“We’ve always been good at that,” I remind her. Then a thought occurs to me. “Do you think we should be doing this before your appointment?”
“Why not? All they will do is roll that thing over my belly to hear the heartbeat. I don’t even get undressed.”
“Okay.”
“Don’t go all prude on me now.”
“I’m not,” I say and pull her toward me to kiss her. She kisses me back, and when she pulls away her eyes say exactly what I’m feeling.
How did I get so lucky?
We load up in my SUV and head for the doctor’s office, singing to Adele to pass the time. Syd checks in and heads to the back to use the bathroom the way she has to every time before her appointment. I grab a seat next to a guy who is rocking a baby carrier with his foot and scrolling on his phone. The baby is sound asleep, and the dad looks so relaxed that I assume this isn’t his first kid.
He must have sensed me looking because he glances up.
“Hey, man. First time?” he asks.
“Here, no. Baby, yes.”
“This is my third,” he says and smiles at the carrier. “Third girl too.”
“Oh, that sounds fun,” I say and laugh a little. Three girls. I can’t imagine.
“It is. You get used to it, and by the time this one comes around, it’s cake.”
“I’m not so sure about that.”
“Hi, are you Mark Young?” a woman I’ve only noticed behind the check-in desk asks.
“Yes.”
“We need new copies of your insurance and for you to complete these forms. Sydney said to give them to you until she is finished.”
“Yes, thank you.”
She hands me a clipboard, and I get to work.
“I swear the paperwork never ends,” the guy next to me says.
“I believe it.”
“How far along is your wife?”
I look at the stranger and then hold up my left hand.
“Sadly, we aren’t married. Not yet anyway,” I say. “Mark Young.” I may as well introduce myself if I’m going to dive into deep conversations with him.
“Ethan Connelly. Nice to meet you. You know, my wife, Kelsey, and I weren’t married when we had our first baby either.”
“Yeah?” I say with more surprise than expected. He saidwife, so eventually they married. Maybe I just need to be patient.
A blonde woman comes out and waves him over.
“That’s my wife,” he says proudly. “The best ones are worth the wait, but I’m sure you know that.”
I chuckle and nod. “I do.”
He stands, lifting the carrier as if it weighs nothing, and joins his wife.
