“Ooh! I love Team Green!”
I glance over at Adam, seeing if he knows what Team Green is, but he just shrugs.
Sarah continues to get all the measurements she needs, happily talking the whole time. I hate every second of it. I’d rather she just be quiet and take measurements, only tell meif there’s something bad and then move on. I don’t love peppy people at the doctor’s although I’m not totally sure why.
Eventually, she turns the screen toward us after she’s gotten the necessary information. “Here’s your baby.” She smiles.
It actually looks like a baby now. The last time I had a scan, it was a little jellybean blob.
“Oh my God.” Adam gasps.
I look at him because his hand tightens in mine, and what I see stills the breath in my lungs. Tears fall from his eyes, a look of pure awe on his face.
He eventually looks at me and says, “That’s our baby.”
Emotion overwhelms me. He’s not running. He’s not panicking. He’s here with me along for this very scary ride.
“Yep,” I choke out, wishing I could say something more, but my throat is closing up as I try to stop the tears from falling. Lord knows I cry enough these days.
“I’ll give you two a minute,” Sarah says as she sneaks out of the room.
Adam gets up out of the chair, cupping my face and leaning over me. “I promise with everything I am, everything I have, that I will take care of you two. I want this so fucking badly, Claire. I know I’m going to mess up, multiple times, but I want you two so much.” He presses a kiss to my forehead, my cheeks, then my lips as I hiccup through the tears.
Damn him.
“We’re both going to mess up,” I whisper.
He heaves in a deep breath. “You are growing a baby in there.” He chuckles as much as he can through the emotion.
“Now you see why I sleep all the time.”
He burst out laughing before kissing me again. “I mean it, Claire. I’m in this a thousand percent.”
“There’s only one hundred percent. You can’t go over that,” I murmur, causing him to roll his eyes.
“Then I’m in one hundred percent.”
I nod because what can I say to this man right now? We still have so much to work through, but this moment feels monumental. This feels like we’ll be okay. I know without a doubt that he’ll be here for this child, and right now, that’s all that really matters.
Sarah reenters, making Adam sit back down, but he still holds my hand.
“I’m just going to print off some pictures for you both, and then we’re done here!” Her peppy-ness is grating on my nerves. Then she’s done, sending us on our way to another room, where we wait for the doctor.
“Is your doctor that …”
“Overwhelming?” I ask with a chuckle, so glad we’re on the same page. “No. God no. She’s very straightforward and no-nonsense.”
“Okay, good.” He breathes out in relief.
“Knock, knock,” Dr. Hardin says before walking in. “Hello there.” She looks at Adam. “I’m Dr. Marie Hardin, and you are?”
“Adam Morrison. Baby daddy extraordinaire.”
“Dear God, you have to stop saying that,” I tell Adam, but I’m smiling.
Today has been a damn good day, and I’m going to hold onto this feeling as long as I possibly can.
The drive home is quiet yet content. I can’t remember the last time I’ve felt content in my life. It gives me hope and pushes me to want to explore more with Adam. I’ve been holding him at arm’s length because I’m scared—even I can realize that. But maybe I’m ready for more.
