Forever and Always

Chapter twenty-one

The week went by in a blur of serving meals and Zoe's talks about Luke. But luckily it was finally friday... The day where I learn not only the sex of the baby, but also if little Bread is healthy.

"Hey Nik, are you ready to go?" Zoe asked me from my kitchen.

"As ready as I'll ever be I guess."

"Okay well let's go... and when we get back, there's a um... really important thing I need to talk to you about." The last part of what Zoe said took me off guard. Why would she have something so important to talk to me about that she couldn't tell me right now? We are usually so open.

As the two of us walked out of my apartment building I started to become increasingly nervous for both the appointment and Zoe's little talk after.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

As per usual Zoe and I got stared at as though we were some sort of celebrities as we sat in the waiting room of the clinic.

"Ms Fleming."

"That's us." I groaned as I used the armrests of the chair I was sitting in to help me push myself up.

"Ready or not here we come." Zoe joked as she looked at me with a small smile, before grabbing my hand and helping to lead me towards the door we needed to pass through.

It was funny, only a few months ago I had a plastic doll in my hands that I had to treat as though it were a real child. At the time I was swearing up and down that I wouldn't have children before the age of 29, and now look where I am... Walking into a prenatal appointment, and I'm not even 20... I guess no matter how hard we may try we can never control how things are going to go in life.

"Miss Fleming you may lay on the table, the doctor will be in, in a second." The same lady who had called my name said to me as she slowly closed the door to the office.

Carefully I hoisted my body up onto the table, making sure to pull up my shirt so that i rested just under my bra line. The room was silent - dead silent - the only noise audible to my ears being the awkward buzz of the computer monitor that was sat beside me.

As the door opened to the room, my heart almost jumped out of my chest at the sudden movement. Not only because it surprised me but also because the next few moments are really going to have an affect on not only the close future, but also maybe the distant future as well... Or maybe another couples future.

"Hello Ms. Fleming, how are you today?" My doctor asked, making me want to roll my eyes - but I kindly refrained.

"I"ve been better, thanks for asking."

"Good," He smiled as he slipped on a pair of rubber gloves, "Shall we then."

"We shall," I couldn't help but laugh at the corky way the doctor was asking. He must have sensed the level of tension in the room, because honestly it was suffocatingly high.

The doctor grabbed the bottle of blue gel and squeezed a generous amount onto my abdomen. Before grabbing the wand of the ultrasound machine and firmly pressing it onto my stomach. He moved it around a fair amount, and I wanted to vomit as I watched his face scrunch up in a way that couldn't be good.

"Is everything alright?" I heard Zoe ask softly, the same amount of worry I was feeling strung in her voice.

"Actually everything looks great... The baby has grown a little bit, not as much as we would have hoped but it'll get there." He paused for a minute before turning around to look at us, "Would you like to know the sex?"

"Yes--"

Before I could finish what I was saying Zoe interrupted me, "Actually, no she would not like to know the gender of the baby. Instead could you print out some pictures and then write the gender and stuff on a piece of paper," She smiled at me excitedly, "Oh and one more thing Doc, when you're done with that could you put that all into this envelope!" She wiped out a white envelope from her pocket and handed it to the doctor before I could say anything in protest before the doctor left the room to do as he was told.

"What the hell Zoe!"

"Okay, I know you're mad know, just hear me out." I could sense a huge mood change from a second ago to know since she became shaky and started biting her lip.

She was hiding something from me...

"Okay go." I groaned in frustration.

"Nikki, this baby has a huge family that loves it already. They're all here for you and are all excited for the baby, so I thought why don't we all go out to dinner and the baby's gender can be a surprise to all of us. And plus I haven't known you near as long as Gemma has and it just doesn't feel right to me that you should take such a big step in your life without your other best friend by your side."

I reached out to grab her hand, Zoe was right this baby did have a huge family standing behind it. Just because my parents decided not to be there for me and they're grandchild doesn't mean that I'll have no support.

Maybe finding the guys again and stuff was a sign that I shouldn't put the baby up for adoption. Even though I may not have all the money in the world, I'll be able to give the baby so much love and maybe I'll just have to take a few more shifts at work, and maybe downsize on the apartement. But I've always preferred a house to be cozier than larger.

"Okay. Once we get home I'll call Gemma and tell her to get everyone to meet somewhere for dinner." I smiled, really liking the idea... This would be the first step in the marathon that will be our little family. It may not be traditional, and hell it may be kinda of broken and backwards but it's good. It's good.