“You’ve been quiet as hell since we got in here. You wanna talk about it, Muffs?” Indiri’s voice and the newly minted nickname had me side eyeing him. Muffs was short for Muffin.
“Stop calling me that.”
“Hell nah. That’s the one right there.” He laughed.
“It’s really not.” I rolled my eyes.
“The way you hit that basket of muffins this morning, yes the fuck it is. It’s cute and it fits. Now tell me why you’re so quiet.”
I glanced around the empty waiting room before I looked at him. “This is really real. We’re having a baby.” Being here cemented the idea for me.
He was about to respond, but the nurse calling my name had us both looking in her direction. She stood in the doorway waiting on us. I was on my feet moving in her direction not a second later with Indiri in tow.
Once we were in the back area, she led us to a small room with an exam table, a chair for him to sit, a computer, and more doctor shit. My heart was beating out of my chest by then.Holy shit, this was all so damn real.
“Breathe, Muffs. You’re over there overprocessing and I can see it in your eyes. Our shit has been pinballing through this damn room since we came in.” Indiri’s voice interrupted my thought rampage, making me look at him. Well, maybe I mugged him.
“Call me anything but that.”
“Nah. I shortened it, be grateful ’bout that.”
I sucked my teeth.
About thirty seconds later the nurse reentered with a cup in her hand. “Alright Ms. Murray, I wanna get your weight right out here in the hall, then I’m gonna need a urine sample. The bathroom is right behind us.”
I nodded then set my purse down. Then while Indiri sat his big, comfortable ass in the chair, now staring at his phone, I went out to be weighed. After she finished telling me I had gained a whole five pounds, she gave me the cup and I went to the washroom. She said to leave it on the counter right outside the door. All of that happened fairly quickly since I’d had to pee since I’d first gotten here.
When I returned to the room, Indiri was still in the same space I’d left him in, watching what I assumed to be his training video from this morning. That was the only thing he watched this close.
The nurse returned a little bit after that, informing me that they also needed to do bloodwork, which I half expected. The entire time she took my blood and asked about my menstruation, I felt Indiri’s eyes. When she was finished, we were left alone again, with her promising the doctor would be in soon.
“I love you, Muffs,” he said out of nowhere.
This was new for both of us, all of it, but something about him telling me he loved me was reassuring. Knowing him, that was what he’d meant to do.
“I love you too.”
Shortly after we settled into a comfortable silence, the doctor entered the room. A petite, brown skinned woman with a curly updo and piercing eyes. She smiled as soon as we locked eyes.
“Good afternoon. I’m Dr. Williams and I’ll be taking care of you. What brings you in today, Selah?” She took a seat on the stool.
“I’m pregnant,” I said for the second time since I’d found out. The first time was to Indiri that night and this time to a doctor who already had my urine and blood.Shit, she knew that too, unless I was supposed to answer something else.I immediately looked at Indiri who was already looking at me.
She chuckled. “That we know. Both your blood and urine tests came back with a positive result. Now I’m wondering how you’re feeling. Do you have any concerns or anything you want to talk to me about? If not, let’s do some estimation and possibly an early ultrasound.”
“Nothing that I know. Just extremely tired and hungry all of a sudden.”
Her smile grew. “That is completely normal. Our next stop will be the ultrasound, and based on your last listed menstrual, you may be far enough along for one. Are you ready for that?” She was on her feet in seconds, tapping away on the computer.
Again, I looked over at Indiri.
He nodded.
“Yes. I am.”
“Okay, give us just a second and we’ll be ready. Can you undress and put this on for me?” She pulled a gown out of the drawer. Once I had it in hand, she excused herself, leaving just Indiri and me.
“You want this baby with me, Muffs?”
