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Before I could respond, he slipped out of the room. I quickly undressed and folded my clothes, stashing my underwear between the layers of clothing and setting it in a small pile next to the chair. I cracked open the door and let Duke know I was decent.
Perched on the edge of the table, I watched Duke sit in the chair. His shoulders were far too wide for the cramped seat, and tension rolled off him in waves. A soft knock came moments before the door cracked open again.
Dr. Hokum was a soft-spoken woman who appeared to be in her late fifties. Her calm, confident presence did little to settle my nerves. She asked a few questions regarding my last period and any symptoms I was experiencing. She assured me the nausea and tender boobs were signs the pregnancy was progressing normally. The doctor instructed me to lie back as she prepared for the ultrasound.
“This early, we will do an internal ultrasound. It helps us get a better idea of how far along the baby’s development is and get you a few pictures.” She smiled as she arranged the implements, one of which looked like a slim robotic dildo. Heat flooded mycheeks. I had no idea why I was feeling shy—I’d already seen Duke’s perfect dick, after all—but the whole situation felt beyond bizarre.
Dr. Hokum shook a bottle of lube, and as she squeezed, the bottle let out a loud, wet farting noise. “Oh!” She laughed. “Well, that was a silly sound!”
A fizzy, bubbling giggle erupted from me as I caught Duke’s eye. A playful glint softened his typically hard features as we both struggled to maintain control of our laughter. Finally, his cough-covered scoff sent me over the edge into a full-blown fit of giggles. Tension dissolved, and I sighed into the table. Duke stood, stepping forward, and placed a hand on my shoulder.
I glanced up at him, offering a small smile.
His dark eyes held mind. “It’s going to be okay.”
I pressed my lips together. “I know.”
Dr. Hokum inserted the wand, and the image on the screen flared to life. A little gummy bear–shaped blob appeared before us, and I heard Duke’s sharp intake of breath. His hand tightened on my shoulder as we stared in wonder at the tiny life growing inside me. Dr. Hokum narrated her clicks and measurements while she typed into the large computer. Duke’s eyes stayed focused on the screen, as if he was memorizing every word the doctor uttered.
The pressure of the probe was sharp as the doctor pressed onto my belly and moved it around. “The timeline looks good based on your last menses. Intercourse would have been approximately seven weeks ago? Give or take?”
I could feel the heat flare in my cheeks as Dr. Hokum looked at me for confirmation. “Yes.” My voice was rusty and tight.
The doctor nodded. “Perfect. You’re about nine weeks along. Baby seems to be getting along just fine in there.”
Duke released a breath.Had he been nervous too?
Dr. Hokum looked between us. “Would you like to hear the heartbeat?”
I nodded, and with the click of a button, a reverberatingwhooshfilled the small room. As she moved the probe again, the jarring whoosh was replaced by a steadyba-dum.
Ba-dum. Ba-dum. Ba-dum.Tears pricked at my eyes. “It’s fast.”
Dr. Hokum smiled as Duke’s grip tightened on my shoulder. “The baby’s heartbeat is about 160 beats per minute. Totally normal.”
I sneaked a glance at Duke. He was wide eyed and staring at the screen. Dr. Hokum reached up and traced a circle around the fuzzy black-and-white image. “There they are. That little flicker here is the heart.”
“Wow.” I stared at the tiny flicker as it blinked.
A baby.
My baby.
Ourbaby.
I was terrified, but seeing the baby’s heartbeat, something shifted. There was a humangrowing inside me. I had to protect that precious little human. A tear slipped down my cheek as stress and overwhelm rolled over me.
Dr. Hokum clicked a few more buttons on the computer, and a trail of black-and-white images streamed out of the printer. She removed the probe, covered my bottom, and helped me clean up. Lowering the stirrups, I set my feet down and sat up.
“The baby is healthy and thriving. As long as your symptoms are manageable, you won’t need to come back for another four weeks. The important things to remember are to eat a variety of healthy, pregnancy-safe foods, take your prenatal vitamins, and try to maintain low stress levels.”
A light scoff escaped me before I could stop it.
Dr. Hokum’s gaze flicked between Duke and me. “If you experience any significant changes in symptoms—extreme nausea, bleeding, that kind of thing—just call the office.” Dr. Hokum gently squeezed my knee before excusing herself to allow me to redress.
Duke waited for me in the hallway, and when I exited the room, he was staring down at the ultrasound photos. My heart rolled painfully in my chest.
On the drive back to my aunt’s house, I studied the photograph and wondered if there had ever been a time when such a reckless decision had ever made me happier. There was still a lot to figure out, but for the first time, I felt like maybe I wouldn’t have to figure all that out alone.
