“Please come and take a seat,” the guy says as he slips around the desk. “My name is Daniel, and I’ll be taking you through this process today. Sir, would you like to sit?”
“No,” Everett states firmly.
“U-uh okay,” the guy stutters, clearly a little nervous. “I’ll…uh…begin by going through what to expect before moving on to the procedures.”
I nod, trying to listen to him, but my head is spinning so fast, I barely register that he’s speaking English.
Everett came.
It might not mean he believes me, and I’m fairly sure Hailee threatened him with something to get him here. But that’s not the point. He is here, and he’s willing to discover that I’m telling the truth.
I guess the real question is…is he willing to attend the ultrasound with me?
Both of us are silent as we go through the testing procedure. It’s much easier for him, just a cheek swab, while I have to have a blood test. Daniel offers for us to do this in private, but Irefuse and as I hop up onto examination table in the corner of the room, Everett stands with his arms folded across his chest, watching with an unreadable expression on his face.
I can’t watch as the needle pierces my skin; I look down at my trembling hand instead.
Once we’re done, Daniel tells us that the results will be emailed to us in five to ten days, and he sees us out of the room.
I glance at Everett as we walk back to the waiting room, but his hard eyes are focused ahead and his lips are pressed into a thin line. I have literally no idea what he’s thinking or feeling right now, and that puts me even more on edge than when I was questioning if he was going to turn up or not.
“Everything okay?” Sienna asks the second we’re in hearing distance.
“Yeah, all good,” I confirm. “Results in five to ten business days,” I repeat, my voice emotionless.
Sienna grimaces. Those days are going to be painfully long. I might know what they’re going to come back saying, but the man beside me doesn’t. And I can only assume he’s hoping they’ll show that he’s not the father of my baby so he can continue forward with his life as if I never entered it. If only it was going to be that easy.
“So…ultrasound next?” she asks, knowing full well that it is. “Rett, are you—” He shoots her a look that has her swallowing her words as we step out into the empty hallway.
My heart sinks.
He isn’t going to come.
Of course he isn’t.
Why would he want to see a fuzzy, black and white image of a baby he isn’t sure is his.
Tears burn my eyes.
But just when I expect him to turn and walk away, he grunts, “Which way?”
“Uh…t-that way,” Sienna says, taking the lead and pointing down the hallway. “It’s down one floor.”
Sienna takes off, tugging me along with her when she hooks her arm through mine.
Everett trails behind us, his sneakers squeaking against the floor.
My heart is in my throat as we step into the elevator. He stands before us like an impenetrable force. Sienna looks at me; concern etched into her expression.
‘Are you okay?’ she mouths.
‘I don’t know,’ I reply.
‘He’s here. That’s a good thing.’
‘Is it?’
Her lips twitch into a smile, but there isn’t any strength behind it.
