the prescription. "In addition, you'll drink ginger tea two or three times a day. Does that sound good?"
Addison nodded.
"It's likely the nausea and vomiting will subside starting next month. If not, we'll try a different kind of medication. Now, moving on to your family history, are there any hereditary diseases, like heart problems, diabetes, or any other genetic condition we should be aware of?"
"Not that I know of."
"And from the donor's side?"
"Donor?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Oh, no," Amelia laughed. "You're not thinking I'm her girlfriend, are you? God, no! I mean, Addie, you're super hot; of course I'd date you, but..."
"She's my sister-in-law," Addison interrupted seriously. "The father's sister."
"Oh, I'm sorry; it's just that since you mentioned fertility issues, I thought... I'm sorry," Jake apologized.
"No, I didn't undergo treatment. It wasn't a planned pregnancy at all."
Jake nodded, somewhat embarrassed.
"And, as far as I know, they have no relevant history in his family. Either way, I want a fetal DNA test, you know, a non-invasive prenatal test."
"Okay, that sounds good," he said while writing the medical order. "Do you have any doubts or anything else you'd like to discuss?"
"Yes, I'd like to know where I know you from," Addison thought.
"No."
"Okay, then here's the prescription for the medication and the order for the NIPT. You can do it here or at your trusted lab. I hope you feel better soon. If anything happens, you have my phone number. Okay?"
"Yes..."
"Nice to meet you both. See you next week with the results."
~•~
Derek had lied the night before.
After ignoring her invitation all day, Meredith had sent him a text message inviting him to spend the night with her. But he had told her he had an emergency in the OR, so her plans were automatically thrown out the window.
She would be lying if she said it didn't bother her, but at the same time, she understood. They were both doctors. Emergencies happen all the time.
Just as she was about to fall asleep, her phone began to ring. She hoped it was Derek telling her he was out of the OR and on his way, but it wasn't. It was Dr. Thomas, the head of the obstetrics and gynecology department. He knew Meredith wasn't on call that night and had the next day off, but one of the residents, Jason Myers, had called in sick, and four mothers in labor had arrived that night, three of whom were going for emergency cesarean sections. Meredith simply nodded and quickly changed to head back to the hospital.
As soon as she arrived, she put on her pink scrubs and the first thing she did was check the OR board for Derek's name so she could go see him in the gallery and tell him that she'd end up spending the night there. But she was surprised not to see his name listed.
"Excuse me, did Dr. Shepherd finish surgery?" she asked one of the nurses responsible for updating the board.
"It shows here that Dr. Shepherd hasn't been in the hospital since four in the afternoon," the nurse said, checking his exit time in the system.
He hadn't had an emergency operation that night. He hadn't even been in the hospital when he sent that message. He had lied to avoid spending time with her.
Meredith didn't have time to look for him at that moment. She simply nodded her head in thanks to the nurse and headed to OR 5, where Lucy Fields was about to start the first of three C-sections that she would assist with that night.
After an intense night shift, the next day, Meredith went to Derek's office and waited for him on the couch. She knew he usually arrived at 7 in the morning. And he did.
"Hey," he said, raising his eyebrows in surprise. He hadn't expected to see her there.
"You weren't in the OR last night," was the first thing Meredith said. She was very upset with him and that day had no intention of hiding it.
"Uh?"
"Last night. You didn't have any emergencies in the operating room. Do you really think I'm that stupid?" she exclaimed, getting up from the sofa.
"Meredith…" he murmured, closing the door.
"No. Don't deny it. You lied to me. You weren't at the hospital last night when you sent me that message."
"I'm sorry for lying. It's just that…"
"Derek, are you seeing someone else?" she asked, her voice trembling.
"What? Of course not. I was at the construction site."
"And every time I call you and you don't answer, you're there? You sleep there every night?"
"Well, yes. I'm always there…"
"Why does that sound like an excuse?"
"It's not an excuse, it's the truth. I'm finishing the deck and raising the walls. It takes a lot of time…"
"And building a damn deck is more important than having one night with your wife? You think I don't notice that you're avoiding me all the time? What the hell's wrong with you?"
