Chapter 11

There was no noise in the room. It was so quiet you could have heard a pin drop. The only things that ruined the awkward silence were the breaths the two people present in the room let out. They looked at each other occasionally, both wondering where the doctor who had promised not to take long had gone to.

Each of them wanted to get over with this. Ana just wanted to know really if she was pregnant and it wasn’t just a couple of hormonal changes that were bothering her so she could start preparing herself mentally, physically and materially. While Landon wanted to know if everything between he and Ana would become lost hope. Because he knew that no matter what he said, she would never be with him while she was pregnant with another man’s baby.

“Are you certain you’re pregnant?” Landon asked and at the ‘what the fuck’ look Ana shot him, he quickly amended his words. “I mean, you could be mistaken and it could be stress…” he trailed off, deciding not to dig an even bigger grave for himself.

“Do you listen to yourself talk sometimes?” she asked, lifting one brow and looking at her best friend who was staring straight at her. “Landon, do you think I want to be pregnant?” Ana asked, emphasizing on the you.

Landon already knew he had fucked up so he scratched his head and looked away then cleared his throat. “I wasn’t trying to imply anything, Ana. You should know that. I’m just, you know, worried. It’s so much responsibility…” and I had hoped that if you ever had a baby it would have been with me instead. Landon didn’t say the last words out loud, not wanting to shock his friend.

He hoped she would get it though.

Ana sighed. She thought of what to say to Landon, but as she opened her mouth to speak, the doctor walked in. This one was out of breath and she looked disheveled. Ana raised a brow at her and the woman had the grace to blush.

“I’m really sorry about the delay. I got… caught up,” the doctor said. Ana gave her a once over and saw that her hair, which had been in a neat little bun when she had come in the first time, was now messy, with stray hairs sticking out here and there. Her lips were also swollen and the red lipstick that had been present on them had faded.

Ana looked at Landon and held in the urge to laugh. It was clear that he had noticed all those signs. But none of them was going to say it out loud and embarrass the woman, no matter how unprofessional it was to leave your patient simply because you wanted your sexual urges satisfied.

“So, this is your first appointment?” the doctor asked. Ana looked at the woman, trying to gauge whether she was being serious with her question or asking just for formalities.

By the questioning look on the woman’s face, Ana guessed she was being serious. Ana opened her mouth to say something that would have been extremely rude but Landon’s hand on hers stopped her. She looked up at him and he shook his head surreptitiously.

“Yes. She took a few tests and they were positive. We are here to confirm that she’s actually pregnant.” Ana thanked all the gods above for her best friend, because she would have probably said something really horrible to the woman and maybe even gotten them kicked out of the hospital.

“I see,” the doctor said, setting up whatever she was with the ultrasound machine. “And are you the father, sir?”

Ana supposed it was in her job description to ask such questions but the question rubbed her off the wrong way.

“No,” Ana said at the same time Landon said, “Yes.”

Both of them stared at each other while the doctor looked on in confusion. Ana’s eyes were shooting daggers at her best friend, and if looks could kill, he’d be laying dead on the floor. What the fuck was wrong with him.

When the doctor continued looking at them, confused and waiting for an answer to her question, Landon said, “I am the father.”

“No the fuck you’re not. Stop playing Landon,” she said, frowning at him, annoyed for real this time. Ana looked at the doctor and confirmed, “He’s not.”

“Oh okay. I… uhm just settle in. Let’s do this. Lay on the bed and try to be as comfortable as you can,” the doctor said. It was obvious that she was intrigued and wanted to know more but Ana would not explain.

She didn’t know the woman, why should she pour out her entire life history to her? Ana did as she said and lay on the bed, slapping Landon’s hands away as he tried to help her. She was annoyed at him and suddenly, for the first time that day, she regretted asking him to come along with her.

Ana refused to stare at her best friend. Instead she watched the doctor mess with things she couldn’t explain. Then the doctor asked, “Does that mean he won’t stay?”

There was no answer. The doctor assumed none of them had heard her. But both had heard her clearly. Landon knew he had no right to be in the room, but he wanted to be. He wasn’t the father of the baby, but he would love to be. He wanted to be everything for Ana.

Ana on her part was still pissed. She didn’t know why Landon was behaving like this. But she was torn between her love and gratitude for him and the fact that he had pulled that stupid stunt. Ana sighed and closed her eyes, refusing to look towards her best friend whom she knew was staring fixedly at her.

When she was finally done, the doctor moved towards Ana then stopped and stared at Landon. He was standing in a corner and he looked lost and confused as hell. The woman took pity on him so she asked Ana, "Do you want him to stay?"

