I nod.
She pulls out the wand, sheaths it, lubes it, and then we’re off to the races. Ace reaches out and grabs my hand, but I don’t need it. If I could sleep through this part, I would.
“Alright, here we go.” She pauses to adjust something on the monitor. “Okay, that there is your uterus. And right there…” she turns the monitor toward us, “…the little bean is your baby. And that little flicker is his or her heartbeat.”
I stare blankly at what looks like a swollen baked bean. Cute, I suppose.
But Ace is really into this. His eyes even look wet.
“Looks exactly how it should look at this stage. I’d estimate seven weeks.”
Ace blows out a shaky breath. “Wow. Babe, can you see it?”
“Mm hm. I see.”
Dr. Bernard’s gaze lingers on me just before she turns the monitor back toward herself. She presses a button, and the machine spits out a CVS receipt’s worth of pictures of the fucking baby. Then, it’s over, and I’m glad.
“After you get dressed, I’m gonna send you down for bloodwork just to make sure all of your levels are right. Check your patient portal over the next few days. Any questions?”
“What kind of vitamins does she need to be taking?”
I resist the urge to roll my eyes.
Doc answers his dumb ass question, then lectures me on smoking, drinking, and eating undercooked foods. Blah, blah, blah, who cares.
She turns the light back on, then says, “Dad, I’m gonna have you step out of the room for just a second.”
“Uh, okay.”
“It’s routine,” she insists.
As soon as he’s out the door, she turns to me and narrows her eyes.
“I need to ask you some direct questions.”
“Okay…”
“One of my nurses recognized you from some video.”
The first thought that pops into my mind is the sex tape. I go to speak, but she cuts me off.
“I haven’t seen it, but apparently you’re at some club arguing, and he has his hands on you.”
I shake my head as the realization hits me. “That’s what this is about? No. My husband isn’t abusing me.”
“Well she was very alarmed by what she saw, and my admin chimed in. Apparently she saw it, too. And I couldn’t help but notice how…subdued you seem today. So my question is, are you safe?”
“Yes. Oh my God, this is insane. Hold on.”
I stand and walk over to the door, yanking it open to call, “Ace! Come back in here.”
“Wait, we don’t—“
“Yall not about to sit up here and paint my husband out to be something he isn’t.”
He rushes back in. “What’s wrong? You okay? Is the baby okay?”
“They seem to think you’re abusing me.”