"I'm sorry. I've had really hectic days in the OR and I just wanted a moment alone to rest. I was overwhelmed."
"Did it never occur to you that I also have had intense days? Two nights in a row on call, in obstetrics! It seems like all the babies in the world choose to be born in the early morning! I'm tired too, damn it, I'm fed up with this!" she complained, shouting.
"If you hadn't ruined other people's careers, you wouldn't have had to switch to a specialty that you hate!"
"Seriously, Derek?" Meredith crossed her arms, indignant. "Seriously?!"
"Do you know what? I'm not gonna discuss this now. I have patients to attend to. We'll talk at another time."
"Another time when? When you ignore my calls or when you dodge me in the hallways? When will we talk? When are you going to give me a damn minute of your time?"
"I have patients to attend to!"
"Why do you always have time for your patients and never for me?"
"Because it's my job!" he shouted angrily. "Stop interfering in my work, damn it! Stop getting in the way of my career! I've already lost the clinical trial because of you, I've already lost you as a resident, what else do you want me to lose?"
She shook her head, incredulous at what she was hearing. Derek turned around and walked towards the door, but before he could touch the doorknob, Meredith murmured, "You know, I'm starting to understand Addison…"
Derek felt his blood run cold at the mere mention of his ex-wife's name. He spun around quickly and looked at her, frightened.
"W…what?" he stammered.
"You're an absent husband. At least these past few months, you've been indifferent and ridiculously cold towards me. You say you're busy with your patients, the OR, the house in the woods… but the reality is that you don't want to be with me. You're not interested in being with me, you don't care."
"Mer, of course I care about you. I want to be with you."
"You know, there used to be a time when that was true. You made an effort to be attentive, you took care of every detail. You were affectionate, funny, and loved spending time with me. You showed me every day that you loved me. But now... I don't even know if you still love me. And I know I have a big share of blame in that, but... I'm not the one who asked you to get back together, drunk, in the middle of the night, almost crying at your front door. You were. And you were the one who brought the Post-it vows, and you were the one who promised to try, despite everything. It was you. And you're not keeping that promise."
"Meredith, don't do this to me…"
"I think we should stop lying to ourselves and insisting on something that clearly isn't working."
"No. No. No. Absolutely not."
"It's the best for both of us."
"No!" he exclaimed, raising his voice.
"No?" she repeated, raising her eyebrows.
"I don't consider ending it to be the solution. No, I won't accept it."
"Excuse me?"
"I want to be with you."
"It doesn't show."
"I do!"
"Okay, prove it. If you really want to be with me, then start being with me. I want you to come back home."
~•~
After the appointment with Jake, Amelia accompanied Addison to get her blood drawn at the Santa Monica Clinic lab for the tests that had been requested. Then they stopped by the pharmacy to buy the medication she had been prescribed.
On the way to the practice, Addison took her first nausea pill, accompanied by ginger and lemon tea. Although the effect wasn't immediate or miraculous, she felt a slight improvement.
"Okay, I'll save today's images in this folder along with last week's, okay?" Amelia said, opening one of Addison's desk drawers.
"Yes, don't worry. I'll organize everything later. Thanks, Amy," Addison said with a small smile.
"You're welcome. I have surgery in half an hour, so I'll probably be there for several hours. Try to eat something before lunch, okay? I know you're not hungry, but you have to do it. If I find out you lose even a single pound from not eating, I will kill you, understood?" she exclaimed in a playfully threatening tone, though her eyes shone with genuine concern.
Addison nodded, laughing.
"Hey, where were you this morning? I looked for you after the surgery and couldn't find you in the hospital," Sam said, entering her office without even knocking. He had been with her that morning in the OR, monitoring Val's heart during the C-section.
"Oh... I... um..." Addison hesitated, unable to come up with an excuse.
"She was with me," Amelia quickly intervened, "I asked her to consult on a patient."
