AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Right… I probably should anyway.” I agree with her, unwilling to explain that the only man I’ve been with recently has never been with anyone else.
“I’ll let the doctor know. Were there any other concerns?”
I shake my head. I’m only looking for an answer. Am I pregnant, or am I starting menopause? Or what if it’s none of the above, and I’ve been freaking out over nothing? The test I took in the hospital was difficult to read, but I was sure it came out negative. It definitely wasn’t as easy as a little white stick with a tiny window saying yes or no. I couldn’t bring myself to buy another one to confirm. If I’m pregnant, then I probably should find out what’s going on with my periods. Maybe even try to regulate them if possible.
Jackie pulls out a flimsy gown and long, scratchy paper, handing them to me. “Go ahead and get undressed. You can leave your bra on unless you would like the doctor to perform a breast check.”
She leaves as I remove my clothes, folding them and stacking them on top of my purse before climbing back onto the table. I wiggle my covered toes, laughing softly at the bright orange llama socks on them. I hadn’t paid attention while grabbing them this morning, unused to anyone seeing them. With each passing minute, I try to keep my thoughts from straying to the possibility of being pregnant. I don’t want to get my hopes up. We tried for so long after Jensen, even talking about consulting a fertility doctor right before he passed away.
If I got knocked up by the eighteen-year-old I was sneaking around with, I’m sure it’s a cruel twist from the universe mocking me. But I wouldn’t care, I would want this baby. Tears fall loose into the corner of my eyes, and I wipe them away quickly. It’s naive to think about keeping a hypothetical baby.
A soft knock, and then an older man steps through. “Hello, I’m Dr. Roberts.”
I shift on the chair, giving him a tight-lipped smile. He sits on the rolling stool, moving close to me.
“So you’re here to see if you’re pregnant or pre-menopause?” He reiterated what I told the nurse.
I nod, and he grins. “Those are two ends of the same spectrum, aren’t they?”
The tension eases from my body as I laugh. “Yeah, I guess so.”
“Well…” he pulls out his tablet, balancing it on his lap as he smiles. “The urine test came back positive. If you want further confirmation, our tech is here today, and we can do an ultrasound. I noticed you don’t have a date for your last menstrual cycle. How far along do you think you could possibly be?”
Hope fills my chest, and I struggle to focus on what he’s asking when images of onesies and decorating a nursery fill my mind. “Uhm. Yes, please, let’s do an ultrasound. And… uhm. No more than a couple of months. It was a very long time before that.”
“Sounds great! Let’s get you laying back so I can do your pelvic exam, and then I’ll have the tech come in for the ultrasound. It may have to be transvaginal, depending on the gestation age, okay?”
I count the tiles of the ceiling as the doctor goes through the motions. He makes comments on how everything feels normal before taking the swaps needed for the STD panel. By the time the tech comes in for the ultrasound, I’m a trembling mess of nerves.
“Oh!” The exclamation startles me, and I wipe my head to the screen that the tech is watching. The wand she’s holding onto between my legs shifts.
“What?” my voice cracks with worry.
The tech glances at me. “That was a good ‘Oh’, mama. The babies are further along than we expected. I would say approximately between 10-11 weeks. I’m going to switch to the abdominal to see if we can grab some more measurements.” She moves the sheets to cover my lower half and lifts my dress.
My lips part. “Wait… did you say babies?”
Cole
Ipokeatthelingering yellow bruises on my stomach. I can barely feel them now, and at least they aren’t as bad as the ugly ones on my face and neck. I’ve missed school and practice for the past week, isolated in the guest bedroom of the Matthews’ house. Not even Jensen or Olivia have spent a lot of time with me.
After I woke up to her at my bedside in the emergency room, I had kind of expected more. It was like I was an unwelcome guest they were stuck with. She cooked my meals, and Jensen dropped them off without a word unless it was lunchtime. Then Olivia would scurry out if I tried to talk to her.
Dropping my shirt, I walk back into the room and stuff my remaining clothes into my backpack. I was determined to leave today. I wasn’t sure where I was going to go. Maybe Wyatt could let me stay at his house. Though, I would probably need to get a job to help him with the costs of an additional person living with him.
Olivia knocks lightly before opening the door, the usual tray in hand, as she walks in. She pauses when she sees my bulging backpack and the empty floor.
“What are you doing?”
I frown. “Leaving. I’ve bothered you guys enough.”
Olivia sets the tray down on the nightstand. “What are you talking about?”
“Look, it’s obvious you guys don’t want me here. Thanks for letting me stay as long as you have, but I’ll figure it out. No biggie.” I give her a half-smile.
She shakes her head, scrunching her hands into her hair near her scalp. “You can’t leave.”
Raising my eyebrows, I stare at her. “Why not?”
