Chapter 38: The Uncertainty of It All

As Ashley drove home, her mind was racing with thoughts of what could be wrong. She had always been a worrier, and now her anxiety was running rampant. She couldn't shake off the feeling that something was seriously wrong with her body, and that it could affect her baby. The drive home seemed to take an eternity as she replayed the doctor's words over and over in her head. When she arrived home, Alev was waiting for her in the living room, a look of concern etched on his face. "Hey, how are you doing?" he asked, as he stood up to give her a hug. Ashley tried to smile, but it felt forced. "I'm okay, I guess," she said. "I'm just really worried about what's going on." Alev led her to the couch and sat down beside her. "We'll get through this, Ashley," he said. "We'll figure out what's going on and make sure everything is okay." But as they sat there, Ashley couldn't shake off the feeling of uncertainty. She felt like she was in limbo, waiting for answers that seemed to be taking forever to arrive. She pulled out her phone and looked at it, wondering when the doctor would call with the results of the additional tests. As they waited, Alev tried to distract her by talking about his day. But Ashley's mind kept wandering back to the doctor's words. What did "abnormal" mean? Was it something serious? She felt like she was going crazy with worry. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Ashley's phone rang. She hesitated for a moment before answering it, her heart racing with anticipation. "Hello?" she said, trying to sound calm. "Hi, Ashley," the doctor's voice said on the other end of the line. "I have the results of your additional tests. I wanted to talk to you about them." Ashley's heart skipped a beat as she waited for the doctor to continue. "What is it?" she asked, trying to keep her voice steady. "Your blood work indicates that you have a slight imbalance in your blood sugar levels," the doctor explained. "It's not a major concern, but we do need to keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn't become a problem." Ashley felt a wave of relief wash over her. It wasn't something serious, at least not yet. But as she listened to the doctor's words, she couldn't shake off the feeling that this was just the beginning of a long and uncertain journey. "Okay, what do we need to do next?" Ashley asked, trying to focus on the doctor's words. "We'll need to schedule regular check-ups to monitor your blood sugar levels," the doctor said. "And I want you to start making some lifestyle changes to help manage your levels. I'll give you some recommendations for diet and exercise." Ashley nodded, even though the doctor couldn't see her. She was determined to do whatever it took to ensure a healthy pregnancy. As she hung up the phone, she turned to Alev with a mix of relief and concern. "It's not serious, but we need to keep an eye on my blood sugar levels," she said. Alev pulled her into a hug. "We'll get through this, Ashley," he said. "We'll figure it out and make sure everything is okay." But as they hugged, Ashley couldn't shake off the feeling that their lives were about to get a lot more complicated. She knew that she would have to make some significant changes to manage her blood sugar levels, and she was determined to do whatever it took to ensure a healthy pregnancy. But for now, she just felt uncertain, and a little scared.