"And did Addison really need to go there? I mean, you could've done the consult at her place, since literally and figuratively, you live in her space," Sam complained, raising an eyebrow.
"Right. Next time I'll take the hospitalized patient to her home. Thanks for the advice, Sam," she replied sarcastically, flashing a smile that showed all her teeth.
Sam looked at her pointedly, signaling her to leave. Amelia rolled her eyes and exited the room.
"What's going on? Did something happen with Val?" Addison asked as she sat on the couch.
"No, she's fine. Getting ready for chemo. I just miss you, Addison. What's going on with you?"
"Nothing..."
"Wanna come over to my place tonight?" he said, sitting down beside her.
"To sleep?"
"Yeah, or, well, maybe to do something else too. You know..." he said almost teasingly, letting his hand fall on her bare knee, "it's been like two weeks since we last did anything. We had a good streak; we could get it back..." he whispered, leaning closer to Addison.
"I don't think that's happening today. I'm sorry."
"Why? Are you on your period?"
"No, it's just..." she took his hand and discreetly moved it away from her knee, so he wouldn't keep touching her, "Yesterday with the Val thing, I barely slept, and the C-section was early. I have several patients today and... I'm tired. Sorry," she sighed, "maybe another time."
Sam nodded, not satisfied with her answer.
"Addison... is there any chance that...?"
"Chance of what?"
"You know, I don't want to bring this up. But you've been feeling unwell for several days, more exhausted than usual… are you…?"
"What if I were?" she asked in a whisper, looking him in the eyes with fear.
"Well... I hope not, but..."
"Addison, you busy?" Pete interrupted, peeking through the slightly open door of the office.
"What the hell's going on now?" Sam said, annoyed. He hadn't been able to get a single minute alone with his girlfriend lately. If it wasn't Amelia monopolizing her, it was their colleagues or patients.
"I need to talk to her."
"Can't it wait?"
"No. It's important."
"Okay. Sam... uh... we'll talk later," she said, getting up from the couch and walking towards her desk.
Sam sighed in frustration and left the office without saying anything else.
"You're gonna get a call from the medical board investigating Violet," Pete said.
"I can't believe it's this serious."
"Well, believe. They're gonna interview you."
"Me?"
"You and I are the only other doctors who treated Katie, and I just got my call, so..."
"You really think there's a chance she could lose her license?"
"Yes. But if we can help explain what happened… Just be very careful when you answer their questions."
Addison bit her lower lip. The nausea had returned, and it wasn't the baby's fault this time.
"I know you're not asking me to lie..." she said, furrowing her brows with concern.
"I'm asking you to protect Violet."
"I don't need to be protected," Violet complained, having overheard the conversation from the hallway. "All the therapy I did with Katie, the… the attack, the trial, the book… I have nothing to hide, and neither do you."
"You're going to get the call, and you'll be summoned to testify in the coming days," Pete repeated, ignoring his wife, "do whatever it takes to protect Violet."
~•~
Meredith's house wasn't exactly Derek's favorite place to live.
The house was nice, quite spacious and bright, had a lovely garden, and, most importantly, it was located near the hospital. But that was both an advantage and a disadvantage at the same time.
It was always filled with residents. Cristina, Izzie, George, Callie, Sadie, Alex, Lexie, Jackson, and April had all lived in that house. And the last four were still there. While during his childhood and youth, he had also lived with many people, it wasn't comfortable in adulthood. Not when he was the boss of everyone living there.
It was bizarre to have to direct in the OR the same person he had seen shaving her legs in the shower that morning, or to share a work meeting with someone who the night before had been wrapped in a towel, brushing their teeth in his bathroom. This was directly linked to a lack of privacy.
The house had three bathrooms. One in Meredith's room, another at the end of the hallway upstairs, and one more on the ground floor. But they never seemed to be enough in the mornings when everyone wanted to shower before work. It wasn't unusual for Derek to have one of his roommates in his bathroom at least once a week, using his hair products, lotions, or even his razor.
