Noah nodded, shoving his hands into his coat pocket, and waiting by the front door while I went back to the bathroom to finish getting ready. Once my teeth were brushed and lip balm applied, because winter sucked all the moisture out of my lips the moment I set foot outside, I was ready to go.
I tried not to be silent on the drive to Springwood, but I couldn’t help the way my mind was whirling.
I’d had an ultrasound during my first trimester, but the baby was the size of a bean then. This time, the baby would be more baby-like, and they’d be able to determine what gender it was.
I’d decided I wanted to know. I figured it’d make telling my parents about the baby easier. Telling them they’d be having a grandson or a granddaughter in a few months’ time might warm them to the idea. I knew, regardless, they’d likely start questioning all my life choices.
I wanted to know for me, too, and a large part of me was curious to see if Noah was right.
“So, did you want to come in during the ultrasound?” I asked him when we’d almost arrived at the hospital. He glanced at me, his eyes widening with surprise. “I mean, you don’t have to if you don’t want to.”
“No, I want to. I do, I figured you’d want me to keep my distance ‘til after you got the results.” Noah seemed hesitant, as if he was afraid to trust that I wanted him there.
“I want you there if you want to be there,” I said. “I mean, I want to see your face when you’re told you’re wrong and it’s a boy,” I added with a teasing smile, trying to lighten the mood with him.
“Wanna bet?”
“What kind of bet?” I asked, intrigued.
Noah paused for a moment, as if thinking.
“If the baby’s a girl, you crash at my house this weekend, in my bed,” he finally said.
“And if it’s a boy?” I asked.
“I crash at your place tonight, in your bed.”
“Seems like you win in either scenario.”
“Well, that’s because I do win in either scenario.” Noah’s declaration and the look he sent me made me swoon, and the baby started wiggling about as if dancing in agreement.
“Fine,” I said, fighting the urge to melt into a puddle at his feet.
After we found parking in the hospital lot closest to the ultrasound department, we went up. We’d arrived twenty minutes before my appointment time, and things seemed to be moving on schedule.
“Ellen Banks?” The ultrasound technician called my name, and I stood up.
“It’s Nellie,” I corrected her automatically, and she gave me a warm smile.
“My apologies, Nellie. I’m Allison, and I’ll be your ultrasound technician today. If Dad wants to come in, he’s welcome to,” she added, spotting Noah beside me.
I didn’t bother to correct her on Noah’s status as the maybe-father, especially not when I noticed the spark in Noah’s eyes and the soft tilt of his lips as he smiled, as if he liked being referred to as Dad. It warmed my heart. His words resurfacing again, that it didn’t matter to him either way—that he already considered this baby his. The look in his eyes made me realize that he wasn’t telling me lines he thought I wanted to hear, he meant those words wholeheartedly.
Noah stood, and we followed the ultrasound technician into a room. There was a chair at the end of the bed, which he sat in, his eyes taking in the ultrasound equipment with a nervous interest.
“Please get comfortable, this scan is a little longer than the first ultrasound you had,” Allison smiled, waiting while I climbed up on the table and rolled down my sweats. “This might be a little cold,” she added, smearing the cold ultrasound gel against my stomach. I tried not to flinch, but it really was cold.
Noah’s fingers tapped restlessly against the chair’s armrest as Allison got everything prepared for the ultrasound. Once she was ready, she brought the ultrasound wand to my belly, pressing it in.
The wand moved against my womb for a moment, then Allison found the baby, and the sound of the heartbeat filled the room. “That’s the baby’s heartbeat we’re hearing, very healthy and strong. And look, baby’s waving!”
Noah leaned forward, looking at the screen, and I glanced, too. The baby’s hand was moving back and forth, and although I wouldn’t quite call it a full-on wave, it was adorable.
“Aww,” I cooed, my eyes welling with tears. If asked, I wouldn’t have been able to articulate the feeling I had upon seeing my baby.
“Woah,” Noah said, his eyes widening as he looked at the screen. I could hear the awe in his voice and see the visceral reaction happening within him. His eyes misted, too.
“I’m going to take some measurements, then we’ll get to the fun stuff. Will you be wanting to find out the baby’s gender today?” Allison asked, glancing at me.
