Allie’s in a good mood. “You’re getting so big. Did you miss your auntie Sophie?” She’s almost ten months old and could start walking any time now, and then she’ll be into everything.
I sit on the other side of Maddie and bounce Allie on my lap. She giggles, and it’s the cutest thing. I can’t believe how much she looks like Lennon, but I see features of Brandon too.
“So any final guesses before we go in the back?” I ask Lennon.
“Nope!” She stays firm with her answer. “I’ll be happy either way.”
“It’s a boy,” Hunter says matter-of-factly. As if it’ll be true if he keeps saying it.
“Girl, one hundred percent.” Maddie sticks her tongue out at him. I think she chose the opposite sex just so she could fuck with Hunter. She loves getting under his skin and teasing him, but I don’t think he minds it. He always talks about how we’re the sisters he never had.
A woman calls Lennon’s name, and we all follow through the hallway into the ultrasound room. It feels so surreal being here again while holding Allie. The last time we were here was when we found out Allie was a girl, and we were all so excited. So much has changed in so little time for all of us. It almost makes my head spin thinking about it.
The ultrasound tech introduces herself as Cassie and explains everything beforehand even though Lennon has an idea of what to expect. Once her shirt is lifted and her jeans are lowered, Cassie places the wand on Lennon’s belly, and I glance at her with a smile. Lennon’s watching the screen while Hunter sits close, holding her hand, not letting her go. The love they share for each other can be felt by every person in the room.
“The doctor wants me to do a series of measurements, and then I can check the gender if you want to know…” Cassie grins, tapping buttons on her machine.
“We do!” Maddie answers for everyone, and I chuckle.
“He or she is definitely active today. You must’ve drunk something sweet,” Cassie says.
“I had OJ this morning,” Lennon admits. “And I haven’t peed yet, so don’t push that too hard on my bladder,” she teases, but I remember with Allie she did the same.
After a few more minutes of the tech checking things and taking pictures of the brain and heart, Cassie smiles. “Ready, Mom and Dad?”
“Yep!” Lennon smiles. “Mostly because I want to put this argument between them to rest.” She glares at Hunter and Maddie.
“Ahh, plain as day,” Cassie says with a grin, zooming in and snapping a photo.
“It’s a boy?” Hunter stands up, waiting on edge for confirmation.
“Oh, you want to know right now?” She jokes with them, then nods as she types something over the screen. Squinting I read it, It’s a Boy!
I bounce Allie on my knee. “Sweet girl, you’re going to have a baby brother! How exciting for you!” She has no clue what I’m saying, but I like to pretend she does.
Hunter bends down and cups Lennon’s face, then kisses her. I feel my emotions start to bubble over as I see how happy they are. After their adorable moment, Hunter turns around and holds out his hand. “You owe me fifty bucks, Mads!”
“Wait, you bet in real life?” I ask, looking at them and laughing at Maddie’s annoyed expression.
Once Cassie finishes getting everything she needs for the doctor, she prints off half a dozen ultrasound photos. After Lennon cleans off her belly and readjusts her clothes, Hunter helps her up and whispers sweet nothings that make her blush. Then Maddie takes Lennon’s phone and forces all three of them to pose with the print out. Cassie tells us to get together so she can snap a photo for us even though we’re all crammed into the little room.
Before we even make it outside, Lennon is on FaceTime with our parents, letting them know the exciting news. She’s crying and keeps saying she doesn’t know why she’s crying, but I know why. Happiness like hers is hard to keep in. Not to mention, her hormones are going haywire.
As we’re walking through the lobby, I hand Allie over to Hunter. As he carries her outside, he tells her she’s going to be the best sister in the world, and it’s so cute the way he talks to her. As we walk to our cars, Lennon stops in the middle of the parking lot. “I forgot to tell you the other good news! Pregnancy brain!”
“More good news?” Maddie asks. I wait impatiently, wanting to know what else she could tell us.
“You’re getting a puppy?” I ask.
“Nope.” Lennon grins.
“You bought a house?” Maddie bounces on her feet. “With a spare room so I can move in?”
“Oh hell no,” Hunter blurts out.