Scars of the Future Read Free Page B

from the hallway and Matt appeared in my doorway with a smile on his face.
    “Good morning, ladies.” He looked to me politely before fixing his stare on his sister. “Ready to go, Mad?”
    I allowed myself a few seconds to look at him in his work clothes. His light gray button-up shirt fit him like a glove and went well with his black slacks. His hair had grown even more since our night in May and it was styled on his head in waves. Some days I couldn’t believe how alike he and Maddie looked. They could have been mistaken for twins if he hadn’t been seven inches taller than her five-foot-seven.
    Maddie nodded as she stood and she flashed me a grin. “Love you. I’ll talk to you later.”
    “Love you, too,” I said quietly and I gave them both a small smile. Matt didn’t smile back, but he let his eyes linger on me for a moment before following his little sister back towards the living room.
    I heard them both speaking quietly, probably in conversation I wasn’t supposed to hear, so I stayed in my bedroom until they left. After I heard the front door shut I finally came out of hiding to put my sandals on and grab my purse.
    I’d effectively killed our friendship that night when I guilted him into having sex with me. He had barely spoken twenty words to me since and it really hurt. I knew I deserved it, but that didn’t lessen the pain. I really wished I hadn’t slept with Matt.
    ---
    “Amanda Franklin?”
    The nurse called my name from the open door and I stood, following her back towards the exam rooms. After I’d been weighed, had my blood pressure taken, explained my symptoms, and been forced to pee in a cup, I sat in the sterile room by myself. I resisted the temptation to lay back on the exam table and take a nap and instead I glanced through Facebook on my phone. I only checked in every now and then, and so I was hesitant to bring up Matt’s page. When I did, I was sorry I had. There were a few pictures of him with a really pretty brunette, both of them smiling and touching in one way or another.
    I swallowed loudly and locked my phone, tossing it into my purse before I could look again. I reminded myself that I wanted him to be happy and if she made him happy then I shouldn’t be sad. I rationalized with my inner idiot over and over until two swift knocks on the door startled me.
    My doctor poked her head in and gave me a friendly smile. Her kind face was reassuring and I absolutely loved the way she was always in jeans and a t-shirt instead of a lab coat. Dr. Stanfield had been my doctor since I was a baby and I would probably see her until she retired.
    “Hi Amanda.”
    I smiled back and tugged on a piece of my hair nervously. “Hi Dr. S.”
    “So you’ve been feeling crappy for almost a week, huh?” She glanced at the iPad she had in her hands and moved her fingers across it while reading the screen. “Any fever?”
    “No,” I replied with a head shake. “But my body is tired and almost achy.”
    “Dr. Fields did your last MRI in January, right?” She swiped on the tablet quickly, probably looking for the results that the neurologist had sent over.
    Panic bubbled in my chest at her words. I thought I had the flu and now we were talking about my brain? I nodded in answer. “Mid-January. He said it was all clear then. Do you think…?”
    “No, I don’t. I was just making sure we were all up to date on the information, Amanda. I found the results here. Your noggin looks great. Tell me about your nausea. How often are you sick?”
    “Twice a day on average, I’d guess. Nothing stays down.” My stomach grumbled both hungrily and uneasily at the thought of food.
    “When’s the first day of your last period?” She tore her eyes from her iPad and looked up at me curiously.
    I opened my mouth to reply before shutting it quickly. I furrowed my eyebrows as I searched my mind for the date she was asking. I counted back and shook my head slightly.
    “June… sometime in June, right?” I