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8
“Ready?” asked an orderly, and Sofia barely had time to call her thanks to the EMT before she was wheeled to an exam room.
Ian tried to follow, but he found his way blocked. “Just the patient,” the nurse ordered, standing in the doorway once Sofia was inside.
“I’ll wait,” Ian told her, before the door closed on him.
He would. She could rely on him, which was a strange feeling, one that had her heart leaping, somehow, like the leap she’d taken into his arms. His strong, fascinatingly tattooed arms. And he’d said he wanted to be there for her…and not just her. She rubbed her stomach.
Men say a lot of things, she reminded herself. Ian might be protective and concerned now, to her, and even to their child, but how long would that last? She knew, none better, that men decided they were tired of things—of a family, for heaven’s sake—and moved on all the time. And she wasn’t putting a child of hers through that. No, she wouldn’t be handing her life over to him, all wrapped up with a bow on it…no matter how attracted she was to him or how compatible they seemed to be.
Pleased with her determination, Sofia gave all her attention to the doctor and her questions and tests. A lot were identical to the ones the EMTs had administered, only with more queries about her pregnancy, including the doctor tapping her stomach and listening to it through her stethoscope.
“It all seems fine to me.” The doctor made a final note on her electronic pad. “As an ultrasound will confirm.”
“An ultrasound?” Sofia hadn’t imagined that.
“Oh, you haven’t had one yet? I understand. And don’t worry—the father can be present. At least, I assume the man waiting is the baby’s father?
Sofia nodded.
The doctor smiled. “You can always tell by the expression. Deer in headlights. So, are you ready?” The doctor signaled to the nurse to help Sofia.
“Now?” Sofia wasn’t prepared for that.
“Once it’s done, as long as everything looks all right, then I can clear you to leave.” The doctor gathered her things. “The procedure’s simple, I assure you. I’d say there’s nothing to it, but then my colleagues in the radiology department would take offense, and rightly so!”
Sofia tried to smile at that. Ian jumped to his feet when she was taken out of the room, this time in a wheelchair. His expression had possessiveness in the nervous-worried mix too, Sofia thought, if a scowl as he took the handles of her chair from the nurse, overriding the poor woman’s protests, was any indication.
“Is everything okay?” he asked.
“They’re taking me to radiology.” Sofia put her hand over his. “For a scan.”
“A scan—an ultrasound?” Ian gripped her fingers.
“Just a precaution,” the doctor explained. “To confirm everything’s good. And yes, you can stay for that.”
They entered the elevator and Sofia shot Ian a look. “I—I wasn’t expecting this,” she murmured.
“I know.” The set of his mouth as he looked back at her said he hadn’t been either.
“I’m glad you’re here with me,” she whispered.
“Always.” His expression softened, then turned determined. “It’s going to be fine. Believe me.”
Maybe it was knowing that he was as unsure as she was, but being strong for the both of them felt like it helped. Sofia focused on her breathing, keeping it deep and even when Ian wheeled her down the sterile corridor of the department and into a small room where a big machine with a screen seemed to take up most of the space. She jumped at the knock on the door.
“Ah, first-timers!” announced the middle-aged woman in dark blue scrubs who entered, taking one quick glance at them. “I can always tell. But there’s nothing to worry about. I’m Sherilyn and I’ll be your technician today. You’re in good hands, even if I do say so myself!” She tapped her pad. “Ms. Sofia Popov, yes?”
“And Ian Campbell,” Ian added.
“Uh-huh.” Sherilyn smoothed a fresh sheet of crinkly paper on the bed. “On the bed, please, Sofia, and Ian, if you could stand there…a little more to one side, so I don’t knock my elbow into you…”
Sofia blessed the fact that the woman was brisk and competent, with them and the machine she was stirring to life. She nodded her satisfaction as the screen turned a fuzzy gray.
“Now, lift up your shirt for me…your pajama shirt, I should say.” Sherilyn helped Sofia to roll it out of the way. “I know, you had an adventure. This little one’s off to a lively start! Okay, this is going to feel cold. Brace yourself…”
The noise of the bottle she squirted onto Sofia’s stomach sounded loud in the small room, and yes, the gel it contained was cold.
