After I finished with a twenty-five-year-old who had managed to break one of the trickiest bones to break in his hand doing some weird sex act even Tito would raise his eyebrows at, a nurse led Mirabella into the cubicle where I was typing up my notes. I greeted her with a warm hug.
“What a wonderful surprise,” I said. “But I’m anticipating this isn’t a social visit.”
Mirabella beamed. “I think I’m pregnant.”
“You do? That’s wonderful.”
“I’ve been feeling a bit strange now for a few weeks. And my period is late.”
“That’s a good indication.” I smiled. Jacob and Mirabella were going to make beautiful babies. “Well, let’s find out, shall we?”
While Mirabella visited the bathroom with a sample jar, I checked my phone. Cade had sent me a message.
I’m taking you to dinner.
I smiled as I sent one back.
Do I need to change first? I’m in work clothes.
He texted me back straight away.
The sexy doctor look turns me on. I’ll take them off you later. See you soon.
Mirabella reappeared and handed me her urine sample.
“I’m trying not to get my hopes up,” she said, taking a seat. “But I can’t wait to give Jacob a baby.”
“Are you trying?” I asked as I stood at the cubicle bench and tested her urine.
She nodded. “We want a big family. I’m an only child and Jacob grew up in foster care. He never knew his parents and he never stayed in one place long enough to really feel like he belonged anywhere.” She laughed, a beautiful but nervous laugh. “Listen to me carrying on like garrulous fool. I’m nervous, I guess.”
I held up the pregnancy test and grinned.
“Is it positive?” Mirabella asked, calmly.
“Yes. It’s positive.”
“I’m pregnant?”
I nodded and she stood up and came toward me, and pulled me into a big hug. “Thank you!”
I laughed. “I swear, I had zero to do with it.”
“I’m so happy,” she said, her face bright with joy.
“I’d like to do a quick ultrasound, see how far along you are.”
Mirabella agreed, and ten minutes later the grainy black and grey image of her baby appeared on the ultrasound machine. I rolled the transponder over her slick belly so I could see her womb from different angles.
“You’re actually quite far along,” I said, clicking a button to record the image. “You’re almost fourteen weeks.”
“Fourteen weeks!” She laughed. “I guess I was so caught up with the wedding preparations I didn’t notice how late my period was. And I’ve only really started to feel different in the last few weeks. I did have some spotting a few weeks ago. I thought it was a light period. Is that normal?”
“It’s quite common. Did you experience any pain?”
She shook her head. “Very minor. Does that mean there is something wrong with my baby?
“Everything looks really good,” I reassured her. I moved the transponder around her belly, pressing it in deeper just below the bikini line. “Do you want to know the sex?”
She looked surprised. “You can tell this early?”
“Yes. And you’re little one seems quite happy to let you know.”
Her beautiful face broke into a smile. “Yes. Please. I want to be able to tell Jacob if he is having a boy or a girl.”
“Do either of you have a preference?”
“No. We just want our baby. A little human made up of the two of us.”
“Well, you can tell Jacob he is going to meet his daughter in about six months’ time.”
“A girl?” Mirabella whispered.
“Yes. You’re pregnant with a baby girl.”
After cleaning her belly and redressing, Mirabella pulled me into another big hug. “I’m so happy. Thank you.”
“I’m guessing you’re dying to tell Jacob?”
“He dropped me off. I told him I had a female situation that I needed your advice on, that way he wouldn’t ask too many questions. You only need to mention the word menstruation or tampon around him and he turns green.”
“Well, I’ve finished up here, so I’ll walk out with you.” I handed her a few pamphlets on pregnancy. “Give me a couple of minutes to sign out and I’ll grab my bag, okay?”
Five minutes later, we walked out into the late afternoon sun.
“How are you going to tell him?” I asked, enjoying the buzz of Mirabella’s happiness.
She linked her arm through mine. “I’m going to take him home and make love to him. Then I am going to sit him down and very calmly tell him that our life is about to change.” Her smile was bright and her glorious hair shined in the hazy golden light of dusk. “I’m so happy, Indy. I don’t even know the words.”
“I’m sure Jacob is going to feel exactly the same way,” I said.
“Speak of the devil,” Mirabella said, nodding toward Jacob and Cade who were walking up the road together. She waved to her husband who grinned back at her. “He doesn’t even realize that his life is about to be turned upside down.”