Above Rubies (Rockland Ranch) Read Online Free Page A

again, content to rest while he kept watch.
                  When she awoke horribly ill once more, he was still there, gently helping her and though she still wondered why, she knew she was safe and accepted his help gratefully.
                  An older, dark haired woman came in, followed by the nurse.  The woman put her arm around him, took Kit’s hand gently in hers, and asked, “Look who’s awake!  Still feeling lousy?”  Her blue eyes were bright and warm.
                  Kit nodded wordlessly, her eyes going from one to the other.  The nurse was doing something that squeezed her arm, and put an instrument in her ear again, then pulled out a keyboard to type something.  She smiled at Kit.  “Ready for some Jell-O or apple juice?”
                  Just the thought made Kit’s stomach heave and the man barely made it to her with the blue bag from where it hung on the wall.  Regretfully, he said, “I wondered if that was going to happen.”  He gently wiped her face once again.  “I have no idea how you can throw up.  You’ve eaten nothing for at least two days.”
                  As the nurse went out the door, she said over her shoulder, “It’s the I.V. fluids.”
                  “Mom,” He turned to the dark haired woman, “Can’t they give her anything for the nausea?  Isabel was this same way with her concussion.”
                  His mother came closer to Kit’s bed.  “Kit, I know it sounds kind of backward, but food may actually really help.  Is there anything that sounds good at all?”  She took Kit’s hand again.  “I’m Naomi, by the way.  I’m Rossen’s mom.  I’ve been here, but you’ve been pretty out of it.”
                  Kit sighed. “Anything sounds wonderful.  I’m starving.  I just can’t keep it down.”  She looked down at her hands.  It wasn’t a concussion that was causing this.  She’d been this way for three and a half months, but she couldn’t tell them that.
                  Naomi turned to the man.  “Rossen, go ask at the nurse’s station for some soda crackers and warm 7-Up, then go down to the cafeteria for a large cheeseburger and bring it back hot.  Make it a double”
                  “It’ll never work.”  He was shaking his head.  She just nudged him toward the door.
                  “We’ll at least try.  Even if it only stays down for a moment, she’ll get something from it.”
                  As he went out the door, Naomi moved close again.  “Kit, I don’t mean to intrude, but Dr. Sundquist told me yesterday that you're expecting a baby.  I’ve had six babies and I’m inclined to think this is probably more morning sickness than brain concussion.  Is that a possibility?”
                  Kit raised her eyes to Naomi, completely ashamed to admit the truth to her, but then again almost comforted to be able to finally speak about her troubles to this woman who had been kind, even after finding out about the baby. She nodded and said, “I haven’t kept much down in three and a half months.” 
                  Naomi put a hand on her bony shoulder and smiled.  “You haven’t had Naomi there to help you.  With one of mine, I could only eat a tiny bit to keep it down, but with the other five I had to eat like a Sumo wrestler twenty-four seven to feel half-way decent.  I’m just assuming you haven’t had a lot because you’re so thin.”  Kit shook her head no and Naomi went on, “Can we try to give you a lot.  If it doesn’t work we’ll try the warm 7-Up and crackers.  Somehow, you and this baby need a lot more nutrition to be healthy.”
                  Kit started to cry. “I know.  I know I’m not doing a very good job at having this baby, but I’m doing the best I can.  I didn’t want to get pregnant, but I