She Said to Wait, But Our Baby Couldn't novel · Chapter 8 of 24

Chapter 8: The Label

On Monday I carried the pouch to my own obstetrician's office in a freezer bag.

Jenna drove and waited in the lobby.

I had seen the front-desk receptionist every two weeks for nine months, and this time she came around the desk and hugged me.

She walked me straight back without making me sit.

My doctor was at her desk with her glasses pushed into her hair.

"Willa," she said. "I'm so sorry. I wanted to call, but I didn't want to intrude."

"I need you to read something."

I set the bag on the desk.

I said where I had found it and who had given it to me.

I said I had drunk a mug of it every night for five weeks.

She put her glasses back on and turned the pouch over.

The back had a label, in small silver print.

Moon Blend, restful night. Chamomile, lemon balm, passionflower, blue cohosh root, pennyroyal leaf, valerian.

My doctor stopped at the fifth ingredient.

She read down the list again from the top.

Then she took off her glasses and set them on the desk.

"Willa, did anyone tell you this was safe in pregnancy?"

"Gwen said it was gentle. She said it was a doula blend."

"Blue cohosh is used to start labor," she said. "It makes the uterus contract. Midwives are taught never to give it before the baby is full term, and I wouldn't give it then."

← Chapter 7 · All chapters · Chapter 9 →

Want to keep talking to characters like these? Chat with AI romance characters: AI Boyfriend · AI Girlfriend · Dark Romance · Fantasy Romance · BL (Boys’ Love) · Billionaire Boyfriend · Mafia Boyfriend · Possessive Boyfriend · Hockey Boyfriend · Older Boyfriend · K-Drama Boyfriend · Anime Boyfriend · Vampire Boyfriend · Werewolf Boyfriend · Demon Boyfriend · Fae Romance · GL (Girls’ Love) · Anime Girlfriend · Goth & Alt Girlfriend · Gamer Girlfriend · Tsundere Girlfriend · Fantasy Girlfriend