Page 81 of I Wanna Be Your Lager

“Alright. Let’s see if we can get them to cooperate.” She moves the wand to the side of my belly. “Right there.” She freezes. “It looks like you’re having a boy.”

Lach points at the screen. “Right there. That’s his…”

“No. That’s his arm. Right there.” She points to a smaller gray spot on the screen.

For the next ten minutes, we continue to watch him wiggle and squirm on the screen. I’m growing a little human inside me. A little boy. Cindy takes a couple of sonogram pictures for us to take home. When we’re finished, she cleans the gel off my stomach and informs me everything will be sent to my doctor, and she’ll get in touch with me if there are any issues.

Back at our now-furnished townhouse, I sit on the couch, thumbing through the pictures. This ultrasound hits differently than the first. This time I can see all the limbs, fingers, and toes. He’s no longer a kidney bean. My finger slides over the glossy black-and-white photo. It’s real. The cushion dips beside me as Lach takes a seat.

“Is everything okay?” Lach’s voice is soft.

I nod. “Yes. Everything is almost perfect.”

“Almost perfect?”

I peer up at Lach. “I wish this baby was yours.” A tear rolls down my cheek.

Gently, he brushes it away with his thumb. “To me, it doesn’t matter. I’m there for you and him, no matter what.”

“What did I do to deserve you?”

“You kissed me at a resort bar. I’ve been lost in you ever since.” A smile flirts on his lips.

I melt into him, resting my head on his shoulder. “Imagine if none of that happened?” I blow out a heavy sigh.

He wraps an arm around my back, holding me tight. “I’d rather not. Life without you is unthinkable for me. I’ve lived it for the past twenty-nine years, and I don’t want to go another day without you.”

I relish his warmth, taking comfort in his words. I don’t know what I would do without him in my life.

FORTY-ONE

PINEAPPLE PIZZA

Lach

It only took a month for both of us to not only have free time but also a day off together. I’ve been taking as many freelance gigs as I can. Babies aren’t cheap, and I want to help Eve as much as possible. We use our time together to collect the last of Eve’s things from Jake’s house.

“When’s the pizza going to get here? I’m starving.” Eve flops down on the bed, resting a hand on her belly.

“I think you’re the only person I know who’s excited for pineapple pizza,” I take a seat next to her.

“It’s just so good.”

“Said no one ever,” I counter.

“I’m not eating it for me. I’m eating it for the baby. The baby gets what the baby wants.”

“We could’ve at least gone half-and-half or something.”

“Speak to the man in charge.” She points to her belly. “Not only does he like fresh pineapple pizza, but cold, left-over pineapple pizza is his jam.”

I scoot away and lean down so my face is inches from Eve’s belly. “Hey, buddy. It’s time we have a chat, man to man. I needyou to develop better food tastes. The pineapple pizza just isn’t cutting it.”

Eve’s belly bounces as she laughs. There’s a knock on the front door, and I jump to my feet. In the entryway, I twist the knob and yank it open. It’s not pizza.

“What are you doing here?” Eve’s ex, Pax, stands on the doorstep, just as shocked to see me as I am to see him.

“Can I talk to Eve?”

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