Page 71 of The Wrong Side Of Us

“Ms. Evelyn Carson?”

The nurse called Evie’s name with a small laugh at our PDA. “Let’s go, pretty girl.”

Once in the room, Evie lay back on the exam table, quietly looking around. She didn’t seem nervous, just thoughtful. I didn’t have much of a chance to ask what was on her mind because the doctor soon knocked.

“Good morning. How are you two doing today?”

“Good,” Evie replied with a smile.

“Baby is growing, huh?” The doctor raised her eyebrows, smiling when she saw Evie’s growing bump.

“Every day.”

Already used to the routine of being at the doctor’s office, Evie pulled up her shirt, prepared for the cold gel to get the ultrasound done. Her eyes flew to the screen, eager to see our baby.

I did the same.

The sound of our baby’s heartbeat filled the room just as the image settled on the screen. Evie beamed, glancing my way to make sure I was looking.

“Beautiful heartbeat…and wonderfully active baby.” The doctor smiled when the baby moved what seemed to be his/her legs and arms. Evie laughed softly. “Have you felt movement?”

Evie sighed, giving the doctor a slow nod.

She had?

“The day before yesterday, actually.” Evelyn didn’t turn to look at me.

The day of the exhibition.

Dread started to set in along with realization. I didn’t really hear the rest of the conversation between the doctor and her while I thought back to that day. She’d been so heartbroken and sad, and while I knew my words held a large part of that responsibility, I never imagined the weight they had carried.

Once in the car, I broke the silence between us, saying the only the thing that came to mind. “You didn’t tell me the baby was moving.”

“I tried,” she whispered, her gaze sad. She cleared her throat, and though she tried to push them back, I could see the tears already in her eyes. “I went to the park that day by myself. I wasn’t planning on meeting Derek there, but he was…”

I tensed at the mention of his name but kept quiet. My mouth had fucked enough things up already.

“We talked.” She shrugged. “That’s all we did. He didn’t say anything bad about you. He was honest with me about his intentions. And then I felt the baby move.” She smiled, but it didn’t meet her eyes. “I wanted to tell you, but I didn’t want to wait for a cab…I don’t know. I just wanted to get to you as quickly as possible…”

Fuck.

I’m an idiot.

“It was stupid to do that, I know. But I didn’t think anything of it. I didn’t want to piss you off, and I didn’t want to cause more problems. My only worry was to share that moment with you, but you turned me away.”

“Did he feel…the baby?” I asked, tentative.

She nodded. “I didn’t want it to be him, though.”

Evelyn bit her lip to keep from quivering.

“Evie, I’m—”

“Don’t.” She shook her head, not angrily, but sad. I’d taken her hope that day and crushed it. Now it all made sense. She had spent the whole day crying. She’d spent all day longing to tell me.

Then I got home and hurt her even further. Despite that, she still tried to let me know what had happened, tried to speak up, and I didn’t give her a chance. What was supposed to be a beautiful experience for us had turned sour. I would always regret it.

“It doesn’t matter anymore.”

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