Chapter 377 - Diagnosing condition

Next morning, JoAnna was holding onto Jeff, delaying him from going to office. "It's so early... do you need to go this early?" She whined.

He held her tightly in his embrace, and said lovingly, "It's 8 o'clock. It's not that early."

"Usually you give me more of your morning..." She complained.

He enjoyed when she didn't want to let him go. "You know I would love to stay. But I need to go today. Felix is here, remember?"

JoAnna nodded and rubbed her face on his chest. "Yes, I know that he came just so that two of you can talk about your security stuff."

"Sarah will also join. If I take day off, then Felix came from Seattle and Sarah came from her training for nothing."

"I know..." JoAnna kissed him. "Come back soon."

"As soon as I can." He kissed her back.

JoAnna hugged him tightly and looked at Felix who looked at his feet while patiently waited for Jeff at the end of the hallway. "Where is Sophia?"

Felix showed a small smile, he looked tired. "Sophia is sleeping. She had a restless night, so I don't want to wake her up. Her first meeting is at ten."

After few more long kisses, Jeff and JoAnna let go of each other, and Jeff left with Felix.

About an hour later, Sophia emerged from the guest bedroom, and found JoAnna in the living room, looking at house listings on her laptop.

"You look horrible." JoAnna observed.

"Good morning to you too." Sophia scolded her sister with a harsh look.

"Sorry. Good morning. You look horrible." JoAnna grinned.

Sophia plopped next to her on the sofa.

JoAnna's grin was replaced with concern when she observed Sophia who looked drained. "How long is this lasting?"

"Since last weekend." Sophia admitted.

"Montreal? What happened?"

"Huh... Where do I start?" Sophia exhaled thinking of unpleasant things that happened.

"From the beginning... but let's do it over breakfast. I'm starving."

They got into dining room and Sophia observed variety of pastries, as well as coffee, tea and juice choices. "Where did all this come from?"

"Jeff got Steve to bring me breakfast whenever I'm not going to work."

Sophia frowned.

"Yes, I know." JoAnna explained further. "I told him that it's not necessary... but Steve said that it's not a problem since he is getting breakfast for his girlfriend anyway. His apartment is in this building."

"Breakfast for girlfriend?" Sophia felt that this is something interesting.

JoAnna nodded.

Sophia wanted to confirm. "That means that Bridgette is staying at his place?"

JoAnna continued nodding and then frowned. "Probably not a good idea to tell Felix."

"After last weekend, I don't think that he will oppose his sister's relationship."

"Oh?" JoAnna's curiosity was ignited. "Give me few minutes to warm up the coffee, and water for tea... Then I want to hear details, please."

About half an hour later, Sophia finished telling JoAnna about her previous weekend.

JoAnna's expression looked like she smelled an unpleasant odor. "That Sylvie sounds like a horrible person."

"I try not to think about her... She gave me a hard time. She is stubborn, overbearing, controlling, and if I see her never again it will be too soon."

"But Felix did good. I mean, after he understood that you will not tolerate such a treatment, he did good. Before that he was a full-blown-wussy-momma's-boy." JoAnna does not have any tolerance toward men who stay overly attached to their mothers after reaching adulthood.

Sophia laughed. "That is a nice way to put it."

"But you two are good now, right?"

"Yeah, I guess." Sophia paused. "I love him. I can't imagine my life without him. But the passion seems to be gone. It's almost a week since then and we didn't... you know."

JoAnna understood. It's a week how they were intimate. "How does he handle that?"

Sophia shrugged. "He is reading my mood well. He always did. Without me showing willingness, he does not go beyond kisses while holding me."

"And since then you feel this fatigue?"

Sophia nodded. "And loss of appetite."

"It can be stress related." JoAnna concluded. "But it can be number of other things. The best approach in this case is to eliminate other possibilities. There is no test for 'you are stressed' condition."

JoAnna looked at the plate in front of Sophia. "You didn't touch your food. How can you have energy if you are not eating? Have that bagel, and... how about juice? Jeff squeezed few oranges before he went to office. Juice is fresh and tasty."

Sophia shook her head, dismissing the idea. "I don't have any appetite. And orange juice... it gives me nausea just thinking about it."

"Maybe if you have some food in your stomach you would not be easily nauseated... or..." JoAnna froze and looked at Sophia.

"What?" Sophia knows that this look JoAnna gives her, can't be anything good.

JoAnna grinned. "When was your last period?"

Sophia waved her hand defensively and smiled. "Don't even think about it... I'm few days late, but that is common when I'm stressed."

JoAnna grabbed Sophia's hand and pulled her into her bathroom. While Sophia looked at her, confused, JoAnna got pregnancy test from medicine cabinet.

"You have those handy?"

"Of course," JoAnna proudly declared. "I do a test every few weeks, just to make sure."

"I thought you are on a pill."

"Yes, but pill does not provide 100% protection. Even if you take pill regularly, at the same time every day, there is a chance that it will fail. Statistically 3 out of 1000 women, every year get pregnant while on a pill. Additionally, if you miss a pill or two, get sick, take other medications, are under stress... any of those can reduce effectiveness of the pill." JoAnna looked at Sophia who stared at her. "Get your pants down and pee on this."

Sophia frowned. "I'm not doing it in front of you!"

"Oh, please... do you have some part I haven't seen before? You know I work at a hospital, right? I've seen all kinds of things... FINE! I will step out! I give you one minute." JoAnna walked out of the bathroom.

Sophia stood there with pregnancy test in her hand, spacing out.

"I don't hear any tinkle!" JoAnna impatiently bellowed from other side of the door.

Sophia got out of the daze and unbuttoned her pants.

As soon as JoAnna heard sound of toilet flushing, she entered the bathroom. "Where is it?!!"

Sophia pointed toward the sink. JoAnna walked to the sink and held her breath while looking at the small hourglass blinking on the display of pregnancy test. Sophia paced behind her.

After what seemed like forever, JoAnna inhaled. "Did you take your pill today?"

Sophia froze. "Not yet..." She said weakly.

JoAnna turned awkwardly like a robot toward Sophia. "Don't take it."