Page 102 of Shattered Hearts

“Thank you,” I let out, and as soon as the door closes, Laynie lets out a shaky breath. “You feeling okay?”

She nods quickly, moving between her feet, her hands scrunching and unscrunching.

“Are you going to—”

“I have to pee,” she murmurs.

That makes my eyebrows jump. I was not expecting that. “Maybe you should go now, then?”

She shakes her head. “It’s for the ultrasound, but it’s a lot of water,” she informs me before muttering under her breath for Fiona to hurry up.

Laynie lays down on the examination table, and I take a seat beside her. It’s not that comfortable, but I’m not going to complain. At least I’m not needing to go to the bathroom like Laynie is.

“Just try not to think about it.”

The scoff that escapes her throat is loud and sharp, making me smile. “That’s like bleeding to death and trying not to notice. What a ridiculous saying.”

I shrug. “I was just trying to help.”

Crystal blue eyes meet mine, and her pink lips curve in the corners. “I know. Thank you, Blondie.”

Sitting up, she undoes the buttons holding her overalls in place. They fall down, and she shimmies the bottom down to reveal her abdomen before lying back and reaching for my hand. As soon as she does, the door swings open, and in walks who I’m assuming is Fiona. A tall, dark, willowy woman with ink black hair and almost as dark irises. Her smile is bright and inviting as she takes a seat beside the machine.

“Lovely to see you again, Laynie.” She turns her attention to me. “And you’ve brought someone else with you this time.”

I can’t quite tell if she’s surprised or questioning my presence, but either way, I nod and hold out my hand. “Grayson Lawson. I’m Laynie’s boyfriend.”

It feels satisfying saying that.

I swallow, and Laynie squeezes my fingers. “He’s going to be coming with me from now on.”

The beating of my heart amplifies at her words. Fiona grins. “Well, that’s lovely to hear. Now, I have some questions to ask you before we start the scan. Do you have any discomfort?”

Laynie nods, and I listen. “In my lower back sometimes.”

Fiona nods knowingly. “That happens, and it’ll get worse the further along you are. Try sleeping on your side now. Are you feeling shortness of breath?”

“Not yet.”

“Any strange discharge?”

Laynie’s head shakes.

“Any movement?” Fiona asks.

Her smile grows. “I have. The other night it happened when I was with Grayson.”

That brings heat to my face, but Fiona’s brows twitch, lowering my spirits. “Any other time?”

Laynie thinks for a moment. “One other time when I was at home on the couch.”

Fiona’s quietness unsettles me, and Laynie shifts on the table, so I hold her tighter.

“We’ll have a look now then, but normally we would like some more movement by this stage.”

The sound that comes from Laynie is high and sharp, and I lean closer, kissing her temple. “Don’t worry, okay. There’s no need to panic,” I murmur.

She dips her chin, but from the jiggling of her foot and tapping of her loose fingers, I can tell that she’s getting more anxious by the second.