Page 49 of So I Know it's Real

I nodded.

“Speaking of Calvin, have you received any updates on Calvin’s case?”

I shook my head. “When I drop the boys off, I always ask his parents if they’ve heard anything. They say the investigation is ongoing, but that’s all. They’ve always treated me like an outsider, so I don’t push myself on them now that he’s gone.” Disbelief drew out a curt laugh. “After he died, women came out the woodworks, and they started to minimize my relationship with Calvin. The only thing that makes me special is the fact that I had his kids.”

“Well, we know those dumbasses don’t have the power to measure your worth, so we don’t need to get into that.” His mustache-framed lips danced into a smile. “Where’s your little boyfriend? I met him one time, and he’s been under you ever since.”

I hummed with a smile. “He’s at work. We met three and a half months ago. We’ve been dating for two and a half months. I think I’ve been in love since day one.” I laughed as I checked the time on my phone. “I need to get out of here. Can you show me where Mama left her cake dishes? She wants me to drop them off after my appointment.”

“Yeah. They are on the couch. Be sure to grab it on your way out. I don’t want to hear Jesse’s mouth.”

As soon as I got in my car, I hopped on a FaceTime call with Durk. We discussed our plans for the day as I drove to my appointment, and he refused to hang up once I made it to the office. We were both excited about date night, but only one of uswanted to coordinate outfits. Though I pretended to be annoyed by his suggestion, on the inside, I twerked with joy.

“Durk, let me call you back. The doctor just walked in.”

He sucked his teeth. “So what? Prop your phone up somewhere, so I can see what’s going on.”

“No! I’ll call you back.” I snickered at the pout on his face as I ended the call. “Sorry about that, Dr. Lamar.”

She waved me off. “No apologies needed, Ms. Carson. Your friend must be something special. I don’t remember a time you’ve ever smiled this much in my office.”

“I’ve been doing more than smiling.” My chin touched my chest. “That’s why I’m here. I noticed I can’t feel the strings.”

Her brows darted toward her hairline. “The strings? Attached to your birth control?”

I nodded reluctantly.

“Clover, cut out the shy act.” She snickered. “There’s nothing wrong with a woman enjoying herself. Let’s see what’s going on.”

I lay back on the bed and folded my hands over my chest. A sudden heat wave hit me, drawing a thin line of perspiration over my top lip. I counted the tiles on the ceiling to redirect my focus, but once I got to ten, the uneasiness resurfaced.

“Umm, is everything all right?” I asked. My nerves were obvious in the tremble in my voice.

“Yes. Everything is fine. I just...give me a second.” She tapped my knee then rose from her seat.

I was alone for all of a minute before Dr. Lamar returned with a nurse and an ultrasound machine. Panic snatched the moisture from my lips as I sat up, but Dr. Lamar urged me to stay put.

“Dr. Lamar, you’re scaring me.”

Her warm smile returned while her assistant gathered supplies. “Clover, during your examination, I saw your cervix is closed.”

“What does that mean?” I asked, though I already knew.

“You’re pregnant.”

“But I have an IUD,” I argued.

“And I’m going to take it out. I don’t want you to get an infection. I also want to conduct an ultrasound to if we have a heartbeat. There’s a chance the IUD caused issues with the pregnancy.”

Shock unhitched my jaw, but I had gone mute at the idea of being pregnant. I walked into the office for a birth control consultation, not prenatal care.

“Clover, are you still with me? Do you want to call someone?”

I shook my head, undoing the tears that sat at the corners of my eyes.

While Dr. Lamar took a seat, I prayed my baby was healthy. No matter how unprepared I was for another child, I would be broken if I had to deal with a loss. I stayed stiff as a board during the ultrasound, yet a wave of relief eased my tense muscles at the sound of my baby’s heartbeat.

“Thank you, God,” I muttered. “How far along am I?”

---