“I have a doctor’s appointment tomorrow. Think you could go with me?” I hate how small my voice sounds. Leo says he’s all in, but I can’t help but think something is going to send him running. Who would want to have a baby with their one-night stand? Someone who turned out to be their employee?
“There’s nowhere else I’d rather be.”
“Reagan.The doctor will see you now.”
Leo squeezes my hand as I follow the nurse out of the waiting area and into a private room. She takes my stats and pats the table. “Change into the gown, and the doctor will be in shortly.”
I start unbuttoning my blouse when Leo clears his throat. His eyes are hazy as he turns away from me.
“You know it’s nothing you haven’t seen before.” I change quickly, sitting on the crinkly paper.
“Just feels weird doing it here.” Pictures of babies line the tiny room we’re in. Leo’s hands are stuffed in his pockets, tension radiating off him.
“Doing okay over there?”
He turns to face me. “Being here makes it feel real.”
“Hate to break it to you, but it was real before,” I say on a laugh.
His lips quirk up into a smile, his dimples popping out.
I hope the baby has his smile.
It’s a fleeting thought. The first I’ve had about this tiny human growing inside me that hasn’t been a panicked one.
“Hi, Reagan, I’m Dr. Thomas.” An older woman enters the room. I take her extended hand, feeling at ease with her friendly persona. “And you must be the father.”
“Leo.” He shakes her hand.
“Nice to meet you both. Now, how have you been feeling, Reagan?”
“Feeling pretty sick during the day.”
She nods. “Fairly common at this point. If it doesn’t pass in the next few weeks, I can always write you a prescription to help.”
“Okay.” My nerves start to settle.
“Now, we’ll go over a few things, see how things are going, and do a sonogram for you. I bet you’re anxious to see the baby.”
“We get to see the baby today?” Leo’s voice is full of awe.
“Yes. Based on information you gave when you filled out your paperwork, you should be about nine weeks, so your baby is the size of an olive.”
“An olive?” Leo moves closer to me, his hand now rubbing my back. It’s soothing. It seems to soothe him as much as it does me.
“Why don’t we go ahead and have a look, and I can tell you your due date.”
I lie back as the doctor pulls the gown up, rubbing a cool gel on my belly. Leo takes my hand in his as the machine turns on and the doctor starts the ultrasound. A rapid noise fills the room.
“Is that the heartbeat?” My head spins to the doctor as she gives me a big smile.
“Yes. And that right there”—she points on the screen—”is your baby.”
It’s nothing more than a tiny blip on the screen, but it’s there.
“That’s our baby.” Leo’s voice is breathless. I look from him to the screen, his eyes not leaving that tiny sac.
“Based on size and your last period, your due date looks to be about July 20. Now, babies can come on their own time, but you’ll have a winter baby.”
