"What are gonna say to your parents?"
"When?"
"They're going to be there... you knew that, didn't you?"
"I was trying to forget" I sigh into the passenger seat. It'd been a week since I got my things and stormed out of the house like a child.
A week I've caught off all contact with my parents. They did the same.
My frustrations grew as Jace moseys around the parking garage to find an empty spot. He finds one, a close walk to the stairs into the hospital.
"Hey," Jace reaches for my hand.
"Don't let them ruin this, okay? This is a happy moment for us."
"No I'm happy" I grin, straight through the lies that left my lips.
"I know that this will be hard. And if you really want, we can just get a check up and leave."
"No, I want to know the gender. I know you do too."
"I already know." He flashes a cheesy smile to me.
My eyes roll, opening the car door.
"Let's go, Norman."
We get to the waiting room, sitting stiffly in chairs as we wait for my parents to show. They were already ten minutes late. I didn't want to admit it, not to Jace. But I wouldn't be taken back if they had decided not to show up.
Almost twenty minutes late, they walk through the door. My mom rushing to us, my dad taking his time.
"Honey, I'm sorry. I was having troubles getting your father out of the house."
She hugs me. I wrap my arms around her short jacket. God, did I miss her.
I pull away, turning to hug my dad. He stands still, rejecting my hug like a kid that didn't get their way.
I stare at him in anger, feeling my mom glare over at him too. I build myself to say something, only to be toned down by the gentle touch of Jaces hand to my shoulder.
"Okay" I whisper, allowing to let myself fall in Jaces pull. Sitting down next to him. His hand rests in my lap, holding to my leg.
My mom sits down next to us,
"I'm sure you guys are just so excited?"
"We are" I speak for the both of us.
"What do you guys want it to be?"
"I don't mind either way. But Jace here is insisting on it being a girl." I grin to him, he shrugs.
"You don't want a girl" my dad grumbles. We all turned, shocked that he finally spoke up.
"Why's that?" Jace looks at him, smiling.
"She'll have the family gene. Grow up to be a real bitch, wont listen, end up pregnant at seventeen and then leave as if you haven't done enough for them."
Jaces smile vanishes, his body tensing up next to me.
"Really? You want to do this now?" My eyebrows raise at him.
"I'm not doing anything, I'm only saying." He acts innocent.
"Our daughter wouldn't grow up a bitch that leaves because she wouldn't have a sorry excuse for a dad. I'm only saying"
"Youre still disrespectful?" He chuckles.
I push Jaces hand off me, grabbing my moms keys from the chair besides me, and throwing them at him.
He looks at me in shock.
"I want you to leave, right now."
"You can't-"
"Don't argue with me I swear to god I'll hit you and you won't be able to hit back."
He stands baffled for a second, shaking his head and standing with the keys.
"Fine. Fuck"
I watch him out, looking back over to my mom who sits on the chair, staring to her lap and shaking her head.
"Mom, I'm sorry. I don't want him here."
"I get it" she speaks,
"I would have done the same."
"You okay?" Jace speaks from behind me, rubbing my back gently.
"I'm fine."
We're called through the heavy weighted doors, back to a comfortable heated room that we were much too familiar with.
My heart flutters in nausea and butterflies. Trapping Jaces hand in mine as he helps me to the table.
There were questions. If I was experiencing back pain, morning sickness, mood swings, or headaches. All of which were true.
The doctor turns to my mom, making small talk with her as she gets the ultrasound ready. Before she sets the machine onto my stomach, she looks to me with brown eyes.
"Are you two ready to see your baby?"
"Yes" I smile, still holding tight to his hand.
"We're finding the gender today?" She questions, setting the thick stock to my skin, looking to the screen.
"Yes, ma'am" Jace smiles back. It was such a happy time for us. An anomaly.
The screen prints a blue lit silhouette of the front end of the baby.
"Is that another set of arms over there?" My mom questions.
My eyes widen, praying. Hoping. Please no twins.
"Legs" the doctor laughs, my mom laughs with her, embarrassed by her obvious mistake.
"Not twins"
"What is it then?" Jace looks intently at the screen.
"Let's see" she searches around, finding what she was looking for, a smile stretched across her face.
"Looks like a girl. Congratulations."
Jace squeezes my shoulder, kissing my forehead gently with a smile. Our eyes meet, he was happy. So happy. The night of the accident tore him to shreds and he was stressed out every single second since. Except for this very moment.
"As for the rest of the checkup. Everything is perfect. I'm going to give you some medication for your back pain. They've been known to produced morning sickness more often, but it's going to happen. It's perfectly healthy."
She packs up her stuff, letting my mom take care of things with the doctor while we enjoy a happy moment alone.
"I told you, Emily." A smile not threatening once to leave his face.
"I'm not sure how you knew. But I'm glad you were right."
"Me too" his voice drops, pressing his lips to mine as I situate myself off the bed.
~~
We drop my mom back off at the house, thanking her for being the bigger person. I wanted to come back home. Truly I was homesick and missed my mom dearly. But I couldn't go back to face what the real problem was.
Jace gives me a ride back to his house, settling in with our things. We hardly make it out from the front door before his parents call us the the livingroom.
We follow their voices, walking in to a bright smile across his moms face.
"So how'd it go?"
"Pretty good, they game Em some medication."
I laugh at Jace,
"I don't think that's what she wants to know."
"Please tell me I'm going to have a granddaughter!" She stands, taking each of our hands in hers.
"Its a girl, Mrs. Norman."
"My god" she gasps, pulling us tightly to her.
"I'm so happy for you guys, she's going to be so beautiful."
"Thanks mom" Jace mumbles.
"I have to go call your father and tell him!" She rushes out the room, truly, horrifically happy.
She leaves, heading upstairs for silence for the conversation with her husband.
"So now, names" Jace sighs, sitting to the soft fabric couch.
"Can we do that later?" I sit next to him, my mind bouncing everywhere to think."
"No, we swore we'd do it as soon as we found out."
"Have you gotten any?"
"Maisy" He speaks proudly.
"So cliche" I roll my eyes.
"It's cute!" He pushes me lightly, defending himself.
"Okay then what do you have then, Miss Rose?"
"Brighley?"
"Why do you have to make everything up to the name of our child complicated?"
"It's not complicated. I like it."
"So we'll sit on it a bit until we decide. That sound okay?"
"Works for me."
"Who's last name is she taking?" He questions shyly, staring to the ground.
"Yours" I reply with a shrug.
"Really?"
"Unless you're not planning to put a ring on it." I tease him.
"You know I am."
I shrug,
"Problem solved."