Page 52 of Certified Pressure 4
When I came back, she took the cup, labeled it, and said the doctor would be in shortly. “You can go ahead and undress from the waist down and cover up with this,” she said, handing me a folded sheet.
I nodded, trying not to think too much, and waited until she left before I started changing. Lyrick was sitting in the corner of the room with his hands clasped, just watching. I could tell he was nervous too, even if he didn’t say it. Once I sat on the exam table, the paper crinkling under me, and the silence started getting heavy.
“You okay?” I asked, looking at him.
He looked up and gave me a nod. “Yeah, I’m good. You okay?”
“I’m nervous,” I admitted. “I don’t know what to expect.”
He nodded again and leaned back in the chair, his leg bouncing a little. Before either of us could say anything else, the door opened and the doctor walked in with a clipboard in hand. She was an older Black woman with calm eyes and a warm voice.
“Good morning, Jayla,” she said, glancing down at my form before looking up at me.
“Good morning,” I said, forcing a smile.
She sat on the rolling stool and went over a few questions about how I’d been feeling. I told her about the nausea, the tiredness, and the sore breasts. She nodded and said everything I described sounded like early pregnancy symptoms. “We’re going to do an ultrasound today, just to take a look and confirm,” she said.
My heart skipped when she said that. I laid back on the table as she wheeled the ultrasound machine closer. Lyrick moved from the chair to stand beside me, his hand finding mine. When the doctor applied the gel, it was cold, but I didn’t care. I just watched the screen.
A few seconds passed before a little flicker appeared.
The doctor then smiled. “There’s your baby,” she said gently. “And that little flicker you see right there, that’s the heartbeat.”
My eyes blurred instantly. “So, I am pregnant?” I asked, even though I already knew the answer.
She nodded. “Yes, you are. Congratulations. You’re about five weeks along based on the scan.”
For a second, everything around me went quiet. I was five weeks. I blinked at the monitor again, staring at the tiny flicker of light that was somehow a life forming inside me. My heart felt heavy, but not in a bad way. It was just in a way that made me want to cry and laugh all at once.
Lyrick squeezed my hand and whispered, “Damn.” His voice was low, like he didn’t even mean to say it out loud.
The doctor smiled, turning the screen toward us a little more. “Everything looks healthy. I’ll print out your pictures, and we’ll get you scheduled for your next appointment.”
I couldn’t even speak. My throat felt tight as I watched the tiny pulse move across the screen. I wiped at my face with the back of my hand and managed to say, “Thank you.”
She nodded again and handed me a tissue. “Take your time getting dressed. The nurse will come in with your prenatal information. Congratulations again, mama.”
I nodded and looked up at Lyrick, smiling through my tears.
“Crazy, right?” he asked.
“Yeah,” I whispered. “Crazy but beautiful.”
After I got dressed, the nurse came back in to give me prenatal information and told me to stop at the front desk to schedule my next appointment. I thanked her and took the paperwork.
The ride back to the hotel was quiet. I sat in the passenger seat holding the ultrasound picture in my lap, staring at it like it might disappear if I blinked too long. Lyrick kept one hand onthe wheel and one on his thigh, looking straight ahead. I could tell he had a lot on his mind, and so did I.
When we got to the room, he tossed his keys on the dresser and sat on the edge of the bed. I stood by the door for a second, unsure how to start. My heart was racing because I knew what I had to do.
“Lyrick,” I said softly.
He looked up, his eyes tired but still warm. “Yeah?”
I took a deep breath and walked closer. “I need to tell you something.”
He frowned slightly. “Wussup?”
“My name isn’t Jayla,” I said. “It’s Kashmere.”
