Whatever It Takes

Part 13

Stevie lay on her back, her midsection exposed as she stared up at the ceiling, waiting for the verdict. Lindsey was trying to take a peek, but he didn't understand a damn thing on that screen. The doctor was taking her sweet time too, the room completely silent.

"It's triplets."

"WHAT?" Lindsey and Stevie both exclaimed in unison.

"We're not in the mood for jokes, are we." Doctor Roberts, a woman with years of experience and close to retirement, whom Stevie had been seeing for as long as she could remember, chuckled lowly. "You're not having triplets." She added to clarify. "And there's only one baby."

Breathing the biggest sigh of relief, Lindsey asked just to be absolutely sure. "No extra babies we had no idea about?"

"No. Just the one." The doctor repeated, handing Stevie a couple of tissues. 

"Then why is my belly so... out there already?" Stevie asked, sitting up with a little help from Lindsey. "I could have fooled anyone around the same time with Avery."

Doctor Roberts showed Stevie to stand up, then asked her to turn around, she slightly leaned to the left first then right. Lindsey watched from a few steps back, he rolled his eyes subtly, wondering what this medical test was called exactly. 

"You're gaining weight and it looks like all of it is around your belly, right?" 

Stevie shrugged, nodding her head. "I guess so. Linds?" She glanced at him. "Right?"

"Oh, uh-" Lindsey faked a cough, suddenly feeling rather uncomfortable answering a question like that with someone else in the room. He didn't want to make it seem like he'd noticed anything at all. "Well-" He rubbed the back of his neck, lowering his eyes to the floor.

"Breast." Stevie answered for him. "He's trying to mention my breast."

The doctor laughed lightly to herself, writing something down. "That's perfectly normal. Never had any complaints from any husband before." She caught a glimpse of an embarrassed looking Lindsey, then shifted her gaze back over to Stevie. "There's an old wives' tale that says if all the weight is around your belly, you're likely carrying a boy."

"A boy?" Lindsey piped up from behind.

"Again, that's not a scientific fact." The doctor tried to make that clear. "I don't see any worrying signs. Honestly." The doctor assured. "Yes, you have gained a bit of extra weight, but it's not excessive and it is also not an indication that you're carrying twins. Let's not stress about this just yet."

"When am I supposed to start?" Stevie gave the woman an unamused look. 

"I will let you know." The doctor replied, noting something else down. "I don't want to scare you and I don't see a reason to at the moment. However, to put your mind at ease, we can make the visits more frequent." Stevie nodded her head, yes. "Alright, then I'll see you in two weeks."

After thank you's and goodbyes, Stevie and Lindsey left. Relieved that she wouldn't have to suffer through birthing two tiny humans, Stevie questioned Lindsey's silence. Did he want to ask about something else and didn't get a chance to? Did he actually hope for twins? Was he worried about something the doctor said?

"You're very quiet." Stevie said, fastening the seatbelt once they returned to the car.

Lindsey sat in the driver's seat, gripping the steering wheel. Slowly, a grin spread across his face as he turned to look at her. "We're having a boy."

Stevie reminded Lindsey that it was probably just a myth like the doctor said, but he didn't hear a word that came from her.