“Hey, sweetheart,” he greeted, letting me go and nodding at Franco. “Lurch,” he addressed my security and I held back a laugh. “Let’s get inside and check everything’s alright with your little gremlin.”
“Are you ever going to refer to this baby as a baby?”
“I’ll make that decision once you’ve pushed it out and I can make clear judgement that it is indeed a baby. Can’t be too sure, considering its parentage.”
I rolled my eyes as the three of us made our way along winding corridors to get checked in for my appointment. Franco took up his post by the wall while Dante and I went to the reception desk.
“Mia Griffin. I have an appointment with Dr Vega,” I told the receptionist, and she handed me some forms over the desk. “I take it Luc decided against turning up,” I commented at Dante, scribbling in my details where they were required.
Dante let out a heavy sigh. “He thinks you wouldn’t want him here. Thinks you think he isn’t fit enough to be a father.”
My pen slipped, sending a black inky line across the page. The receptionist shot me a quick look, but my focus was on Dante. “That’s not true!” My voice was a little louder than would be considered appropriate for the setting.
Dante’s eyes flicked over to Franco who watched us carefully before he looked back to me. “Keep your shit together, Mia,” he told me, nudging the forms on the desk. I began to fill them in again as he spoke, “You both need to talk. We’re away this weekend but when we get back, I’m taking you to see him. And I think it’ll be a good idea for you to move back in with me.”
“You think Gabe’s going to let me walk away that easily?”
“He can’t exactly hold you hostage.”
“He’s doing everything he can to get me to agree to his ludicrous plan. Do you think it was my choice to turn up to church?”
“You did look a little out of place.”
Scrawling my signature across the bottom of the forms, I passed them back to the receptionist before taking a seat with Dante. Our conversation had been dropped thanks to Franco’s presence, but my mind had started to turn over Dante’s words. The lack of communication between myself and Luc had led to a whole host of misunderstandings. We needed to talk, no matter how angry we were; we needed to clear the air and figure out what happened next. I needed to tell him the truth.
“Miss Mia Griffin?”
“Do you want me to come with you?” Dante asked, rising from the chair at the same time I did.
Every appointment I’d attended, Carmen had been by my side. And when she hadn’t been available because of birth and family commitments, Gio had taken her place but had never come into the doctor’s office with me. Something about having a man that wasn’t Luc in the doctor’s office with me, discussing his child, didn’t sit right.
“I’ll be okay,” I said, giving his arm a gentle squeeze. “Won’t be long.”
Dante sat back down, and I left the room to hear him say, “Our surrogate. Isn’t she just wonderful to give us the chance of having a child together?” I would have paid good money to see Franco’s face.
“Miss Griffin. Please, take a seat. Alone?” Dr Vega asked, surveying me over his glasses that sat half way down his nose.
With a tight-lipped smile, I nodded. “Just me.”
“Alright then. Let’s take a look.” Dr Vegamade his way through the list of standard questions, confirming everything from my last doctor. Weighed and measured, samples handed over for analysis, we finally arrived at the part of the appointment that always made me apprehensive. I held my breath as the wand was run over the swell of my bare stomach. My focus was fixed on the screen, watching as the grainy image of my son appeared. The pounding of his heartbeat filled the room and, as always, I found myself in awe of the little life inside of me. The closer we inched toward the due date, the more certain I became in my decision to keep the baby.
“Everything looks to be ticking along nicely,” Dr Vega told me as we concluded the appointment. “Any issues, questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to call and make an appointment. We’re almost at the finish line, Miss Griffin.”
“Thank you.” I beamed at him before leaving the office. I stuck my head around the door of the waiting room where Franco still stood by the wall and Dante flipped through a magazine boasting pregnancy tips on the cover. “All done.”
Dante looked up and grinned. “Everything alright?”
“Perfect,” I said, waving the small image of the scan.
He jumped up and a woman from the other end of the room wished them luck and Franco scowled at the sentiment. Dante pinched the scan photo from my fingers as we walked down the hallways again, turning it slightly left and right and assessing the image. “Mia…” He squinted at the photo. He barely paid attention as he walked, and we squeezed past a gorgeous blonde woman coming out of one of the offices that lined the corridor. My heart sank when I realised who she was, and the shock was mirrored on her features. We rounded the corner, my arm on Dante’s elbow guiding him around the bend until Amber was lost from my line of sight. “That’s a chunky head you need to push out of you,” Dante finished his thought.
I snatched the image out of his hands and was about to yell at him when Franco spoke, “I don’t envy you.” Franco didn’t hide the fact he wasn’t my biggest fan and I was surprised he’d made any comment.
“Count yourself lucky,” I said to him, casting a quick glance to see if Amber had followed us. Old habits die hard, although she had probably been thrilled when I left without a word.
“Imagine, Mia, in a few months you’re going to be holding that baby.” Dante looked gleeful at the thought. “Exciting times! Don’t you think, Lurch?”
My surly security’s expression returned to its usual blank state as he deadpanned, “Thrilling.”
