“Paper covers rock!”
I smirk. “Rock weighs down the paper so it can’t fly away. It traps it.”
A loud sigh fills the room. “I’m not going to win on this, am I?”
“Nope.” But he looks so cute right now that I offer a compromise. “How about this? You can leave the room while the doctor tells me, and I swear I won’t give it away. I’ll hide all my baby purchases in my closet so you can’t see what I’m buying.”
“Deal.”
We’re interrupted by the arrival of the technician, who greets me warmly and then orders me to pull up my loose-fitting shirt so she can slather cold goo all over my belly.
“Is your bladder full?” she asks.
“My bladder is always full,” I answer dryly.
That gets me a laugh. “Don’t worry. This won’t take long. Soon you’ll be able to pee to your heart’s content.”
“Awesome. Living the dream.”
I’ve already had an ultrasound, so I’m not concerned when the tech shuts up once we get going. Every now and then she points something out, like how the baby’s spine resembles a teeny string of pearls, or how—thank the Lord—we’ve got ten fingers and ten toes.
Tucker stands there in silent wonder, watching the grainy images on the screen. At one point he bends down and kisses my forehead, and ribbons of warmth unfurl inside my body. I’m glad he’s here. I really am.
“Okay. All done.” After wiping the goo off my belly, the tech presses a button and the machine makes a whirring sound as it spits out a picture of the ultrasound. She doesn’t hand it over yet, instead saying, “The doctor will be in shortly to talk to you. If you need to empty your bladder, the bathroom is two doors down, on your left.”
Tucker chuckles as I instantly shoot off the table. “I’ll be right back,” I tell him, ducking out of the room.
I do my business, wash my hands, and when I step back into the exam room, Doctor Laura is already there, chatting with Tuck. When I first met her, I wasn’t sure what to think. Calling a doctor by their first name is weird to me. I guess maybe I thought it was a sign of unprofessionalism or something, but the woman seems to know her stuff. She’s in her mid-thirties and talks in a no-nonsense way that I appreciate.
“So Daddy here says you’ve been arguing about whether to find out the sex of the baby,” she teases when I walk in.
“Daddy here is being stubborn,” I grumble.
Tucker’s jaw drops. “Nuh-uh. Mommy is the stubborn one who doesn’t like surprises.”
I sweep a hand over the protruding belly that has popped out in a big way in the last month. “This wasn’t surprise enough for you?” I ask primly.
Doctor Laura snorts before glancing down at the file folder in her hand. “Well, we got a very clear image from the ultrasound. Since Sabrina is my patient and you’re not, John, I’m going to tell her the sex if that’s what she wants.”
“Traitor,” he says with a mock glare.
“I want to know,” I tell the doctor before cocking my head at Tucker. “You may leave the room now, Daddy.”
“Naah. I’ve changed my mind. I want to know.”
I eye him anxiously. “Are you sure?”
He responds with an earnest nod.
“All right, then. Hit us,” I tell the doc.
Her eyes twinkle. “Congratulations. You’re having a baby girl.”
I gasp, all the oxygen sucking into my lungs and then getting trapped there. My pulse speeds up, and it’s like my surroundings, my entire world, come into sharper focus. Colors seem brighter and the air feels lighter and this whole experience—this life growing inside of me—suddenly feels real.
“We’re having a girl,” I breathe, turning to Tucker.
His gaze is almost reverent. “We’re having a girl,” he whispers.
Doctor Laura lets us marvel in silence for a few seconds before clearing her throat. “Anyway, everything looks great. The baby is healthy, the heartbeat is strong and steady. Keep taking your prenatal vitamins, try not to push yourself too hard, and I’ll see you again in four weeks.”
At the door, she pauses and winks at Tucker over her shoulder. “As for the other matter you were asking about, all systems are a go.”
After she’s gone, I frown at him. “What other matter?”
He shrugs, the epitome of mystery. “Just a dad question.” He reaches for my hand. “Come on, let’s get going. I want to show you something before I drop you off at home.”
My forehead creases. “Show me what?”
“It’s a surprise.”
“Didn’t we just establish I don’t like surprises?”
He chuckles. “Trust me, you’ll like this one.”
27
Sabrina
“What are we doing here?” I ask fifteen minutes later, examining the street Tucker had just turned onto. This neighborhood is sketchy. I mean, it’s only a five-minute drive from my place, so of course it’s sketchy.