Page 100 of The Merger

She lubricated the wand, and I took a deep breath to ignore the discomfort while she got it into position. Then a fuzzy image appeared on the screen, and I wasn’t thinking about the foreign feeling of the probe any longer.

“How far along did you say you thought you were?” she asked.

“About two weeks. We got stranded in the woods, and I didn’t have my birth control. We decided it was a sign we should just go for it,” I answered.

The tech started taking some measurements on the screen. She made some noises that sounded like commentary, but she never actually said anything.

“Can you tell us why she wanted to run some more tests?” I asked.

“I’m sorry, I can’t, but the doctor will be in here with you soon,” she responded.

She cleaned up the equipment and started packing up the ultrasound machine before she left. I started to get dressed, but before I put my shirt on Stryker came up behind me and put his giant hand across my stomach.

“Stop freaking out. We don’t know anything yet. Just breathe for me, Sunshine.”

By the time the doctor knocked on the door I was a shaking mess. Dr. Singh introduced herself to Stryker when she saw I was pretty incapable of doing anything but wringing my hands together.

“I can see the waiting is a struggle for Sabrina, so how about I cut to the chase?”

“Your hormone levels were much higher than I’d expect for someone only a few weeks pregnant. I wanted to see how far along you were.”

Stryker leaned forward, relaxing a little since she wasn’t raising any alarms. “What did you find out, doctor?”

“You’re farther along than you thought. It looks like you’re about six weeks.” She opened my file on her tablet. “Have you been experiencing morning sickness?”

“Not really. There have been a few things that have made me feel a little queasy, but mostly I’ve just been tired.”

She opened another tab and turned the device around.

Stryker leaned forward and squinted at the image. “What are we looking at, doc? All I see are fuzzy blobs.”

“I’m showing you the reason your hormone levels are higher than what I expected to see.”

I squeezed Stryker’s hand. “I don’t understand. Is something wrong with our baby?”

“No, you have two regularly developing babies.”

Stryker squeezed my hand back and looked at me with an expression of shock and amazement. “Did she say two?”

The doctor smiled. “Congratulations, you’re having twins.”

“You’re going to be unbearable now, aren’t you?” I asked him.

He nodded, a goofy grin spreading across his face. “I’d say there’s a very strong possibility.”

Epilogue

Stryker

Iset the baby monitor next to the other two on the table on Beck and Evie’s back deck. Colt handed me a beer and I joined them in watching our wives set up games for Gracie’s sixth birthday.

“I can’t believe you got her a pony,” Beck grumbled.

Colt tried to hide his smirk. “It’s a grandpa’s job to spoil their grandchildren.”

“He’s certainly given you enough kids to spoil,” I joked.

“I can’t believe he thought he didn’t want to have any,” Colt told me like Beck wasn’t sitting right next to us.

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