Another problem was the lack of cleanliness and the constant mess. The residents, always rushed and exhausted from the daily grind, left a trail of clutter in their wake that they never cleaned. Dirty clothes and shoes scattered everywhere; dust accumulating for days on the floors and furniture; books and half-read summaries abandoned on every flat surface; food remnants scattered all over the kitchen.
Oh, the food. Cooking in that house was an almost absurd notion. No one found the time to prepare their own meals, so they survived on delivery. Pizza boxes and takeout containers piled up in the fridge, dirty dishes remained stacked in the sink, and leftovers from previous meals were doomed to rot, attracting insects and mold as if filth were a constant, inevitable, and welcome neighbor.
And not to mention the noise. The walls sometimes seemed made of cardboard, and everything that happened in the adjacent rooms was perfectly audible. Derek could hear the music they were listening to, as well as the daily arguments over completely stupid topics. It was like an improvised show was organized every day that he, the unwilling spectator, had to endure. Oh, and if they weren't careful, the whole house found out when someone was having an intimate moment with their partner.
Intimacy also didn't exist. A simple everyday action, like the desire to walk in underwear down the hallway, was a luxury he couldn't afford. They weren't his friends or family; they were his students. It would be completely inappropriate for them to see their boss in his underwear. Well, in any case, on more than one occasion, one of them accidentally caught a glimpse of his backside. Because the doors were not considered barriers but mere suggestions, and the option to knock before entering was not even contemplated.
Living there was uncomfortable and exhausting for hundreds of reasons. However, Meredith had made her desire clear: if Derek wanted to be with her, he had to be with her. He had to move in with her again, even if it annoyed him.
He had to make an effort for her. He had to spend more time with her because it didn't make sense for him to go to the construction site of their dream house every day if he didn't intend to live with her. After all, that was going to be their house, just the two of them.
"You can't just go back to Meredith and pretend that absolutely nothing happened with Addison," Mark exclaimed, watching as Derek pulled all his clothes out of the closet. After leaving the hospital, he went to his friend's apartment to collect his belongings.
"I can and I will. I've gotten over her."
"Gotten over her? You said you were in love with her!"
"I wasn't in love. I just had sex with her and that flooded my brain with oxytocin, making me think I was in love. It was just a primitive hormonal reaction."
Mark let out an incredulous laugh.
"Addison... it was just a one-night stand. Nothing more," Derek began to pack the clothes he had taken into a suitcase.
"And what, now you're in love with Meredith again?"
"No. But my life with her was good enough that I didn't feel miserable all the time. I wanna get that back, and we're trying."
Mark raised an eyebrow. Was his friend really doing this? Considering going back to someone just for an apparent sense of well-being? Or out of fear of loneliness?
"You want to go back with her so you don't feel miserable?" Mark asked, using the same word Derek had used. "I thought you were with someone because, I don't know, you loved them."
"I loved her. And I can love her again. I have reasons to do it. It's a matter of time."
Mark shook his head.
"You're pathetic, Derek."
"Shut up."
"You're an idiot."
"What do you want me to do, Mark?! What?! Do you want me to lament my whole life because Addison blocked me? Do you want me crying in corners alone? Huh? Do you want me to be like you, where the years go by and you can't get over the fact that Lexie doesn't love you?"
Low blow. The mention of Lexie sent a pang to Mark's heart, which Derek knew had been affected by his ex's recent relationship with Jackson Avery.
"At least I tried everything to win her back!" Mark protested furiously. "You're a fucking coward who just sent a text and gave up!"
"Oh, sure. Because your way of winning her back was by getting Callie pregnant."
"Fuck you. If you wanna be unhappy next to someone you don't love, that's your problem."
"I do love her!"
"Of course not. Your love for Meredith ended the moment she stopped obeying you. When she stopped seeing you as a god."
"That's not true!"
"You realize that you forced her to give up the specialty she wanted just because you couldn't stand her opposing your judgment? Doesn't it bother you at all that your stupid ego ruined a potential neurosurgeon's career?"
