The Man Who Waited vs. The Man Who Wasted novel Chapter 21

"You want an abortion?" the doctor asked, making sure she'd heard correctly. "Are you absolutely certain? This was an IVF pregnancy. You can't just decide you don't want it."

Jocelyn rested a hand on her abdomen, a sharp pang of grief echoing in her chest. This wasn't just a medical procedure; she was carrying a life that was intrinsically hers. It was impossible not to feel something.

But he had come at the wrong time.

"Doctor, I've made up my mind. I want to terminate the pregnancy."

The doctor let out a heavy breath. "What is it with you young people? You're so impulsive, so irresponsible."

Jocelyn couldn't explain. She could only sit there and take the doctor's criticism.

The doctor wrote out a slip. "Let's get an ultrasound first, see what we're working with."

Lying on the bed in the ultrasound room, Jocelyn cried for the first time.

The technician thought she was just nervous and offered a reassuring smile.

"Don't be nervous. It's like this for all first-time moms. You're always worried about this or that. Don't worry, the baby is stronger than you think. And I'm sure they'll grow up to be just as beautiful as you are."

That was the last thing she should have said.

Jocelyn's tears started flowing, and she couldn't stop them.

"I'm so sorry, little one..."

Clutching the report, Jocelyn stood outside the doctor's office for a moment.

She knew what it meant to walk through that door again, but she had to do it.

Taking a deep breath, Jocelyn pushed the door open and handed the report to the doctor.

The doctor gave it a quick glance.

"The gestational sac is too small. There's a risk of an incomplete abortion during the procedure, which would require a D&C and cause further harm to your body. It's best to wait another week to ten days."

Jocelyn was stunned for a few seconds. "Can't you do it today?"

The doctor's face hardened. "Are you kidding me? You'd risk your own health just to get this over with? What do you have against this child? Why does it have to be today?"

Inside, the house was filled with laughter and chatter. No one even looked up when Jocelyn walked through the door; she was treated like a ghost in her own hallway.

It wasn't until Maria spotted her that the spell broke. "Jocelyn, you're back!" she announced, her voice echoing through the foyer.

Every head turned toward her at once. The smiles vanished, replaced by gazes that were cold, sharp, and utterly unwelcoming. Jocelyn felt like a trespasser who had stumbled into a party where she was the only one not on the guest list.

Eleanor sat on the velvet sofa like a reigning matriarch on her throne, dressed in a sharp, lavender silk suit. "I see you've forgotten your manners along with your sense of timing," she remarked, her voice dripping with disdain. "Is a simple greeting too much to ask for?"

Jocelyn forced herself to step forward, keeping her voice level. "Grandma. Mom."

"Hmph," Eleanor let out a sharp, haughty breath. "I assume Adrian told you the news. We're moving in. This is a family home now."

"I'm aware," Jocelyn replied shortly.

"And I trust you don't have an issue with that?" Eleanor asked, though it wasn't a question.

Before Jocelyn could even part her lips to answer, Michelle cut in with a dismissive wave of her hand. "Please, Mother. This is a Lowell estate. Since when does her opinion carry any weight?"