After another moment of silence, he said, “Okay, I guess that makes sense. It’s probably for the best, given the current situation. Oh, hey—isn’t this the ultrasound when we can tell if it’s a boy or a girl?”
I cringed. “Yeah … I wanted to talk to you about that.”
I told him about my anxieties, and how I ultimately felt it was better for my mental health not to find out. “I’m already nervousenough about having a baby to begin with—I think I’d rather just focus on being healthy and on my part in being its mom, if you can understand that. Once the baby is here, I’ll be so happy and relieved, I won’t even care what it is. Does that make any sense?”
Max took a lengthy pause while he thought it over. “Well, I’ll admit, I was kind of looking forward to knowing, but if you feel more comfortable with it being a surprise … I guess I’m okay with that.”
I let out a giant sigh of relief. “Thank you, Max. I really appreciate that.”
His voice softened. “You’re right—we’re going to love it, no matter what it is.”
And it’s the very least he can do for me, considering what his girlfriend has been putting me through.
“Yes, we will. I’ll keep in touch about how everything goes.”
“Okay. Good luck—and I can’t wait to see that DVD.”
The night before my ultrasound, Mom called.
“Honey, I’m so sorry. I don’t think I should come tomorrow.” Her voice was raspy, and she let out a throaty cough.
“Oh no, Mom … are you sick?”
“Yes, unfortunately. I wish I could be there to see the baby, but it wouldn’t be good for either of you if you caught my germs.”
I sighed. Of course, she was right. “Okay. Well, I’m still coming down this weekend. And I’ll bring the DVD for you to see.”
“Thank you, sweetie.”
I chewed on my fingernail and debated calling Max. Should I invite him? Would Madison throw a fit?
On second thought, I texted Ellie to invite her, but she replied with a series of sad-face emojis. She was working the lunch shift the next day.
I guess I should invite Max.
I took a deep breath and composed a short text letting him know he was welcome to come in my mom’s place. He replied right away:I’d love to. Want me to pick you up at your office at 11:30 again?
That would be great, thanks.
My leg pumped anxiously under the table as I checked the clock again: 11:46. I picked up my phone and shot Max another text.I can’t wait any longer. I’m heading to the doctor’s office. Hope to see you there.
On my way down in the elevator, I called an Uber—hopefully I would just make it.
I ran into the clinic at eleven fifty-eight and quickly scanned the waiting room—no sign of Max. A nurse called my name almost immediately.
After changing into my paper gown, I pulled out my phone. No messages from Max.
I tapped out a quick text.Hello?? I really wish you would have let me know you were running late. I barely made it here in time.I shoved my phone back into my purse and got up onto the exam table.
The sonographer, a cheerful woman with a pleasant smile, gave me a quick rundown of what to expect. I lay back on the table and pulled my gown up. She squirted a generous amount of ice-cold goo on me and started pressing the wand around in circles below my belly button.
The screen was mostly angled away from me, but I could see about half of it. A black and white blob appeared—but this time, there was no small, white peanut in the center. Instead, I saw what appeared to be two white outlines butting up against each other—a round head, and an oval-shaped body. I gasped—it was my baby. My nearly fully formed, human-looking baby.
The sonographer smiled when she saw my reaction, and turned the screen around for a moment so I could get a clearerlook. Immediately, I felt tears sliding down both cheeks. I watched the screen in awe as the baby moved this way and that. At one point, it raised its arm and I could see its fingers, which looked like a row of tiny pearls.
“Look at your little one!” said the sonographer. As she continued to roll the wand around my belly, she pointed out features on the screen like its nose, bottom, spine, and feet, as well as a small black circle blinking in the center of its chest—its heart.
I couldn’t stop beaming as I stared at the screen in wonder—until after a quick knock, the door to the exam room burst open, letting in a bright cone of light.
