Page 41 of His to Love
Chapter Nineteen
Patton
Lying on the exam table, Alexa tried her best not to look nervous as the technician lathered up the instrument that he was about to use to find out how the baby was doing and what sex it was.
“I don’t want you to get your hopes up that we’ll find out the sex today. Sometimes these little guys can be very tricky and refuse to roll the right way for us to see. The main reason we’re doing the ultrasound is to make sure this baby is hitting all the milestones, and to see how the placenta is doing. Doctor Barclay will be able to assess that from the sonogram.”
“I just want to be able to not call our baby an it anymore,” I said with a chuckle.
Alexa nodded then reached out for my hand. “I don’t know why I’m so nervous, but I am.”
Taking her hand, I held it and smiled at her. “This won’t be bad at all.”
“Not the procedure. I know that won’t be bad,” she said. “I’m just worried that something might be wrong with the baby.”
The technician ran the instrument over her belly, looking at the screen of his computer. “We will soon find that out for you, Mrs. Nash.”
Sucking in her breath, she looked at me with worried eyes. “Let’s see what we’re having. I hope the baby will work with us. I’d like to get to see the nursery done before we bring it home.”
“Me too.” Leaning over, I kissed her forehead. “I’m sure things are fine with the baby.”
“The baby is looking good,” the tech said. “The heart is doing what it’s supposed to be doing. The lungs are functioning well too.” He ran the probe up and down the middle of her stomach. “And see that backbone there?”
I could see it quite clearly. “I do see that. This is even more amazing than I thought it would be.”
“It is amazing,” Alexa agreed. “That looks like a good spine to me.” Her tiny smile looked radiant to me.
“Yep,” the tech agreed. “Everything looks great with the skeletal system and the organs. So, in that regard, you’ve got nothing to worry about. Now, let’s see if we can get it to move around a bit so we can get a peek at what’s between its legs.” He pushed the instrument down hard and the baby shifted. “Ah ha! Do you see that, Daddy?”
“I see something,” I said as I blinked a few times. “Is that a—”
Alexa finished for me, “A tiny penis?”
“It is,” the tech let us know. “You’re having a boy.”
Alexa’s eyes were wide as she looked at me. “I know just what his name will be now.”
“You do?” I was surprised about that, because she hadn’t said a word to me about names. “And what will his name be?”
“He’s going to carry his father’s name.” She looked back at the screen, instead of at me.
My chest deflated at her words. I hadn’t thought in a million years that she’d want to name the child, that I’d raise and call my own, after the piece of shit who actually fathered it. “Oh.”
Looking back at me with furrowed brows, she asked, “You don’t want that, Patton?”
“You can do whatever you want.” I tried not to look so disappointed, but I was kind of devastated.
Everything I’d done for her and the baby had been out of love in one form or another. I wasn’t sure how I would feel if I had to call our son Alejandro, or even Alex. But it was up to her to name it, I supposed.
“Well, my brother’s name has to be put in there too. And I want my father represented as well,” she added. “Patton James Luciano De La Cruz-Nash. Doesn’t that sound like a strong name?”
She’s naming him after me!
I couldn’t help it—I leaned over and kissed her on the lips. “I agree one thousand percent.”
“Good.” Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears. “I want him to be like you in every way. You’re a good man and I know you’ll do your absolute best to raise our son to be a good man too.”
“I will.” The way she talked—it was like we’d be together forever. The part of the plan about getting a divorce after the birth of the baby hadn’t been brought up by either of us in many months. Of course, Luciano was a different story.
