Page 134 of Whispered Sins

“Baby is measuring right on track,” she said, jotting a few notes on her clipboard.

“Thank you, doctor.”

“Do you have any questions for me?”

“No, not today.”

“Well, then head to the front and we’ll get you checked out, okay?”

“Thank you.”

I watched her slip out of the room. I felt so grateful to have her as my doctor and the nurses on staff here. It was night and day from that nightmare of an office in Manhattan. That seemed so long ago. I was thankful Freddy had recommended someone else. Someone I felt like I could trust and not feel judged by.

I lifted myself from the exam table and walked out into the hallway. At the front desk, I let them know that I would have a change of insurance soon. I was dreading the day when I would have to pay out of pocket for these appointments. I needed to find a new insurance company quickly, as I only had until the end of the month with my benefits from my old job.

I thanked the girl at the front desk and walked out of the office, staring at the new ultrasounds in my hands. As I smiled down at them I walked directly into someone, and the photos floated to the ground.

“I’m so sorry,” I said, kneeling down to pick up the photos.

“Heart?”

My heart leaped to my throat as I quickly looked up to see Daniel towering over me.

“Daniel,” I said softly, not really believing what I was seeing.

He stood there with a dumbfounded look on his stupidly handsome face. The same face I had imagined for so many nights over the past month, trying to hold onto every detail. Every little expression that I considered was just for me.

“What are you doing here?” I asked, looking around.

“I’m here to meet Freddy for lunch,” he said.

Of course. I should have known there was a chance I would run into him here one day. Freddy worked in the same office, and while I hadn’t seen him, I felt foolish for thinking I could avoid him or his best friend forever.

Daniel kneeled down to help me, reaching for the photos.

“What are you doing—” he started to ask.

He paused as he looked at the ultrasounds scattered on the floor. His eyes floated up to my round belly. I sucked in a breath as I watched him process what he was seeing. The lie that was crumbling between us.

“Wait… are you…” His brows furrowed as he looked down at the ultrasound in his hand. He ran his hand over the image of the baby. It was such a tender motion. My heart felt like it might break in two.

I quickly snatched it back and struggled as I tried to stand up. He stood up swiftly and held out his hand. I reluctantly took it before he pulled me to my feet. The same electric feeling I always felt passed through my whole body. Once I was steady, I pulled my hand from his and looked down at the floor.

I had been caught in a lie. A lie that was so big and so painful that I didn’t know what to do in this moment. I couldn’t bring myself to look at him, even though the only thing I had wanted was to see him over the past month. I had missed him so much and now he was here in front of me, but this was far from a happy reunion.

“Heart… you’re still pregnant,” he murmured, looking at me intently.

“Yeah, I am.”

“But you said…”

“I lied, okay?”

He looked taken aback and I saw a flash of pain in his eyes. Pain I had caused.

“But why?”

“Because I just wanted you to go away,” I blurted out.

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