We are stronger together

- 6 - Ultrasound

Taron

I am walking down the street, the sun is shining brightly. David Bowie is blasting through my earphones as I head for work. I take a sip of coffee in my hand, almost burning my tongue in the process. It is a quiet side street and I cross the road at a crossroads.

I hear a car honk and my head snaps to the right. I shiver and try to run but it's too late. I hear screeching of tires and feel something hit me full force. My body is thrown off balance and the last thing going through my mind is my family.

What I have achieved career-wise isn't important to me. Right then and there I only care about who I will leave behind. My mom, my stepdad, my sisters, no girlfriend.

Absentmindedly I hear bones crack as my body hits the concrete. I barely recognise pain.

Then my head hits the road and I think this is it. This is the end of my life.

I groan as I feel pain unlike anything I have felt before race through my body. My hip, my leg, my head. I am not dead, am I?

I don't even register what is happening around me.

"Hey, you'll be fine" I hear the voice of an angel.

It soothes me that someone is with me.

I mumble something and scrunch my eyes close, but even that doesn't help me to block out the pain.

"It is all right, the ambulance will be here in a second" the woman says

I open my eyes ever so slightly to see who she is and see contours of a woman leaning over me.

Long brown hair.

A scarf with blood on it.

I feel like I'm falling asleep and the last thing I see is her.

I woke up, shaking. I buried my face in my hands, sitting up in bed as I tried to shake that dream off me. What was it that I dreamt of the accident so much lately? It was awful to relive. But then my mind went blank as I thought about that woman.

Who was she? Why had she helped me?

Why did Milly remind me of that woman?

For a second in the café, I almost thought it was her.

But it wasn't possible. I was just confused about the current situation.

I must have fallen asleep eventually because when I woke up it was already sunny outside. Emma must have already left without me noticing.

I rubbed my eyes and glanced at my watch. It was 9 AM. I normally never slept that long, but it was my day off.

It was the day of the ultrasound. I was excited, and nervous. Milly and I had texted every now and then, but apart from that everyone lived their lives.

Was that how it would be?

I would want to be close to my son or daughter. Have them around all day, even though I knew that wouldn't be possible... giving the circumstances.

I was wondering what her fiancé thought about all this.

I showered and dressed, putting on a white top and leaving the flowery shirt open as I put my jeans on.

I grabbed my favourite orange tinted sunglasses and my cap as I flew out of the door. Hopefully nobody would recognise me.

Milly

Josh had insisted to come with to the ultrasound and I was happy he had gotten over my decision. He had accepted it and told me he would support me. Amanda would meet us there since I had invited her. She knew everything there was to know about me.

Josh and I arrived at the gynaecologist's, a well rated one, not the one who – you know.

Amanda hugged me tightly when we reached her. I was so happy she was there.

She and Josh got talking while I was focused on something else - Taron wasn't here yet.

They already lead us into an ultrasound room and my heart sank, thinking Taron wouldn't be here.

The door opened and he walked in, smiling at me. My belly fluttered as I took him in, wearing light blue jeans, a top and a shirt over it, left open.

I gulped.

But then I saw his smile fade as his eyes landed on Josh.

"You must be Taron" Josh got up and held out his hand.

Taron pressed his lips together while smiling and something told me he had to force that smile.

"Nice to meet you...?" he frowned.

"Josh" my fiancé said.

"Nice to meet you Josh" Taron said calmly as they shook hands.

"Hi, I'm Amanda" she said and I could tell by her voice she was excited.

"Oh nice to meet you" Taron seemed confused who she was "I'm Taron"

I glanced at her and she looked to me, then to Taron "You too"

I was so relieved the men seemed to get on. It would probably take some time, but we still had some time left too.

The door opened again and a doctor walked in.

"Hello" he said and looked around, clearly confused who everyone was.

Josh, Taron and Amanda moved off to the side so the doctor could reach his ultrasound device, but it was a small room as it was.

"Who are the parents?" the doctor asked.

I shivered at that thought.

"Me" I smiled, because it was pretty obvious I was.

Even if you couldn't see the belly yet.

"And me" Taron said calmly, but his voice was firm.

The doctor looked at Josh and Amanda "Then I have to ask you to leave, unfortunately. Only two people allowed in here"

My eyes shot to Josh but he kissed my forehead, before leaving, without saying another word.

Amanda turned around one last time and winked at me before closing the door behind them.

What was the deal with her?

"Let's get started then, shall we?" the doctor said, ripping me out of my thoughts.

He seemed way more at ease than I felt.

I nodded and glanced over at Taron, who took Josh's seat.

The doctor applied the gel on my belly before moving the ultrasound device over it.

He gestured towards the screen and moved it a bit so we could see better

"Here is your baby"

Taron took my left hand and intertwined our fingers. I glanced at our hands before my eyes moved up his body, lingering at his chest hair for just a second, until I met his eyes.

"Is this okay?" he whispered.

I nodded and pressed my lips together.

This felt better than it should.

I was so focused on the screen then and I couldn't believe there was a tiny human inside of me.

"Let's see if we can hear the heartbeat" the doctor said and moved the device.

A heartbeat sound filled the room as tears filled my eyes. I gulped, but couldn't stop my chin from wobbling.

I felt Taron's hand squeeze mine and that feeling travelled through all of my body.

I looked over to him and his eyes were focused on the screen, tears in his eyes too.

I wanted to stroke his cheek.

But I just couldn't.