Page 99 of Crashing the Altar
“What’s that mean?” I frowned as he pressed pause on the image of the baby before drawing digital lines.
“Well, we usually determine the gestational age by measuring the height between the crown of a baby’s head and its rump. Your paperwork said you were closing in on twelve weeks, but according to my measurements, you’re closer to ten weeks. Has your regular obstetrician done a dating scan, or was your due date calculated based off your last period?”
I didn’t have the answer, so I looked to Penny, whose wide eyes were glued to the screen. “Last period.”
Nodding, the doctor hummed. “That’s probably why. Not all women ovulate at the same time during their cycle, so that method of calculation is a best guess and can sometimes be a bit off. If you give me a minute, Ican input all this data and get you an adjusted due date. Then I’ll print off some pictures for you to take home.”
He began tapping away at the keyboard attached to the cart, but his motions halted when I asked, “Would you be able to tell us when conception likely occurred with the new dates?”
Head tipping from side to side, he shrugged. “A ballpark. Nothing exact.”
I tightened my fingers around Penny’s. “That’ll work.”
The rhythmic typing was somehow soothing, and for the first time in hours, my heart rate began to settle, the tension seeping from my muscles.
“All right.” I jolted at the sound of Dr. Freedman’s voice, and that’s when I realized I’d been halfway to falling asleep sitting straight up.
Fuck, I could sleep for a week after this ordeal. If I was this wrung out, I couldn’t begin to imagine how exhausted Penny must be.
“I’ve got you at ten weeks and two days, which would make your new estimated due date February 25th, with conception likely to have occurred sometime during the first week of June. How’s that sound?”
Like a fucking miracle.
It might not be a guarantee, but the news that the odds had shifted in our favor had the weight lifting from my chest, and I prayed it was enough to ease some of the stress plaguing Penny.
“Now.” He looked to Penny. “If the bleeding gets heavier or you start passing clots, you come back in straight away, you hear?”
She nodded, her throat working on a thick swallow.
“Dad.” He turned to me. “You make sure she takes it easy for at least a week. Lots of rest, keep stress to a minimum. Got it?”
“Yes, sir, but is it safe to travel? We’re up to Nebraska on Monday, then need to get home to Oklahoma. It’s gonna be a lot of driving.”
“Should be fine. Just make sure to keep on top of hydration and take lots of breaks. Get out and walk around. It’ll help reduce any risk of swelling.”
He printed off a strip of glossy black and white prints and handed them to Penny. “Congrats, you two.” Standing from his stool at Penny’s bedside, he added, “Tara will get you discharged. Have a safe trip home, and take care of yourself, Penny.” With that, he slipped out through the curtain.
The past two days had been harrowing, but as I looked down at the pictures of our baby clutched in my wife’s hands, it only cemented that my father was right. It was time to grow up and take care of my responsibilities, my family.
And that’s exactly what I planned to do.
Chapter 25
Tripp
TakingtheERdoctor’sadvice, we stopped frequently along the drive, which meant two days of travel turned into three. Penny slept for a good portion of it, and when we got home, her eyes were closed again before I managed to turn out the bedside light.
My eyes were heavy as I lay beside my wife in the darkness, but I couldn’t turn off my brain. Not until I handled the most pressing issue weighing on my mind these past few days.
Rolling out of bed, I stuffed my feet into my boots and slipped out the door. A full moon illuminated my surroundings, and instead of taking the truck across the ranch, I elected to walk. The heat of the day had gone, but the humidity remained on this August night. It wouldn’t be long before autumn breezes rolled over these plains, and soon after, the snow would fall, a crisp white blanketing this beautiful property as far as the eye could see.
Reaching the big house, I entered through the back, my leaden feet carrying me to the kitchen table before my tired body dropped onto one of the chairs surrounding it.
I rested my elbows on the scratched wood surface, my eyes growing heavier the longer I waited, and eventually, I lost the battle, succumbing to the darkness.
“Tripp?”
There was a nudge on my shoulder, and I groaned.
