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“Okay. I’m going to lift your shirt enough to expose your belly and push your pants down enough to expose the lower half. I’m going to put cream on your stomach. It will be cool at first, but the coolness will wear off. Then, we’ll use the instrument to hear and see whatever may be in your uterus.”
Valentina nodded her head while Giuseppe held her hand. He got nervous just standing there, but he wanted to know. Giuseppe wanted to know for sure that they were having a baby. The doctor did what she said she was going to do, and when she sat down in front of the screen, Dr. Mariana applied jelly to Valentina’s belly and put the wand to it. All of their attention went to the screen. Valentina and Giuseppe could see something, but they weren’t sure what they were seeing. Then, Dr. Mariana explained.
“We’ve got what looks like a little person forming.”
The doctor pointed to what looked like the start of arms and legs. There was a distinct head. She rotated a button on the monitor, and they heard it.
“Is that a heartbeat? Is that the baby’s heartbeat?” Valentina asked with her eyes opened wide. Giuseppe couldn’t say anything. He was simply in awe of the moment.
They heard the rhythm that was continuous, soft but continuous.
“I would say yes, that’s the baby’s heartbeat.”
Giuseppe rubbed Valentina on the head as he looked into her eyes. He saw them wide at first, and then her eyes welled with tears.
“We’re having a baby,” Valentina breathed.
“We’re having a baby,” Giuseppe seconded.
We’re having a baby.
“So, what should we do next?” Giuseppe asked as they made their way back to the car.
“I don’t know,” Valentina said, still reeling from word that she would be a mother. She fell silent as they climbed into the car. Once Giuseppe was sitting next to her, Valentina decided on what to say.
“What do you think about getting married?” She posited.
“Like in a church with a minister, getting married?” Giuseppe asked as he put the key into the ignition.
“No, not like that,” Valentina objected. She had avoided that situation once before and had never regretted it. “I was thinking more like city hall, a minister to marry us and finding someone to be a witness,” she mused.
“Just a random someone to be a witness?” Giuseppe queried.
“It’s not like we can ask my sister or your brother,” Valentina commented.
Giuseppe leaned his head and shrugged his shoulders. “Understood. But you don’t want more than that for such a special occasion?”
“What I want is a real marriage to a real man, someone I can work with to achieve what we set out to achieve.”
Giuseppe considered what Valentina said and her tone when she said it. He could tell she was serious.
“What makes you think I’m, you’re ready for marriage?” He questioned.
Valentina chuckled and then smiled.
“Well, if we want our parents to take us seriously when we tell them we’re pregnant and for them to respect our position without question, I would think marriage would be the next logical step.”
“Makes sense.”
Sofia was still beyond grieved. It had been a few months since she’d lost her son Alessandro. Her husband and son had done what they could to try and fill the void his absence created, but Sofia still felt him being gone so profoundly. Sofia had been crying and sad for so long. She was tired of being sad and forlorn. Sofia sat with that feeling for a while, being sick and tired of being sick and tired of feeling sad.
One evening, Sofia walked into the library after Carmine and their remaining son, Gabriel, had met.
“We need to avenge Alessandro’s death.”
Carmine looked at Gabriel, who looked perplexed by his mother’s comment.
“What do you propose we do, dear?” Carmine asked, even while asking concerned about his wife’s answer.
