Page 55 of Antonio Miles

“He used us,” I said.

Antonio nodded once. “I know. You have to admire the beauty of it. Even if it still sucks ass.” He snorted and squeezed my knee. “Even if you’d known you were being used, you’d still have killed the bastard.”

“Look,” I turned my head to face him. “It’s not like you’d have done anything differently. Denton’s been a dead man a long time.”

He slid me the side eye. “I’m not looking for logic. I want to fume awhile. Being played, no matter if I’d have taken the same action or not, is not something I’m proud of.”

“Well, suck it up, buttercup, because you don’t get to mope around today.”

Like I knew it would, his expression softened, and he gave me the most tender, loving smile I’ve ever seen on a man’s face. “Wouldn’t think of it, sweetheart.”

Of course, the doctor’s office we went to was nothing like the offices I’d been in before. This was more like a lounge. Except there were no other people inside currently.

We were greeted by the doctor. She stuck out her hand to me and I reached for it. “It’s good to meet you, Miss Garrison. I’m Dr. Simbillo, but you can call me Dr. Sim.”

“Miles.” Tonio said, sticking his chin out.

She didn’t look at Tonio as she continued speaking. “I’d call you Mrs. Miles, but it seems you’re missing a couple of key ingredients.” She glanced at my left hand. My unadorned left hand. “Hmm…” Then back at Tonio.

Tonio raised his eyebrows, but only said, “Noted.”

Dr. Sim still didn’t look at him. She was short, maybe five feet tall, if she wore some good, stout, tall heels. She had a heavy Filipino accent, but spoke slowly so I had no trouble understanding her, and mischief in her smile. “Come with me. It would be faster and more comfortable for you if I had my staff, but I was told, in no uncertain terms, the office and the whole building, really, needed to be evacuated and empty an hour before and an hour after your visit.” She gave a side eye to Tonio. “So, you will understand if things run slowly.”

Glancing up at Antonio, I really thought he’d look angry or, at the very least, annoyed. Instead, I thought I saw him fight a grin.

Once inside the spacious exam room, she gave me an oversized hospital gown, only it was fluffy terrycloth and looked more like a bathrobe with short sleeves. And she told me to put it on backward.

While she was gone, Tonio helped me undress. If his hands lingered in places they probably shouldn’t have, I didn’t object. He seemed to be fascinated with my breasts though they didn’t look any different today than they did since I’d sprouted them as a teenager.

“Can’t wait to see these perfect tits full with milk.” He leaned down and gave one a small suck. “Gonna have to get my share after the baby, too.”

“Tonio!” I laughed and pushed him away. “Stop talking like that!”

He grinned. “I’m big on communication.”

I’d just climbed onto the exam table and readied myself, Dr. Sim knocked, then came inside when I acknowledged her.

She rolled in an ultrasound machine before plugging it in next to me. “Are you ready?”

I smiled. “More than ready.”

She spread warmed gel over my lower abdomen. Antonio slid his hand to mine and I grasped it tightly. I wasn’t scared at all, but I loved knowing I had his support.

And the man had been the most supportive, attentive mate a woman in early pregnancy could ask for. He held me while I puked. Washed my hair when I didn’t get it all out of the way. He massaged my fucking feet, for fuck’s sake! I didn’t even have swollen ankles yet! But I loved him all the more for his careful attention.

Once in place, Dr. Sim continued talking while she found what she was looking for. The screen was angled where both me and Tonio could see as she started the exam. She moved the ultrasound wand over my lower belly until she had everything positioned where she wanted. Then, with a beaming smile she made one more adjustment…

WHOOSH WHOOSH WHOOSH

“That’s your baby,” Dr. Sim said, smiling.

She pointed to a fist curled tight and little feet kicking out. “See that flutter? That’s the heart.”

Antonio’s eyes never left the screen. I watched his face do things I’d never seen it do before, watched his jaw go slack and his eyes go wide and his hand tighten around mine. I think he clung to me harder than I clung to him. He looked at that grainy gray screen like it held the answer to a question he’d been asking his whole life.

“It’s a girl. Right?” Tonio swallowed. We both had started talking in terms of the child being a girl, but this was the first time we’d been able to do more than have Nadine check what she called fetal heart tones. This scan would be a good baseline and might tell us the gender, if we were lucky.

“Mmm…” was the doctor’s only comment as she continued to work. The pleasant, friendly smile never left her face as she moved the probe around my lower stomach. Then the image shifted. This one had the child turned upside down. The doctor’s smile widened.