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I swallow the thickness in my throat. I have so many questions. So many thoughts. But all I can manage is, “That’s... incredibly thoughtful. Thank you.”
“Of course. Now stay for lunch.”
Like I could ever say no.
twenty
. . .
Tuck
Baby Fever
A strong,rhythmic sound fills the room.
Maren’s hand in mine, my vision blurs as I stare at the screen in wonder. A fierce, long-forgotten yearning unfolds in my middle as I take in the baby’s black-and-white shape.
I’m gonna be a daddy again.
“One hundred sixty beats per minute. Excellent.” The ultrasound technician bangs on her keyboard. “And we’re measuring right on target at eight weeks, five days.”
Maren covers her mouth and lets out a sob. Sniffling, I wipe at my own tears before leaning in to kiss her cheek. “Well done, Mama.”
“Stop pretending like you’re not the one who did this to me,” Maren shoots back, making the tech and I erupt in laughter.
“She has a point,” the tech says.
I smooth the hair back from Maren’s forehead. “I’m only human, y’all. How could I resist? You’re so damn beautiful. Just like that baby.”
Maren’s eyes glisten with tears as she looks up at me. “Our baby is beautiful, isn’t it?”
“She is. He is. They’re perfect.”
She smiles. “You want another girl?”
“I want another healthy baby. But yeah, I like raising girls.”
The ultrasound tech sighs. “You got a good one, Mama.”
“I do.” Maren licks her lips. “Funny, but when I first found out I was pregnant, I immediately pictured a little boy.”
“Uh oh,” the technician teases.
I give Maren’s hand a squeeze. “I’d love a boy.”
And I would. For so long, I swore up and down that I didn’t want any more children. My career was taking off, and I was raising Katie solo. Life was good, but definitely not easy.
Now holding Maren’s hand, our baby’s heart moving on the screen in time to the sound that pulses through the speakers, it hits me just how much I do want another baby. I don’t love being a single parent. But I do love being a parent in general. Always wanted a family. Big, small, whatever.
The idea that my family is expanding from two to four blows my mind.
“I can’t wait to meet this little person, whoever they are,” I say. My voice is husky.
Maren squeezes my hand. “Me too.”
“You’ll be able to find out the gender at your next ultrasound at twenty weeks,” the technician says. “I’ll print out some pictures for y’all in the meantime. Congratulations again. Y’all have a beautiful family.”
We look at the pictures while we wait to see Dr. Yelich. My phone keeps buzzing in my pocket, but I ignore it, too enamored with the blurry pictures to think about work.
