I had my angel. She was mine. Only mine. The only thing that would make this day absolutely perfect was if everything was okay with the baby.
Positioning herself on the table, Maren lifted her shirt. Her hands shook as I soothingly stroked one with my thumb. A large screen flickered at the end of the room. The doctor watched the screen. Black and white fuzz filled it as the technician moved the wand across her stomach.
“Doctor, please tell me what’s going on.” The plead of Maren’s voice nearly undid me. I wanted to choke the answers out of the doctor.
She turned and smiled to us. “I’m sorry to have scared you, but it’s best to wait until a number of theories can be confirmed. The reason I heard an echo was because there’s not just one baby.”
Maren interrupted the doctor. “What are you saying?”
I was frozen to the spot. Did the baby have a third arm? Four legs? Two heads? My mind spun out of control with possibilities.
“You’re having twins.”
We asked at the same time, “What?”
The doctor gave us a gentle smile. “Yes, you’re expecting twins.”
“Two babies.” My voice was in awe as I approached the screen. The doctor talked and pointed to two little lima bean-shaped objects in Maren’s belly. Our babies. They were perfect. Beyond perfect. This was a miracle.
I repeated myself, “Two babies.”
The doctor nodded to us. “Congratulations, Mom and Dad.”
I was speechless as it sunk in.
Two babies. Two.
I rushed to Maren and kissed her for everyone to see, not caring that we had an audience. “I love you, angel. Thank you for giving me this.”
Finally, I had let my guard down. Maren knew how I truly felt and it was fan-fucking-tastic for it to be out there. I waited as she searched my eyes and tears filled her own. What if she wasn’t in love with me? Fuck.
The door shut and we were alone. I went to speak, but she cut me off. “I love you, too,” she cried. “Did you mean what you said in the office before we came in here?”
Kissing her lips, I poured my love into her. “I did. Maren, when you’re ready I want you to be my wife. I love you.” I hadn’t planned on saying it that way, but I’d learned to seize the moment. Waiting only led to regrets.
She wiped a tear from her eye. “Are you asking me to marry you?”
“I am. If you’ll have me.” I felt exposed as I waited for her answer, not knowing if I’d rushed this too fast.
Maren sat up and looked at me with her beautiful eyes. “Are you sure you want this? I don’t want you regretting it later. Marriage is a lifetime commitment for me. We can take this slow if you need to. I’m not going anywhere.”
Grabbing her beautiful face between my hands, I held her. “I will never regret spending my life with you. I’ve fallen in love with you over seven weeks.”
This was the least romantic way to start our life together, but Maren got me. She watched me closely and my eyes never wavered from hers. Grabbing my face, she kissed me. “Yes. I’ll marry you. I love you, Bane.”
TWINS. WE WERE having twins. I held my stomach. There were two babies inside of me. Looking over at Bane, he looked happy as he pulled me to him while we laid in bed naked and entwined. The memory of his lips kissing me slowly brought goose bumps to my exposed flesh.
We’d made love for the first time. He’d held my hands as he slid in and out of me, uniting us in a way I never thought possible.
“What are you thinking about, angel?” His finger trailed down my arm. A voice of pure contentment.
For the first time, I felt what I had been missing for so long—a family. “Us. Making love. What it felt like to have you inside of me without any barriers.”
Bringing me closer to him, Bane kissed my neck. His warm breath tickled my neck. “I’m going to make love to you every day.”
“Hopefully, there will still be some fuckings, too.”
Bane nipped my shoulder. “Definitely.”