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“Can you show me where?”
I gestured up the side of my pelvis and around my back. Her fingers were direct and professional as she prodded around. No response from me, and she continued lower.
“We will ultrasound in a few minutes just to be sure, but it sounds like rather aggressive cramping or maybe some uterine stretching. It’s common but very painful. And easily brought on by stress.”
I didn’t miss that she looked pointedly at Emerson when she said that last part.
“Okay, but can we make sure?”
Dr. Charter’s face broke into a kind smile. “Absolutely. Whatever you need to feel better. How many weeks are you?”
“Almost twenty.”
A huge milestone, the halfway point for my baby…well, for Emerson’s baby. I glanced over at Emerson to find him still brooding and quiet in the room. At least his personality had remained the same, while his name hadn’t.
As if reading my mind, the doctor stood and ushered the entire group of staff in with a large portable ultrasound machine. I was instantly pushed back, my dress lifted. Goosebumps raced across my body as very real fear took hold.
What if something was wrong? What would I do then?
This baby, they’d become my whole world, even when I knew they shouldn’t. My heart squeezed painfully. I dug my nails into my palms as the cool gel spread across my belly, and Dr. Charter gave up her spot at my side to move to the other side of the room, reading my notes as she went.
Strong, cool fingers suddenly plied into mine, forcing one to open. Emerson was there, his broad body casting a shadow over me for a moment until he smoothly kneeled at my side again. It reminded me so vividly of the time he’d kneeled in front of me, feeding me crackers, that it actually hurt.
“Why did you lie?” I blinked back the rest of the words I wanted to throw at him. The confusion, the unwelcome surprise.
Emerson picked up my hand, pressing it to his lips as my fingers hung loosely. And for a moment, I worried he wasn’t going to respond. Then slowly, those gold-flecked eyes met mine.
“It was supposed to only be a few hours. But then I realized that I couldn’t give it up. I was wholly addicted to seeing you every day. To finally be a part of both my child’s life…and yours.” His eyes closed as if in pain. “You have every right to hate me, but I need you to know that I could never hate you in return. In fact, what I feel for you is very much the opposite of hate.”
I swallowed, my eyes filling with tears as this quiet, closed-off man offered me a peak at his heart. “I don’t hate you.”
Joy bloomed in his expression, and for a moment his teeth bit into his bottom lip as he looked at me. Then the machine on the other side of me beeped loudly, drawing our attention back to the other very serious matter at hand.
For a moment, the screen was confusing and blank. And then it seemed to focus, and right there, almost taking up the entirety of the screen, was our baby.
They were so different now. No more alien skulls and strange pokey limbs. This was a tiny human,ourtiny human, curled on their side inside me.
The technician’s face instantly relaxed, and with it, so did I. Emerson remained a pillar of stone beside me, his hand still loosely holding mine.
“Everything is looking great. You can see here.” The woman pointed to the screen. “Baby is moving around a ton. I’m surprised you haven’t felt them more yet.”
I shrugged, but I couldn’t stop looking at the screen.
The technician chuckled. “This one isn’t shy in the least. You’ll probably have your anatomy scan next week. Did you want to know the sex of the baby?”
“No,” we both answered in unison, making the nurse behind me laugh as she fiddled with my IV line.
“No problem. Well, from my perspective, everything looks great. We’ll get you loaded up and off your feet for a few days. Then I see no reason you can’t go back to normal activities.”
“Great,” I murmured, sinking back.
“Thank you,” Emerson said, but the words were stunted and short.
The technicians hurried out and into the hall, Dr. Charter followed them after motioning that she’d be back shortly. A single nurse remained on the far end of the private room.
Emerson cast a wary glance the nurse’s way and then focused back on me. “I meant what I said. I know you hate me; I know you’re mad. But I’m just so fucking relieved you are both okay.” His voice was ragged, and he pressed a passionate kiss to the palm of my hand as he finished the words.
“I’m okay. We both are.”
