We nod, hands clasped so tightly I'm losing circulation.
Dr. Martinez moves the wand across my stomach, and suddenly there's sound—the rapid whooshing heartbeat we heard at twelve weeks, strong and steady.
"There's your baby's heartbeat," she says. "Strong. Healthy. Perfect."
I exhale. Miles' shoulders drop slightly.
"Do you want to know the sex?" Dr. Martinez asks.
"Yes," we both say again.
She moves the wand, and the image shifts. "Okay. Baby A is..." She pauses for effect. "A boy."
A boy. We're having a boy.
Miles makes a sound that might be a laugh or a sob or both. I'm crying—these pregnancy hormones are going to be the death of me.
"A boy," I whisper.
"And." Dr. Martinez drags out the word as she is moving the wand again, a few inches over. "Let's check on his sibling."
The room goes silent.
"His what?" Miles asks.
Dr. Martinez's smile widens. "Baby B is a girl. Congratulations. You're having twins."
The world stops.
Twins.
TWINS.
"I'm sorry," I manage. "Did you say twins?"
"I did." Dr. Martinez is still moving the wand, showing us two distinct babies on the monitor. "See? Here's Baby A—your boy. And here's Baby B—your girl. Both measuring perfectly for twenty weeks. Healthy heartbeats. Everything looks excellent."
"But—" Miles sounds strangled. "We only heard one heartbeat at twelve weeks."
"It happens more often than you'd think," Dr. Martinez explains. "During early scans, one twin can hide behind the other. We only detected one heartbeat then, but now that they're bigger, we can see both clearly."
I'm staring at the monitor. Two babies. Two tiny humans. A boy and a girl.
"Are you sure?" I hear myself ask. "Like, absolutely sure there are two?"
"Positive. Look—two heads, two spines, two hearts beating independently."
Miles leans forward, squinting at the screen. "Is there any chance there are more? Hiding?"
Dr. Martinez laughs. "I can promise you—there are exactly two. No more hiding spots at this stage."
Two.
Twins.
Miles and I look at each other. His expression probably matches mine—shock mixed with terror mixed with something that might be excitement if I could feel anything besides numb.
"Congratulations!" Patricia adds. "You're getting the full package—one of each!"
