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He closes my door and waits until I’m backing out of the driveway before he gets into his car.
It’s time to see my Peanut.
* * *
Grayson grips my hand in his calloused one. The comforting warmth of him surrounding me is all I need to settle my anxiety. These checkups are always nerve-racking. After so many heartbreaking appointments, it’s hard to trust that this one will go as well as the last one.
A soft knock on the door precedes a woman a little older than Grayson. Maybe late forties at the most. Her brown hair has been half swept back into a clip, and the lines around her eyes and mouth make it clear she smiles often. “Hi, Kylie. I’m Dr. Sheffield. It’s so great to meet you.”
“It’s good to meet you as well.”
Grayson reaches out. “I’m Grayson. Not biologically Dad, but as good as.”
My stomach flutters at his declaration. The logic part of my brain says this is probably too fast. The emotional part of me says I deserve a man who’s willing to claim Peanut and me out loud and proud. It’s not as if I barely know Gray. I think I probably know him better than I know myself. He’d no doubt say the same for me.
Dr. Sheffield smiles at him. “Nice to meet you. Shall we get down to business?”
After my nod, Dr. Sheffield starts going over my history. She endears me to her with every empathetic response to my previous pregnancies. I don’t feel dismissed when I share my worries about Peanut.
She encourages me to talk with her about the things that scare me the most to ensure her team doesn’t accidentally trigger my anxiety. By the end, the three of us are laughing like good friends, and I’m confident she’ll have my best interests in mind throughout the rest of my pregnancy.
Then it’s finally time to check on Peanut. I try not to look at the screen too much. I don’t want to find out the gender by accident. My favorite part is hearing their little heartbeat anyway.
Grayson moves to see the screen. He swore he wouldn’t try to figure out the gender, but if he learns it, I’m not worried he’ll tell me. We’ve both been calling the baby Peanut for so long, there’s little chance of him calling them anything else.
My eyes are riveted to Gray’s face while his are glued to the screen.
Then the quick thrumming of a heartbeat fills the room. Gray gasps, his eyes widening as the doctor walks him through everything she’s seeing.
“You might want to look away because I’m going to start doing measurements, and I won’t be able to keep the gender a secret as easily,” Dr. Sheffield says.
Grayson dutifully moves until he’s sitting by my head. “They’re so fucking beautiful, Ladybug. You’ve shown me the sonograms, but this is different.”
“I know. Seeing them live is incredible.”
“Thank you for letting me be here.” He drops his forehead to mine until the doctor starts updating us on how Peanut is doing.
Everything’s going exactly how it should. Peanut’s in the seventieth percentile and looking great.
By the end of the appointment, I’m carrying several carefully chosen sonogram images. I never get tired of looking at them. I’ve kept every single one since the first ultrasound.
Grayson is quiet as we get in the truck. He finally turns to me, that expression of awe still on his face. “I had no idea seeing the ultrasound live would be so different from seeing the pictures you sent. Hearing their heartbeat made everything real.”
“I’m really glad you came with me. I loved sharing that with you.”
“Can I come to all of them?”
I grin. “If you want to.”
He leans over the center console of his truck to kiss me tenderly. “I absolutely do.”
CHAPTER 22
Grayson
“Would it be even slightly possible for the two of you to hurry up?” I holler at the girls.
“No!” Kylie and Luddy yell back at the same time.
