total eclipse of the heart.

Leila, you’re my favorite person in the world. I will have to tell him that because I’m not looking forward to any heat, at least I should have them out by August which tends to be the worst month. And I love ice cream being doctor’s orders. The morning sickness has finally subsided, finally. So I can stomach food again.

--I’m sure that’s not true, but I appreciate the sentiment all the same. 

Those ghost hunters that argue all the time. The tall geeky guy is the skeptic and the short one that freaks out at every little noise. They haven’t had any episodes in months. I can almost quote their other episodes. I love them. I’m sure you’re actually tired of me talking about them.

Oh, right-- I knew that. 

I already miss what my feet look like and every day I waddle more and more. I’m not looking forward to the heat with these babies cooking inside me.

Waddling is perfectly normal-- you are carrying extra weight your body isn’t used to. And during the summer, we’ll just have to keep you cool-- I’d suggest telling Prince William to set up one of those portable air coolers that you can set up right wherever you’re sitting or laying down or whatever. And ice cream, eat tons of ice cream. 

Is it the 22nd yet? I need new shows to watch! I’ve watched just about everything on Netflix and YouTube that I can even tolerate. And I miss Ryan and Shane bickering. I can quote just about every episode thus far.

Who’re Ryan and Shane, again? I feel like you’ve mentioned them before, but I’m blanking. 

If I stay away from any smells whatsoever, I’m okay. Everything makes me sick, though. Onions, garlic, cologne. Just talking about food… I think I have a reason to be worried. These Conroys are so charming and Will is already talking to them every chance he gets. They’re going to come out and bypass me, and go running right for him, umbilical cord and all! –How are you doing, Dr. Buchanan?

It’ll pass, you just have to take it day by day. Try drinking ginger ale. I hear crackers also work. --They’re very charming, I’ve noticed. But you do have one up on him; you’re carrying them for the next few months, so you’ll have a natural bond with them. I’m fine, thank you. But please, call me Leila. 

Tristan had been doing her physical therapy with Leila religiously and as much as she hated to admit it, she actually didn’t dislike it. Of course that was mostly because she enjoyed spending time with the young doctor. Part of Tristan believed the actual therapy was just a waste of time. It was two and a half months later, and she still couldn’t stand without holding herself up. She still couldn’t move her legs without help from her arms. It seemed like she was truly paralyzed and was going to be bound to a wheelchair for the rest of her life. As much as she hated the idea, she wasn’t as angry with it as she once was. She couldn’t be upset, it only brought her family down and if she never walked again, at least she wouldn’t be responsible for causing her siblings heartache anymore.

3:00pm marked another appointment with Leila. Tristan pulled her wheelchair close to her bed and scooted her butt to the edge, dragging her torso into the chair. With a grunt, she pulled her dead weight legs and placed her feet on the foot pedals. She gave herself a moment to catch her breath before wheeling herself down the hallway. They were going to need to put some kind of ramp in the house if she wasn’t going to get better. She hated having to rely on her siblings whenever she wanted something on another level. 

She pushed a door open leading her to her the room she would do her therapy in. “Sorry, it took me a minute to get out of the bed,” she told Leila with a hint of annoyance in her tone. “Can we take the day off from this? I don’t think one day off is going to harm anything. Not like it’s going to make them not work – they’re already doing that.” She rolled her eyes and smacked her legs. 

@leilabuchanan

When three o’clock rolled around, Leila Buchanan pushed aside the paperwork she was working on and got up from her desk, quickly hanging up her coat and trading her high heels for a pair of tennis shoes. She pulled her hair up, preparing for the next couple of hours she’d be spending with her patient, Tristan Conroy. Despite the princess’ frequent ornery attitude, the last couple of months hadn’t been awful. Leila enjoyed the challenge, even if sometimes it was a bit discouraging to not see immediate results, but she and Tristan both needed to remember that it was going to take time for Tristan to gain feeling in her legs again. 

She made her way from the castle hospital wing to the gymnasium, where they’d set up a station specifically for Tristan’s needs. Leila began stretching as she waited for Tristan show up, which took a few minutes-- when the princess did finally show up, she let her arms fall to her sides, giving Tristan a smile. “It’s fine. I figured something was holding you up. Plus, hiding from me wouldn’t be very smart, since I do know where you live.” She blinked in surprise at Tristan’s request, and frowned. “Well, that’s true, but we don’t know if just one day of a break could alter the progress we might’ve made already,” she replied carefully, not wanting to upset Tristan. Part of her wanted to give in to Tristan’s request, but another part of her, the professional part, was a little harder to convince. 

Okay, the morning sickness part can go away. Seriously, if I never throw up again, I’ll be so happy! ONE of these babies better like me better than their dad. 

Unfortunately there’s not much I can do for the morning sickness, it’s a perfectly normal effect of pregnancy. If it gets too bad though, I can always prescribe you something. Some women rely on at home remedies though, so I’d rather not do that unless it’s really serious. --Anyway, I’m sure both babies are going to adore you just as much as their father. 

They have done it my entire life, it’s just more annoying to me now that I am already on edge. Regardless, I don’t care to deal with anyone extra. 

Yeah… That gets really annoying, too. Maybe that’s why I never really cared for the princess movies. I wonder if there will ever be a movie where the princess isn’t interested in the prince.

I can’t imagine how annoying it must be. So I don’t blame you, really.

That’s how doctors should be. You should teach other doctors. —Treating me differently. I hate that. When it’s not some formal thing where it’s expected, just call me Tristan not Her Majesty. Or like now, I have to deal with the pity people send my way. I hate that.

I’ll have to watch it. —Yes, true love gets really annoying. At least the same kind of true love. There can be so many different forms of it.

Some doctors are pretty set in their ways, unfortunately. --Most people don’t know how to act around people who’ve experienced loss, I think. On top of that, you’re royal, untouchable to people, so it makes for some awkwardness, I think.