Thursday arrives faster than I thought it would. I'm sitting in the kitchen debating what I should have for breakfast while I wait for Josh to finish getting ready when my phone rings on the kitchen counter. I sigh, picking it up and seeing the station's number pop up on the screen. Evidently Josh's insistence that I wasn't working this week wasn't clear enough.
"Morning" I greet my boss in frustration. He was the last person I wanted to talk to this morning.
"Someone's grumpy. The baby already giving you trouble?" A smile tugs at my lips as I realize the caller is actually one of my best friends, Lola.
"Lol, I thought you were gonna be-."
"I'm sure you did think that with how angry he's been since his conversation with your man" she laughs. "He's been on a rampage but I gotta give it up to Josh for standing up to him" she concedes.
I smile, nodding my head. "I know. I was sorta mad at him at first but I know he just did it because he loves me."
"Of course he did! That man would do anything to keep you safe. Do you not remember the time where he went toe to toe with your ex who also happened to be a big, scary drug dealer."
"Oh trust me, I remember" I reply. Three years later and I was still sure I'd never forget the fear I felt that night when everything went down. The sound of the gunshot still rung in my ears like it was yesterday.
"Sorry. Anyway, you're pregnant! Maya this is huge, I'm so happy for you guys. I know it hasn't been easy."
I scoff. "That would be the understatement of the century" I sigh as Josh begins down the steps wearing a white v neck and black skinny jeans. I'm taken back to my childhood crush seeing him in the outfit, reminded why I found him so damn hot. "Look, I gotta go or we'll be late for our appointment. Talk later?"
"Sounds good. I should actually get some work done anyway" she adds making my chuckle before we hang up.
I look towards Josh and smile. "Hey babe."
"Don't babe me. You didn't eat did you?" he asks, crossing his arms over his chest. I bring my bottom lip between my teeth and sigh.
"Maybe not" I concede and he chuckles.
"What am I gonna do with you?" he asks as he walks towards me, wrapping his arms around my waist and I smile as I link mine behind his neck.
"You can start by kissing me then maybe tacos for lunch." He smiles, pecking my lips.
"Anything for you baby."
~ 🚔 ~
Lunch is delicious and soon enough we're heading towards the doctor's office. "I'm nervous" I admit as we get closer and closer.
"It's normal to be nervous, especially after what we went through" he assures me. "But you know I'm right here next to you" he smiles, squeezing my hand comfortingly as we pull into the parking lot.
We climb out of the car and head inside hand in hand and I take a shaky breath as walk towards the reception desk. "Hi" a chipper woman greets us.
"Hi, um Maya Hunter" I tell her and she smiles as she begins typing in my name.
"Here you are! Oh goodness it's your first appointment, is this your first child?" she asks and I bring my lip between my teeth.
"It's complicated" Josh cuts in. The woman seems to understand our situation and gives us a sad smile of understanding before handing me my information.
"Well, congratulations. Just have a seat and the nurse will come get you" she tells us. I nod and Josh helps me towards the chairs.
I fall into one, releasing a deep breath. "I hate that question."
"She was just curious sweetheart and I'm sure we're not the first couple who've become pregnant after a miscarriage.. in fact I know we aren't because if we were then there wouldn't be a word for it."
I smile, placing my hand over my belly. Our rainbow baby.
The nurse calls us back not long afterwards and the two of us head back. She has me change into the awful, itchy hospital gown before diving into highly personal yet necessary questions such as when I had my last period and my guess of my conception date...nothing like discussing your sex life with a complete stranger.
"Alright, well today will mostly just be a series of tests to find out how your body is adjusting to pregnancy. We'll figure out your definite due date and you'll even get to see the little one. Sound good?"
I swallow harshly and nod my head. Last time I was pregnant this appointment was as far as we got before I miscarried. She gives me a smile before leaving the room. "What if they find problems like last time?"
"Last time was last time. This time will be different" he assures me. "I mean, you're already feeling pregnant which didn't happen before."
"I just wish the baby was here already and the scary part was over."
"It'll be okay sweetheart" he assures me as his phone rings. He pulls it out and immediately hits decline. I chuckle.
"Your mistress?"
He laughs, shaking his head. "Yes babe my mistress that I just have to keep around because you treat me so horribly and we never have sex."
I giggle. "Really who was it?"
His smile falters. "Mom."
I purse my lips together. The woman loved me before I managed to get knocked up the first time. She had made it quite clear that she was disappointed in us and couldn't understand how Josh could fathom throwing his life away to raise a family with me.
"Maya-."
"I'm fine" I cut him off. "But she won't be when she finds out that we're expecting again...on purpose."
"She'll live" he replies with a wave of his hand as the door opens and Dr. Peters walks in with a bright smile in her face.
"Welcome back Ms. Hunter. Mind if we run a few tests today to check on you and the baby?"
"Of course not. Run as many as you need" I reply as I take Josh's hand in mine.
~ 🚔 ~
"Good news" Dr. Peters says as she looks over the results of Maya's tests. "Everything looks perfectly normal. As of right now there's no need to worry, your body seems to be well adjusted this time around. Your hormone levels are good, your pelvic exam came back with positive results, I don't like to get patient's hopes up but right now I have no reason to think you won't make it to term."
My heart swells as tears begin falling from Maya's eyes. "Really?" she asks shakily and the woman smiles at my fianceè.
"Absolutely. What your issue is, is that your body wasn't built in a way that makes implantation easy which is why you had such a hard time conceiving to begin with. Fetilization occurs but then the embryo has to find a spot to call home and that's where your body just isn't built to accommodate that little one. Your first pregnancy failed because the embryo was never properly implanted while this little one seems to have found a spot and seems perfectly content to grow there for the next few months."
"Seems our kid is already pretty smart" I comment making Maya chuckle as she squeezes my hand. "So, everything should go smoothly then?" I ask hopefully and the doctor smiles.
"As long as you don't go putting yourself in harm's way I don't see any reason why the baby won't make it. You've made it past the hard part, now you get to enjoy being pregnant" she tells Maya and my heart swells.
"Can we see it?" she asks impatiently and Dr. Peters grins.
"I thought you'd never ask."
~ 🚔 ~
As soon as she turns on the screen and begins looking for our baby my heart begins to beat rapidly out of my chest. Josh squeezes my hand and my heart skips a beat. "So, I know you discussed with the nurse that you believe you're maybe four weeks which does make this a bit early to tell much of anything but, just as I thought" she smiles victoriously. "Your last period, was it different from others?"
I shrug my shoulders. "A bit lighter and it only lasted a couple days" I admit. I had convinced myself it was because I had gone off birth control, my period had been weird since.
"That's what I suspected. I think what you experienced is more of spotting than anything and it's common in early pregnancy. From the look of this" she says, motioning to the screen. "I'd say your much closer to eight or nine weeks."
My eyes widen as I look over to Josh. "What?" I laugh in disbelief.
"No wonder you jumped me in the patrol car" Josh teases. "It was your damn hormones."
I hit him playfully. "Shut it" I laugh.
He smiles as Dr. Peters laughs. "And there's actually something" she trails off as she zooms in on the ultrasound. Suddenly the heartbeat of the baby fills the room and while it's music to my ears I can't help but think it sounds...odd.
"Is it supposed to sound like that?" I ask confused and the woman smiles.
"When you're having twins, absolutely."
My eyes widen and my jaw drops. "Excuse me?" Josh asks confused.
She laughs. "You're having twins" she confirms as she points to the screen. "Baby one and baby two" she says, pointing them out. "You should be thrilled, this really is a miracle. Congratulations."
I stare at the screen in disbelief. Twins.