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“Well, we’re here now,” she soothes, clearly trying to calm us down. “And you are carrying two babies. You’re still measuring at twenty weeks along, and everything looks just as it should be.” My eyes bug out. “With twins,” she adds quickly.
“We’re having two babies,” Rafael whispers to himself with his hands on his hips, unblinking.
The technician finishes up by showing us each image and measurement, printing out the pictures for us to take, then leaves us in the sterile room to collect ourselves privately. When the door gently closes, I sit up, adjusting the skirt of my dress into place and stare at the man before me.
“I’m dreaming, right?” I ask. “Did what I think happened, just happen?”
Rafael must be further along in the acceptance process because he crouches before me and wraps his arms around my middle, pressing his face into my belly. “Yes. We have two babies, Angel. You’re carrying twins.”
Letting out some version of a sigh or whisper, I try to say the word. “Two,” but I’m speechless and still too dazed to move any more than I already have.
Rafael then looks up, and noticing my blank expression, he stands to his full six-four height. He pries my legs apart and stands between them, then takes my hands and has me wrap them around his middle. Holding my head tight to him, his stomach rises and falls in a slow cadence, and I close my eyes, inhaling his cologne.
Bergamot.
Lemon.
Cedarwood.
Between his inviting scent and the warmth of his body, my focus shifts back to reality, and I smile. “We’re having twins.”
Rafael
Angie and I took the rest of the morning off to collect ourselves before going into work, but not before she called an emergency lunch for us and Cora where all three of us proceeded to scream like banshees. Thankfully we had grabbed some takeout sandwiches and were sitting at a park for this, so we only disturbed a few nearby walkers.
Every second since finding out we are having twins has felt like I’m in an alternate universe. Simply walking between meetings and interacting with colleagues has been like some bizarre, suspended reality. All I want to do is tell everyone. Have them share the hand-trembling excitement and surprise that I’m going through. Have them celebrate with me. Have them talk endlessly about what it’s like to be a parent and the earth-shattering life change that I’ve been bestowed. But the best part of this is—I’m doing it with Angie. I’m doing this with the best fucking person I know.
The sweetest.
The funniest.
The smartest.
If it weren’t for her, I have no idea how I would be handling this. Truth be told, I never put much thought into having kids because I planned on being a bachelor my whole life. But now that I’m here, becoming a parent with my best friend, of course we can do this. Just like everything else we’ve ever accomplished together, everything we’ve gone through, everything we’ve struggled with—there’s no one I’d like to struggle with more than her. There’s no one I’d rather celebrate with more than her.
She’s my soft spot and my rock.
And she just texted me.
Angie: I just doubled everything on the registry
Rafael: Aww. Good idea. How many times have you cried since you got to work?
Angie: Only three times. You?
Rafael: I’m a MAN Ang. I don’t—two. I’ve cried twice.
Angie: LMAO
Rafael: I’m leaving work now, so I’ll see you at home in a little bit. Are you still on your veggie taco kick?
Angie: Yes! But the hot salsa we like must have been a bad batch or something bc I can’t taste the heat at all! I’m gonna buy another one on my way home.
Rafael: Really? I didn’t think so. But ok. I’ll see you soon.
Rafael: Please remember to use your GPS so you don’t forget where you’re going again.
Angie:
