Invisible Strings

Chapter Forty-Two

Delaney's POV:

I don't know why I was so nervous. But with each minute that I sat in those hard chairs of the doctors waiting room, my nerves grew. Maybe it was because of what we might find on that ultrasound,but part of me knew that my nerves were off the charts because Brantley and I were sitting in a very public doctor's office, one that was outside of our little bubble in Jefferson, so Brantley had been recognized almost immediately. Him being recognized had me convinced that someone was going to post on social media that Brantley was sitting in an OB-GYN's office with me, that the rumor mill would start its churning, and the news that I'm pregnant would be all over social media before we had the chance to tell everyone ourselves.

And if that happened, how would Brantley react? Especially since he values his privacy.

"Hey, quit worrying." Brantley said, his fingers wrapping around my hand and squeezing slightly.

"Easy for you to say." I said, looking up at him. He had his hat pulled down low over his eyes in an effort to keep people who walked in from recognizing him too easily. For the most part, it was working since we had not been rushed with fans wanting to take pictures with him. But I could feel the eyes of the other women in the lobby looking at him, looking as if they knew who he was but weren't one-hundred percent sure.

Before Brantley could say anything else, The door that led to the back opened up and a young blonde nurse stuck her head out, calling my last name. Brantley and I stood together, our hands linked in one anothers, and slipped through the open door.

Once in the back, the nurse went through the pre-visit stuff like a weight check, date of my last period, and asked if I had any concerns. I didn't, but apparently Brantley did when I stepped up onto the scales and the ones in the doctor's office were 5 pounds lighter than the ones at his house. The nurse assured him that variations in scales was a common thing and that there was no cause for concern as long as I wasn't staying sick all the time.

We left the small triage room, I was passed a cup to pee in so that they could confirm pregnancy. Once that was done, the nurse led Brantley and I to one of the rooms in the back. "Dr. Hawthorne will be in in just a few moments. If you need anything, just peep out the door and I'll make sure you have whatever you need." The nurse stood just inside the door, torn between wanting to get a photo with Brantley but wanting to be professional and respect his privacy.

I almost felt sorry for the woman when Brnatley realized that she wanted to get a photo. Because one minute he'd had his hat pulled low over his eyes and the next, he was flipping it around and giving her his signature smirk; the same one that had turned me into a puddle of goo the first time I'd seen it.

"Hey, baby? Would you mind snapping a quick photo for our lovely nurse and I for her as long as she promises not to immediately post it?" said Brantley. As he did, the nurse immediately began to promise that she wouldn't do that, that she wouldn't invade our privacy and the privacy of the office for anything.

"Pass me the phone, B." I said with a smile.

Once I had his phone, I quickly snapped a photo. I'd just passed it back to him when the doctor walked in. He was a good looking man, slightly older but with that perfect mix of salt and pepper hair that gave him a look of distinguishment. And my nerves instantly subsided.

"I'm Dr. Hawthorne. It's nice to meet you two." he said, slipping further into the room. I sat down onto the exam table and Brantley moved so he was standing next to me while the doctor sank onto the rolling stool at the end of the exam table.

"I'm Delaney and this is my boyfriend–"

"Who needs no introduction," said Dr. Hawthorne, cutting me off. "Been a fan of yours for years Mr. Gilbert. Glad to see that you found some happiness after such a tragic time."

"Thanks," said Brantley, shifting uncomfortably.

"Anyway, that's the purpose of this visit now is it?"

"No sir." I smiled.

"Well, what do you say we head on over to the ultrasound room and see what we can see? Said Dr. Hawthorne, standing from his rolling stool.

When he moved to leave the room, Brantley helped me up off the table and laced his fingers with mine, following the doctor to a room that was just across the hall. Once inside, he passed me one of those dreaded paper gowns before leaving to give me some privacy so I could slip out of my clothes.

Within five minutes, Dr. Hawthrone was back in the room, sitting in front of the ultrasound machine while I lay flat on my back with Brantley's hand clasped in mine.

"Okay, Delaney. This is going to be a little cold." said the doctor as he shook the bottle of goo that was used for the ultrasound.

"Okay." I said, locking eyes with Brantley.

I was so lost in Brantley's gaze that I didn't even feel the cool gel as it landed on my skin. To be honest, I didn't know anything until I heard the l tell-tell beep come from the monitors seconds before the grainy black and white image popped up onto the screen of the tv in the room. Instantly, I saw one sack and a strong heartbeat. But as the doctor moved the probe around, another came into view, telling me that there were in fact two babies growing inside of me.

Tears sprang into my eyes as I tore my hand from the monitors and looked at Brantley. He was looking at me with so much love and happiness that my heart felt like it was about to burst.

"Well, we have two healthy heartbeats." said Dr. Hawthorne, his focus on the monitors and the probe still moving across my belly. "Wait, make that three." he said

And my heart nearly stopped in my chest.

"Th-Three?" I asked.

"Yes ma'am," said Dr. Hawthorne. "Three healthy heartbeats. Congrats on triplets."

Tears rolled down my face unchecked as the news sank in. And when I looked at Brantley, his eyes looked much like I imagined mine did. He leaned down and pressed his lips against mine before breaking it. "Three babies, Laney. I can't believe it."

"Me either, B."