Not answering her crass question, I studiously kept my eyes on the road. After a moment of silence, Anna finally said, “Okay, if you say so, I’ll believe you.” I could tell by her tone that she didn’t completely believe me.
Relaxing my expression, I sighed in defeat. “I really didn’t do anything with him, Anna. We’re just friends now, I swear. And in case you’re wondering, yes, I told Kellan. He called last night while Denny was taking care of me.”
She considered my words for a moment, then said, “I thought Denny dropped you off?”
I glared at her out of the corner of my eye, and Anna chuckled. “Okay, Kiera. I believe you. If you say nothing happened, then nothing happened.” Almost instantly she added, “Besides, you’re a terrible liar anyway.” I gave her my most wicked expression. She laughed again.
At the doctor’s office, an ultrasound technician in faded yellow scrubs cheerfully walked us into a low-lit room. There was a faint antiseptic smell, and a computer nearby whirred and hummed, filling the silence. The woman instructed Anna to lie down on an examination table lined with paper. With a wonder-filled smile, Anna carefully reclined her plump body and adjusted her stretchy pants so that the bulk of her belly was exposed.
“Okay, let’s get a look at my little girl,” she merrily exclaimed.
“Oh,” the technician said, “you already know the sex?” She squeezed some gel onto Anna’s belly. As an afterthought, she told her, “This will be cold.”
Anna sucked in a quick breath as the gel touched her skin. “No, this is my first ultrasound.” She looked up at the woman spreading the gel around with a taser gun—I swear that’s what it was—that was attached to the computer. “I just know I’m having girl, is all.”
The woman smiled at her but didn’t comment. I supposed she’d heard every wives’ tale in the book from pregnant women claiming to know the sex.
When the image of Anna’s belly appeared on the monitor, it was a blob of indistinguishable gray shapes. The technician seemed to know what she was looking at and pointed out several body parts to us. Anna and I looked at each other, then shrugged. Neither one of us was really seeing anything that resembled a human being. But then the spine came into view. It was distinct, defined . . . unmistakable. My eyes teared up as I saw something on the screen that I could relate to. Then a hand drifted into focus—a perfect, five-fingered hand. The fingers curled a little as the technician held the wand still.
“Oh my God, Kiera . . . look at that,” Anna murmured, tears running down her cheeks. “My daughter waved at me.”
I hugged my emotional sister, a little emotional myself now. After finishing up with the measurements and still shots, including one that was a perfect profile of the face, the technician frowned. “Hmmm.”
Panic shot through my body. Was something wrong with the baby? Anna tried to sit up but couldn’t around her stomach. The technician frowned more and moved the wand around to find whatever she’d been looking at. “Hold still, please.”
“What is it? What’s wrong?” Anna’s voice had an edge of fear to it.
The technician relaxed her face, then smiled. “Oh, there’s nothing wrong, it’s just . . .” she trailed off, searching the screen again.
“Just what?” I asked, leaning in to see what she saw. I didn’t see anything remarkable. The technician did, though.
“Yeah, that’s what I thought. I’m sorry, but . . . you’re having a boy.”
Anna propped herself up on her elbows. “I’m what?”
The technician cringed. “I hope you haven’t bought too many pink things.”
“No, there must be some mistake. Check again. I’m having a girl.” Anna scowled.
She did, then repeated, “Sorry . . . definitely a boy.”
Tears started running down Anna’s cheeks again, but for a completely different reason this time. “No, no, no . . . I’m having a girl.” She snapped her head to mine. “I was supposed to have a girl!”
I rubbed her shoulder. “It’s okay. You’ll do great with a boy.”
Anna nodded as she sank back to the table. “I know . . . I just really wanted . . .” She bit her lip to stop herself from saying it. I understood, though. Anna was a girly-girl, and she’d gotten her hopes up that she’d have a little princess to dress up. I doubt she even knew where to begin with a boy. But I knew she’d figure it out.
The technician handed Anna a tissue. “Sorry about that.”
Anna dabbed her eyes but remained quiet. She remained mute until we got back into the car. Then that fiery hormonal temper that I knew and loved kicked in. Slamming her door shut, she snapped, “I’m going to kill that fucker when I see him tomorrow.” I could only assume she meant Griffin.