Page 68 of Love Is Ale You Need

My gaze shoots to the doctor. “So, this is your fault.”

Her lips twitch with a smile. “I only insert the birth control. I hold no guarantees on its effectiveness.”

“Alright. This is no one's fault. It just happened. So, let’s move on,” Rylee says, always the voice of reason.

“Will we be using these today?” I swing one side of the stirrup out.

“No. Not today,” Doctor Dobbs says.

“With your legs up in these, is this what childbirth looks like?” I glance up to Rylee.

She eyes the stirrup and then me. “It can, but also add in some extra screaming. Didn’t you watch the birthing video in seventh grade?”

“Nah. I skipped that day. As soon as I heard what day it was, I noped right out. They weren’t going to ruin sex for me at a young age.”

Rylee rolls her eyes. “You were not having sex at that age.”

“True. But I also wasn’t going to let it traumatize me, either. Like Scott from my class. One day after school, National Geographic was on the television, and they showed a rhino giving birth. I’ve never actually seen anyone rock in a corner until him. I wonder how he’s doing?” I rub his chin. “Is that what I can expect?”

Rylee’s eyebrows shoot to her hairline. “A rhino giving birth?”

“Yeah.”

She narrows her gaze at me, nostrils flaring. “I want you to think long and hard about that.”

My gaze flits to Doctor Dobbs, and she vigorously shakes her head. I turn to Rylee and mimic the doctor.

“How about we get you prepped for a transabdominal ultrasound, then we'll have a better understanding of how far along you are,” Doctor Dobbs says.

Rylee lays down on the blue vinyl bed. She lifts the hem over her still relatively flat stomach. The doctor squirts some gel on her stomach and her muscles twitch for a second before relaxing. “Oh, that’s cold.” Her body shivers and I grab her hand.

The doctor turns the machine on and moves a wand over Rylee’s stomach. A grainy image comes into view on the screen. A whooshing sound fills the room. I don’t know if it’s my hand or Rylee’s that’s gone clammy. Maybe both.

“Holy shit. We made that.” My gaze flits from the screen to Rylee.

A soft smile forms on her lips. “We did.”

Fuck. I’m going to be a dad. I can’t tear my gaze off the small black and white screen. Not in a million years, or at least the last ten years, did I think this would happen. Especially with Rylee. I can’t imagine having a baby with anyone else. With my fingers clasped around hers, I lift her hand, placing a kiss on the back. We both stare intently at the screen. The fetus moves along with a black blob.

“Oh damn! Is that his penis? Are we having a boy?” I drop Rylee’s hand and inch closer to the screen.

“Actually, I think that’s an arm.” Humor laces Doctor Dobb’s voice. “It looks like you’re about twelve weeks along, so it’s a little early to find out the gender. More likely at your next appointment. I’ll print you a picture to take home,” she says. After the click of a button, she exits the room to collect the picture.

Both of us continue to stare at the black and white screen. “That’s our little plum.”

“It is.”

“I’m a little disappointed it’s not a kumquat.”

She smiles and shakes her head.

“Do you think if I put the gel on my stomach, we’ll be able to see the burrito I ate for lunch?”

Her smile dissipates.

“It’s a valid question.” I rub my stomach, feeling around for the burrito.

“No. It’s not.”

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