"She chose to leave neuro on her own, not because I asked her to."
"She left neuro so you'd get back with her! Don't you think it's a bit unfair to do this to her when you don't even love her?"
"Okay, enough."
Derek finished packing the last of his clothes in the suitcase and closed it angrily. He didn't want to keep arguing because he knew that, in a way, Mark was right. And he didn't want to admit it.
"At least you told Meredith what happened with Addison? Or are you hiding it from her? I mean, again," Mark emphasized the last word.
"Would it change anything to tell her?"
"You think it wouldn't?"
"No. It's something that belongs to my private life. Something I did when we broke up. She doesn't have to know."
"She deserves to know the truth anyway..."
"What happened when you told Lexie the truth? Oh, right. She dumped you."
"Ha. You're incredibly stupid, Derek."
"Listen, I don't wanna argue with you. I appreciate you for hosting me here these past months. I appreciate the company and support, but I'm gonna ask you not to give opinions about my relationships. You've never been married, never had a stable partner that lasted more than a year. You know nothing about relationships, much less about marriage. Stay out of it."
"Sure, because you're doing so well in your marriage..."
"I'll try to make sure it stays that way."
~•~
"Jacob Miguel Reilly M.D. is one of the most prestigious specialists in reproductive endocrinology and infertility in the country, with over 20 years of experience helping families fulfill their dream of having children.
After graduating with honors from Duke University School of Medicine, he completed his residencies in surgery and obstetrics/gynecology at the renowned Johns Hopkins Hospital. Additionally, he completed a specialized research fellowship in reproductive endocrinology and infertility, solidifying his knowledge of the most advanced techniques for treating fertility issues.
With dual certification in general surgery and OB/GYN, Dr. Reilly combines his surgical expertise with a deep understanding of reproductive medicine, providing his patients with a comprehensive and highly specialized approach."
"Charlotte asked me to be her maid of honor," said Amelia, entering Addison's office at the end of her day. "I have to organize the rehearsal dinner. Can I do it at your place? It's not a lot of people, I mean, the usual ones and Cooper and Charlotte's parents..."
"Sure," she replied without taking her eyes off her computer screen.
"Great," she said, sitting down across from her. "What are you doing?"
"Investigating the OB you forced me to see this morning."
"I didn't force you. And you didn't have to act like such a bitch."
"Excuse me? He was inappropriate and unprofessional."
"You're exaggerating. I liked him. He's sexy. And that deep voice? Hot."
"He's an idiot. I know I've met him somewhere but I can't place it. I've been searching online for hours and can't find anything that jogs my memory," she complained, gritting her teeth in frustration.
"Well, don't get mad."
"It's just that I'm forgetting things! How can I not remember where I know him from? I feel so stupid!" she exclaimed, tears in her eyes.
"Hey, no. Addie, don't cry over this nonsense," Amelia laughed.
"It's not nonsense! And I'm not crying, it's just that I can't control my tears! I don't want to cry!" she exclaimed, sobbing even harder.
"Okay, okay," she got up from her chair and walked over to hug her, "it's fine. It's okay. If you don't like this OB, we can find another one, okay? Don't cry."
"I do like him!" she said between sobs. "He seems good, it's just that... I can't control myself. It's really hard to suddenly become an idiot!"
"What are you talking about? You're not an idiot, Addie. You're going through a lot of changes all at once. Your brain is processing many shifts... progesterone and estrogen are rising and falling drastically, affecting the neurotransmitters that regulate your mood... and..."
"I know. I know it's normal. It's just that I'm still not used to being so... hormonal. So sick all the time. I'm already living a nightmare and it hasn't even really started. What am I gonna do when I can't breathe, when I have a six-pound belly, or when the baby kicks my ribs at night?"
"You'll be able to handle that too, don't worry..."
"I don't know if I will! Maybe I wasn't meant to be pregnant, and that's why I was barren!"
"Are you pregnant, Addison?"
Addison and Amelia quickly turned their gaze to the door of the office, where Naomi stood framed in the opening, looking confused.