Page 98 of Broken Bonds

“You… But… I—” he stammers, mouth opening and closing like a fish.

I laugh and hold my hands out for him to take, and he helps me up from the bed until we’re standing face to face. Then I wrap my arms around his middle and shuffle as close to him as I can with my stomach in the way, so I can nuzzle my nose against him. Breathing in his scent, knowing I’m safe to be honest with him. Always.

“I would like to stop holding myself back,” I tell him, my voice muffled against his chest.

His purr still rumbles in his chest, vibrating against my face before he bends his knees and wraps his arms around me, resting his forehead against mine.

“Yeah?” he asks, his breath fanning across my lips.

“Yeah.”

Then he kisses me.

I feel another piece of my heart clicking back into place, the cracks slowly dissolvingand merging. Like the Japanese art ofkintsugi.

* * *

“Ramsey Daniels for Doctor Moreno at twelve,” I tell the nurse when I walk up to the glass to check in.

She smiles at me and clicks away on her computer for a moment.

“Alright, I’ve got you checked in. Here’s your cup and sticker for your sample. They’ll call you back here shortly,” she says, passing me a sample cup and sticker that I quickly fill out with my information.

I look over at Forde and hold a finger up to tell him I’ll be a moment, then go to the bathroom. I’m supposed to pee in a cup every appointment, which isn’t easy these days, but you gotta do what you gotta do. They’re just lucky there are three babies pressing on all the important bits, which means I have to pee every five seconds.

I find an empty stall and lock the door behind me. Positioned next to the toilet paper dispenser, there’s a basket that contains wipes for personal hygiene to make sure the area is clean, so nothing messes with the sample. I grab one and get myself situated, praying I don’t pee on my hand as I do my business. I sigh in relief when I manage everything without a mess, because that has absolutely happened before. Peed all over my hand a few months ago when I was still getting used to the belly, but I’d rather not think about that.

I put the top back on the cup and place the sticker on the side, setting the cup to the side as I clean myself up and pull my pants back up. Just above the toilet, there’s a small silver door which I open to place my sample in before closing it again. Then I wash my hands and go sit out in the waiting room with Forde.

“How many weeks are you again now?” he asks when I sit, his brow furrowed as he concentrates on whatever he’s looking at on his phone.

“Almost thirty. She’ll probably schedule me for a c-section today for around thirty-two or thirty-three weeks. I’ve been lucky that everything has gone so smoothly so far, especially with all the stress I had to deal with earlier on, so we don’t want to push it.”

“So, they could be here in just a few short weeks?” he asks, looking up at me with a hint of excitement shining in his eyes.

“I know, right? So soon. I’m ready,” I chuckle, rubbing my belly.

“Do you have names picked out?”

“I do, but I’m not telling,” I sing under my breath as the door to the back opens and Carol steps out.

“Ramsey?”

Forde stands to help me up out of my seat before sitting back down and smiling at me.

“I’ll be right here when you’re done,” he says, and I almost want to ask him to come back with me, but I don’t know if that’s weird, so instead I nod and follow Carol to the back.

She gets my weight before leading me to a room, and I hop up on the exam table.

“How ya feelin’ sweety? Those babies giving you any trouble?” Carol asks as she gets my blood pressure.

“I’m fine. Just a lot of back pain and some pelvic pain, mostly. Lots of pressure, too,” I say with a laugh.

She chuckles and pats my hand as she undoes the blood pressure cuff.

“I’d imagine so. Any concerns? Babies moving like they should? Any bleeding?”

I shake my head.

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