She smiled. “Exciting day, isn’t it? Your first ultrasound.”
“Very exciting,” I said.
“How are you feeling?” Dr. Beauchamp asked as she washed her hands in the sink.
“A little tired,” I said. “I still have morning sickness that sometimes oddly happens in the afternoon, but aside from that I feel good.”
“Wonderful.” Dr. Beauchamp dried her hands and then went to the ultrasound machine in the corner. She dragged it over next to the exam table and then grabbed a bottle of gel.
I laid back and lifted my shirt.
“It’ll be cold,” she said, just before squirting gel onto my belly.
“Ooh, you weren’t kidding.”
Slash got up from his chair and stood near my head.
Dr. Beauchamp took the ultrasound wand and placed it on my stomach. A few seconds later, I heard thewhoosh whooshsound of my baby’s heartbeat.
Tears blurred my vision, and I reached my hand up to Slash and he immediately grasped it.
Dr. Beauchamp pointed to the screen. “See that peanut-shaped image? That’s your baby.”
I looked from the screen to Slash whose face was completely blank. But I knew. I knew underneath the stoic facade he was shaken.
“I’ll leave you both for a few minutes.” Dr. Beauchamp got up from her stool and vacated the room.
“How?” I asked quietly.
“How what?”
“How can something so tiny also be the biggest change of our entire lives?” I asked in wonder.
Slash didn’t reply as he continued to stare at the monitor. With his free hand, he grazed a finger across the screen.
“Thank you,” he said, his voice tight.
I smiled at him through the tears. “Back at ya.”
* * *
We walked out of the clinic hand in hand, both of us lost in the majesty of the moment. The guards patrolling out front gave us chin nods as we left.
“It makes sense now,” I said.
“What?” Slash asked.
“The guards at the clinic that Linden opened. The cartel…”
“Yeah. Boxer’s also a bit protective of her.”
“That’s sweet,” I said.
“So, it’s sweet when he does it but not when I do it?”
“I didn’t say that.” I hit the clicker to unlock the car. “I’m not used to it. That’s all. I’m used to taking care of myself. It’s going to take me a little while to come around to the idea that I can rely on someone besides myself.”
He nodded. “What have you got planned for the rest of the day?”