The doctor studied his chart. “So. You’re pregnant?” I could see a flicker of surprise in his blue eyes. Yes, Romeo “Bullet” Prince had knocked up a girl. How cliché.
“Yeah. I took a test last week and it was positive. In fact, I took four, all different brands, all telling me that I’m well and truly up the duff.”
Doctor Adams raised his eyebrow, cracking a smile at my British-ism. Romeo pursed his lips to stop from laughing along with him.
“Okay, well, we’ll run a few tests today and give y’all an ultrasound to see how far along you are. You think maybe around a month?”
“If my calculations are correct, yes. But I had a really light period last month, so I’m not too sure.”
“It’s normal to spot bleed at the beginning of a pregnancy so you could be further along. Let’s get started, shall we?”
The nurse took my blood, checked my vitals, weight, etc.… and eventually we were ready for the ultrasound.
I lifted my gown and the doctor took a scary-looking wand from a machine. “This may be uncomfortable, but it’ll help us get a better idea on how far along you are. We need to give you a transvaginal ultrasound because you’re still in the early stages.”
I looked at Romeo and grimaced. He nodded at me supportively and I melted watching how he was practically on the end of his seat in anticipation. I gave his hand a squeeze and he kissed mine with a small, anxious smile.
“Okay, you two, let’s meet your baby.”
Doctor Adams inserted the plastic wand and I flinched at the uncomfortable sensation. That was quickly forgotten the minute a grainy picture popped onto the screen beside us. At first it was just a blurry, foggy storm of nothing, until he manoeuvred the device and we heard it—the heavenly rhythm of a small beating heart. Something flickered on the monitor and there it was, our baby, nestled snuggly in my womb, about the size of a kidney bean.
Any fears I had dissipated with every melodic thrum of my baby’s tiny heartbeat, and Romeo clenched his lips tightly as a single tear dripped slowly from his eye. I lifted my thumb and stroked it away, loving how much he wanted this child… wanted us.
At that moment, I became a mother and by the awed look on Romeo’s beautiful face, he became a daddy.
Doctor Adams tinkered with the machine and smiled. “Everything looks great and it measures as though you are… about… ah… about eight weeks along.”
Eight weeks.
Doctor Adams pressed a button and a picture came out of a printer, and he handed me the square piece of film that held the image of our little angel, the endearment Romeo had begun to call our little son or daughter.
I stared; I couldn’t stop staring at the small, black-and-white picture. Romeo leaned over me and kissed my head without saying a word, his throat clogged with emotion.
“You can get dressed now, Molly, and we’ll see you again in about two months unless you experience any problems we discussed, and then you need to come straight back.”
“Can we find out the sex then?” I asked quickly.
“Hopefully.” Doctor Adams stood and shook our hands once more, tapping Romeo’s back. “Congratulations, son, I’ll see you at the SEC Championship in Georgia and Roll Tide!”
Romeo gripped his arm in a manly way. “Roll Tide.” And with that, the doctor left the room.
Silence stretched between us as the significance of what had just happened sank in.
I handed Romeo the picture and guided my legs off the bed. Romeo reached out for me, helped me down, and crushed me tightly to his chest.
“Romeo what—”
“Thank you, Mol. Just… thank you…”
21
“Bloody hell, Angel. That’s just scared the absolute crap out of me! You’d better not be that difficult when you finally make your arrival,” I announced, as I lovingly rubbed my stomach.
I’d decided to be proactive with reading up on all things pregnancy, and that little idea had just backfired.
Majorly backfired.
I was definitely going to have nightmares about forceps and after birth.
I threw down my copy of What To Expect When You’re Expecting on my desk like it harboured some contagious flesh-eating disease and walked out onto the balcony, leaning over the railing, admiring the beautiful green of the lawn and the clear blue winter sky.
Things had calmed down since I’d completed my research for Professor Ross’s academic journal and the final philosophy papers had been graded for this last semester.
I’d actually spent time with Romeo and it had been nothing short of perfect.