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I do as she asks, rolling down my maternity pants and pulling up my shirt. She hands me a large bright pink fabric square, and I tuck it into the band of my pants. She presses a few buttons, places some gel on my stomach, and then settles the ultrasound wand on my belly.
“Are we finding out the sex today?” she asks as she turns on the TV in front of Chase and I. After a few moments, the view of our baby fills the screen. I can’t believe how big it’s gotten.
“Most definitely,” Chase replies eagerly, making Clarissa smile.
“Looks like Dad’s excited,” she says. “Is this your first?”
“My first, his second,” I tell her as Chase grips my hand tightly. It’s still sweaty, but I don’t even care at this point.
“Do you have a boy or a girl?” she asks him.
“A girl,” Chase responds proudly.
Clarissa wiggles the wand around and starts pointing out different body parts and organs. Sometimes she stops in one spot and presses a few buttons to measure the area while she explains the reason she’s doing so or the current function of that organ.
After a few minutes, my cheeks start hurting from grinning so wide. I can’t believe this is my baby. That a random vacation hookup created this beautiful life that’s growing inside me. When she settles on its little face, tears prick my eyes. It has the most adorable little button nose and round cheeks that I already can’t wait to kiss. She takes a few pictures for the doctor but also says she’ll print them out for us before we leave.
“Everything looks good, but I’ll give all of this to Dr. Hulbrooke, and he’ll contact you if there’s anything he needs to discuss. Now, let’s see if big sister is getting a little brother or a little sister.” She moves the wand to hover over the lower region of the baby. Its legs are crossed, and she pushes down and wiggles gently. After a few moments of maneuvering, it uncrosses its legs, and there’s absolutely no mistaking what I’m seeing. I gasp and turn to look at Chase.
“Holy shit,” Chase mutters. When his eyes meet mine, they’re glassy.
“Congratulations, Mom and Dad. It’s a boy!”
* * *
An hour later, we’re on our way home after a quick stop at Blue for a blueberry donut and a strawberry milkshake.
“Nope, both,” he argued when I insisted I could only eat one. “We’re celebrating a healthy baby.”
I side-eye him now as he quietly murmurs along to the song on the radio. “Part of me wants to thank you and another part wants to forbid you from continuing to feed me like this. I’m going to be huge by the end of this pregnancy.” I’m not sure how much of my words he’s able to understand, as they’re muttered between slurps.
“You’re beautiful” is all he says, the seriousness of his tone pulling me back from my shake. His eyes are full of heat and longing, a promise for later that I plan on holding him to.
When we make it home, he opens the front door for me, his hand lingering on my lower back as he ushers me through. I try to keep moving, but the touch stops me. I’m not sure which one of us leans into the other, but soon we’re connected, his chest against my back and his hand on my hip. I let my head fall back against his shoulder, taking a deep breath and sagging into him.
I don’t stop his hand as it rises from my hip and wraps around the top of my stomach. It rests there for just a second before his other hand wraps around the bottom. He pulls me tighter against him, cocooning my stomach, holding me and our baby at the same time.
A few moments later, he nips at my ear. I mean to laugh, but it ends up coming out as more of a moan when shivers run down my spine. I close my eyes, feeling his head bend toward me, his warm breath tickling my skin. His lips grazing my neck and—
“Hurry up, you two,” Emily croaks from the living room. “The anticipation is killing me.”
I jump from his arms, spinning around and sending him a death stare.
He manages a shaky laugh, hands up in surrender as I poke a finger into his hard chest. He dramatically falls back against the door, as if my push was enough to topple him over. He peeks out from half-lowered lids and mouths, “Sorry,” though his sly smile tells me he’s anything but.
In the living room, Emily is right where we left her after Chase had carried her downstairs this morning—on the couch, propped up by a handful of pillows, with Willow tucked into her side.
“It’s a girl, right?” Emily says. “Tell me it’s a girl.” Her words are slow and drawn out, and she has to stop talking to take deep breaths in between them.
Still, I can feel her excitement, even if she can’t jump up and down to show it.
“Nope,” I say giddily. “It’s a boy!”
“Oh my gosh.” Emily’s eyes well with tears, her bony hands flying up to her hollowed-out cheeks. Her reaction immediately has tears forming in my own eyes. “That’s so amazing, guys. I hope he looks just like you, Chase.”
“Me too,” I agree, smiling over at him.
His chest puffs out in pride. He laughs and pulls me closer to him.“Man, it’s hard to even imagine holding a teeny tiny version of myself. We should name him Chase Junior.”
