“I can appreciate that. Doctor Ennis was covering for me while I was away. He was a temp.” Cynthia scrolled through the last appointment. “How are you feeling? It looks like you’re entering the second trimester.”

She made a face. “I am quite done with this entire experience. My clothes no longer fit. I don’t have the energy to shop for more. It’s rather distressing.”

Cynthia set the tablet on the counter and patted the exam table. “Let’s take a look, shall we?”

Ms. Ibsen huffed out a breath. “Is that absolutely necessary?”

With a smile Cynthia replied, “Absolutely.”

Very gracefully, the woman stood on four-inch heels. She sat on the exam table, and Cynthia touched her shoulder. “Lie back, please.” As she examined her, she said, “You should be feeling less fatigue now that you’re in the second trimester. This is a good time to go ahead and supplement your wardrobe with maternity clothes. I’m afraid you can look forward to quite some time before your clothes will fit again.”

“Can I schedule my induction today?”

Cynthia frowned. “I didn’t see anything in your record to indicate the need for an induction.”

“I plan to have the baby on August second.”

She waited and then asked, “Why?”

“Fashion week in Milan is in September. That should give my body time to heal and get back to work.”

Cynthia pressed her lips together and finally said, “Ms. Ibsen, August second is more than three weeks before your due date. It might not be safe for the baby to be born that early.”

“It will be fine. My housekeeper’s baby was born earlier than that, and she was perfectly healthy.”

“I don’t think—”

“Doctor Ennis agreed. He was extremely supportive.”

“Excuse me,” Cynthia said. She snatched up the tablet and left the room. After instructing the nurse to go ahead and make the next appointment for her patient, she walked down two hallways and into a private suite of offices.

The young man at the outer desk smiled at her. “Doctor Myers, I don’t think you have an appointment.”

“She’ll live,” Cynthia said, pushing through the door to her aunt’s office.

Aunt Kate hung up the phone and looked at her with wide eyes. “Did you not have back-to-back appointments this afternoon?”

Cynthia threw herself into one of the chairs in front of the desk. “I can’t do this anymore.”

Her mother’s sister raised a perfectly manicured eyebrow. “Do what, dear?”

“Cater to these pompous, spoiled women.”

Aunt Kate chuckled. “You’ve only been back to work for a week. I’m sure it was different in the jungle.”