I point at him.“No, no, keep going.You clearly have a degree in obstetrics now.Is there something you need to tell me?”
Cally lifts both hands in surrender.“I’m just saying, let’s not confuse movie magic with modern medical technology.”
I groan and tug at the hem of my sweater, my fingers tightening around the fabric.“Okay.Unless you want a front-row seat to a show you didn’t buy tickets for, you need to turn around.”
Neither of them move.
They just look at me, both unreadable in different ways—Cally with that bright, stubborn devotion, Monty with that quiet, controlled intensity that makes it hard to breathe sometimes.
I wave my hand at them like I’m shooing large, very expensive birds.“Hello?Privacy?”
Cally’s brows lift like I’ve suggested something ridiculous.“Ves, we’ve seen you naked.”
My face heats.
“Bare pussy and all,” he adds, because apparently humiliation is his coping mechanism.
“This is different,” I snap, because my body is already on fire and I’m not sure if it’s hormones or rage.“There’s a table involved.And ...”I gesture at the paper sheet like it personally insulted my mother.“This.This is weird.”
Monty exhales, and for a second his gaze catches mine before he turns around.Cally follows, still grinning like he’s proud of himself.
I move fast.
Shoes off.Leggings down.Underwear gone.
I do it with all the grace of a newborn giraffe and the dignity of a woman who is absolutely going to pretend this never happened.
The exam table is cold against my thighs when I sit.I wrestle with the paper sheet, trying to arrange it in a way that doesn’t make me feel like an exposed science project.
Spoiler: it’s impossible.
I clear my throat.“Okay.You can turn around now.”
They turn.
And instead of jokes they both go quiet.Cally’s expression changes first, the humor fading like it never existed.Monty’s eyes slide over me and then away, respectful, but he stays close, like he’s positioning himself between me and anything that might hurt.
They each take a place beside me, one on either side, like they’re bracketing me.
My pulse drums in my ears.I stare at the machine again, breath shallow, palms damp.
“What if something’s wrong?”I whisper.
Cally answers immediately.“Then we’ll figure it out.”
I scoff, trying for sarcasm and landing on fear.“You say that like it’s easy.”
“I say it because it’s true.”He leans forward.“Vesper, I know you’re scared.You don’t do big life changes.You make lists and pretend your lists can control the universe.And when the universe doesn’t cooperate, you spiral.We’re here to ensure that nothing bad happens—and if it does, we’ll support you.”
I blink.“Okay, wow.When did this become a TED Talk about my control issues?”
His smile is small, gentle in a way that makes my eyes burn.“I’m just saying you’re not alone.Whatever happens, you’re going to be okay.”His gaze holds mine.“You’ve got people in your corner.You’ve got me.”
Monty’s hand closes around mine, warm and solid.“You’ll be fine,” he says.
Then he bends and kisses my forehead.
And it hits me like my body has been waiting for tenderness all morning.
