Page 115 of Unruly

“It’s too early for a gender, right?”

“By a few weeks, unfortunately. Your doctor did want you to have an early ultrasound just to make sure everything was looking well, though. I expect you’ll be in here for another one around the time we can definitively tell. I mean, as long as the baby cooperates.”

Catherine laughed to herself, but when the woman looked to her for an explanation, she said nothing. The tech didn’t know Cross, after all, so she wouldn’t understand.

But this baby was his.

It was very unlikely to cooperate at all.

Even when she had her ultrasound for Cece, it had taken quite a bit of time, and three techs to come in to weigh odds on the grainy images to decide she was a girl. And even then, they hadn’t been entirely sure.

Catherine had to go back for another ultrasound to find out—a three-dimensional one. Cece had not wanted to stay still long enough to show what her gender would be.

“Okay, Catherine. I think that’s all.”

The tech hit a button, and pages started to print out of the machine while she turned her chair. She grabbed a facecloth from the counter, and Catherine took it to wipe the blue gel from her stomach.

“Nothing to worry about?” Catherine asked.

She didn’t think there was, of course, but pregnancies could be fickle. Plus, she wasn’t twenty-five, now. After thirty, a whole new set of worries came with pregnancy.

“Not that I could deliver the news to you if there was something wrong,” the tech replied, “but no, everything looks good with baby.”

“Great.”

The tech grabbed the papers that had printed out the side, and the black and white grainy images of the baby. She handed them over to Catherine with a smile.

“You’re on your way upstairs for the OB-GYN, right?”

“Can’t forget to pee in a cup,” Catherine joked.

Laughing, the woman nodded. “Yeah, I don’t miss that, either. Give the paperwork to the doctor, and she will add it to the file for you after going over everything.”

“Thanks.”

“Have a great day.”

Catherine fixed her dress before leaving the private room. She just stepped out into the hallway when her phone started ringing. She didn’t even bother to check it as she answered, and put it to her ear.

“Catherine here,” she said.

“Hey, reginella. You have a minute?”

At Miguel’s voice, Catherine darted for the closest bathroom. She didn’t want to be late for her appointment, but she also wanted to hear whatever the hell Miguel had found out for her about Evira Masters. Inside the bathroom, she locked the door and faced her reflection in the mirror.

“Talk to me, Miguel.”

“You were right.”

“I usually am. Indulge me on what, though.”

“Masters is still residing in California. Wine country, apparently. From what I have found out from a couple of sources, she’s got a man she cozies up to.”

Catherine fixed a stray curl and asked, “Who is the man?”

“Small time coke dealer. His father comes from Miami. Think Cocaine Cowboys back in the eighties or whatever. You know, when flying coke into and out of Miami with single engine planes used to be a thing. Anyway, the guy has connections to somewhere.”

She didn’t really care about the guy.