Landon turned wide eyes on Ana and she couldn't refuse so nodded, a bit petulantly. As soon as Ana nodded, Landon walked and stood next to the bed. He took Ana's hand and she left it there, needing some comfort before she discovered one if the most important news in her life.

She wanted to push him away, but right now she needed his comfort more than anything. She could scold him later and ask him why he thought it would be a great idea to do something like that. But right now, she needed him, and he knew that.

The doctor stared at their intertwined hands and did not comment. It wasn't her place to anyways and she, under no circumstances, wanted to be unprofessional, not after the round of wild sex she had just had. So she squirted a gel on Ana's stomach and this one jumped. It was so cold.

"Damn, give me a warning next time, doctor," Ana said, gasping a bit.

"I'm sorry, Miss. I'm just.. preoccupied," the doctor answered with an apologetic look and a nasty thought crossed Ana's mind at that moment. She chose to ignore it then shook her head and signalled for the woman to keep doing her job.

The doctor took the wand and placed on Ana's tummy. It was a funny feeling. It didn't hurt. But it was definitely strange.

The doctor pointed at the screen while moving the wand around. Both Ana and Landon were transfixed, their gazes not leaving the screen. At this point, both of them knew the truth. It was quite stupid trying to pretend at that moment.

All of a sudden, the doctor smiled. "That's your baby right there. Can you see the head?" she asked and Ana nodded enthusiastically.

"Oh my God, Landon..." Ana said, trailing out and squeezing Landon's hand really tight. Even though he was losing a lot feeling in his hand, Landon didn't complain. It was a happy moment, and he definitely didn't want to spoil it with petty complaints.

"That's the baby," Landon said in awe, looking at the screen.

The doctor smiled at both of them, then asked, "Should I print out pictures?"

"Yes if course," Ana replied quickly, sweeping Landon's hand one last time, before letting it go reluctantly.

"How many copies?"

"Two."

"Three."

They said their answers at the same time and turned and looked at each other. "Why three?" Landon asked, frowning his face.

"Just in case I find the elusive stranger. You just never know. I don't want him to miss out on some parts, that's if I even get to meet him one day," Ana explained.

Landon was not convinced but he nodded at Ana. The doctor bent for a while then brought out the pictures. Landon took them as the doctor gave Ana a cloth for her to clean her stomach clean of all the gel residue.

Ana swung her legs and over the bed and stood. The woman was smiling. Even though she had seen more than fifty women come to this kind of appointment, seeing women happy over their babies made the doctor feel happy.

"Is that it?" Ana asked, after she had fixed her outfit.

The doctor nodded and Ana beckoned Landon. They went out of the hospital room tomorrow and for a while, Ana's happy expression shifted to a warning one.

"Landon, you know I love you. But I really didn't appreciate what you did in there. I mean, you saying you were the father of this kid. In as much as I would have wanted you to be, they already have a dad. Even if I don't know where he is. But in convinced I'll find him," Ana said and Landon sobered up.

"I'm sorry. It was a bad joke," Landon said. But in his mind, it wasn't a joke. If he could find himself in Jack's shoes, he would be the happiest man alive. Knowing that Ana of all people was carrying his child.

"You're really counting on finding your baby daddy?" Landon asked and Ana frowned.

"Don't say it like that. It sounds.. dirty. He's the father of my baby. And yes, I'm going to find him."

Landon smiled and looked away. To Ana, the smile felt off but she was still riding on the high if the news so she didn't bother asking.

Ana couldn't begin to realize how happy she was. She had thought that when the doctor told her that she was pregnant, she was going to make a huge scene. Or she was going to burst into tears. Or have a reaction that similarly as dramatic as the others.

But she accepted the news so easily. And she was even happy about it. She definitely didn't know what she was going to do about her job but she didn't care. This kid was a blessing and damn anybody who didn't think like that.

Ana smiled, then took one of the pictures from Landon who was being uncharacteristically quiet. She stared at the picture for a while, tracing the baby's features. Anyways the ones that were already visible.

The child wasn't even born, but she already loved them. And she was going to protect him or her with every fiber in her body. Even if she had to get into physical fights with strength that she didn't possess.

Landon stared at Ana. He was so happy seeing her so happy. Ana was the first person he had love so strongly. And that was why he wanted to keep her to himself.

He hated sharing her. And he knew he was going to be as overprotective over the baby, be it girl or boy. He stared at Ana again and shook his head. He had a lot of work cut out for both of them in the future.