48

Dr. Patricia’s smile never wavered as she moved the wand, the ultrasound screen flickering with static and shifting images. “We should be able to see something soon,” she reassured us. “It’s still early, but we’ll get a good look.”

I squeezed Cole’s hand, the warmth of his touch grounding me, even as my nerves swirled. My mind raced, my heart beating faster with each passing second. This moment felt surreal. Here I was, lying in a clinic gown with a device pressing uncomfortably against me, and there was a tiny life inside of me—a life I wasn’t sure I was ready for.

I shifted slightly, trying to get a better view of the screen. After a few moments, the static cleared, and the fuzzy outline of something small and round appeared. My breath caught in my throat, and I instinctively clutched Cole’s hand tighter.

“There it is,” Dr. Patricia said softly, her voice filled with warmth and reassurance. “There’s the baby.”

My heart fluttered, and for the first time since everything had been turned upside down, I felt a flicker of hope. There, on the screen, was a small heartbeat, steady and strong. It was real. A tiny, growing life that I hadn’t fully allowed myself to believe in until this moment.

Cole leaned closer, his gaze glued to the screen. “That’s our baby?” His voice was low, almost a whisper, as if he couldn’t believe it either.

“Yes,” Dr. Patricia confirmed. “That’s your baby.” She paused for a moment, looking at me, her gaze gentle. “Do you want to hear the heartbeat?”

I nodded, my throat tight. “Yes.”

She pressed a button, and the sound of a rapid, steady thump filled the room. It was the most beautiful sound I’d ever heard. My eyes welled up with tears, and I let out a shaky breath.

“That’s… incredible,” Cole murmured, his voice thick with emotion. He looked down at me, his eyes bright. “This is real. This is our baby.”

I nodded, barely able to speak as the reality of the moment settled over me. I was pregnant. There was a life growing inside me. And no matter how uncertain I felt about everything else, I knew that this tiny heartbeat was mine to protect.

Dr. Patricia smiled, tapping the screen lightly with her finger. “You’re doing great, Becca . Everything looks good so far. We’ll have more information after a few more tests, but for now, this is a promising start.”

Cole leaned in and kissed my forehead, his lips lingering just a second longer than I expected. “I’m here,” he whispered. “Always.”

I looked up at him, a rush of emotions flooding me. I was terrified, uncertain, and overwhelmed by the weight of the decisions ahead. But in that moment, with the sound of my baby’s heartbeat filling the room and Cole’s hand holding mine, I felt like maybe—just maybe—everything would be okay.

Dr. Patricia stepped back, giving us a moment to absorb the news. “I’ll give you a few minutes,” she said gently. “Take your time. We’ll talk about next steps when you’re ready.”

As she left the room, I turned to Cole, my chest tight. “I’m scared,” I admitted softly. “What if I can’t do this? What if I’m not ready?”

He reached for my hand, squeezing it firmly. “You don’t have to do this alone. We’re in this together, okay? We’ll figure it out. You’ve got me. You’ve got us.” His voice was steady, confident. “And we’ll figure out everything else one step at a time.”

I nodded, the weight of his words sinking in. Maybe I wasn’t ready for everything, but with Cole by my side, I knew I could at least take the next step. And the next. And the next.

As we sat in the quiet room, the reality of it all started to settle in. The uncertainty, the fear, the doubt—it was all still there. But so was the little heartbeat on the screen, steady and alive.

For the first time in days, I felt a spark of something like hope. Maybe this was the start of something new. Something unexpected. And maybe, just maybe, it would all be okay.

All I saw was a blur of black and gray, static-like blobs and shapes that didn’t make sense.

“No gender reveal today,” Dr. Patricia said gently. “But we’ll take some measurements to determine how far along you are, especially since you’re unsure about your last period.” She gave my knee a reassuring pat. “Don’t worry. Things will get easier after today’s appointment.”

I wished I could believe her.

Her lips pressed together in a thoughtful expression, and she tapped a few buttons on the machine, freezing the image on the screen.

“What’s going on?” I recognized that look—I’d seen it before, in Carrie’s eyes.

“What’s wrong?” Cole asked, his grip on my hand tightening as he leaned in closer to see.

Dr. Patricia reached below the machine and retrieved two brown paper bags, the kind we used to get in school for picnics. “Breathe into this if you start feeling lightheaded.”

“Why?” My chest squeezed tighter, and beads of cold sweat formed on my forehead.

With a smile, Dr. Patricia tapped the screen. “There’s nothing to worry about, but you might want to take a deep breath and prepare yourselves.”

I clutched Cole’s hand so tightly my fingers began to tingle. “Just tell us.”

Her smile grew wider as she circled two areas on the screen with a red marker. “Do you see this? And this?”

Both Cole and I nodded, unable to speak even if we tried. A wave of unease swept over me as Dr. Patricia raised two fingers.

“You’re having twins.”