Page 27 of Agony of Our Regret

“Lemon,” I automatically corrected.

“Pardon?” Gavin raised a brow.

“I’m calling the baby Lemon, rather thanit.”

“Why?” Luca asked.

“That’s what Lemon was when I told Gwen I was pregnant.”

“Huh?” He seemed more confused.

“There’s an app. It tells you how big your baby is each week,” I explained.

He blinked.

“Compared to a fruit or vegetable.” They looked at each other. “I was between twelve and thirteen weeks and she said it was between a lime and a lemon. She suggested Sprite but I vetoed that, and we settled with Lemon.”

“Gwen named our child?” Luca cringed.

“Nicknamed,” I corrected.

Gavin shrugged, “I do like Lemon better thanit.”

“Sure,” Luca gave a small shake of his head, “So can we really find out what Lemon is this soon?”

“If the baby is in a good position, then they can,” I replied. Or we could do a blood test, but I wasn’t sure if I wanted to know.

“Can we be there?” Gavin asked.

I didn’t want to go alone. I was nervous. This would be the first appointment since we found out about the pregnancy. I’d accepted the news. After all, it was hard to ignore when I was sick so often, but this appointment made it all so real.

It wouldn’t be in the emergency room. I was going to an OB. There would be other pregnant women with posters of babies, developmental stages, and the female reproductive system. At least, that’s what I assumed based on movies and shows. I’d never been to one since my primary care doctor prescribed my birth control and did my annual pap smears.

This was a whole new experience.

I didn’t feel ready. It was too adult. Too grown up.

We all might be twenty-one, but I rarely felt it.

Shit. I hadn’t even told my dad yet.

We’d need to make an announcement soon. Right? That’s what people did when they were having a baby.

But those people had social media and friends and family who they didn’t see or speak to regularly.

My circle was pretty small. It would only take a few phone calls to tell everyone in my life who didn’t already know.

“I need to tell my dad and Audrey.”

“About the appointment?” Gavin asked, and I realized I’d never answered his question.

“Yes, you both can be there. Obviously.” I smiled, then got back to what I was thinking. “I haven’t told my dad I’m pregnant.”

Luca glanced at his watch. “We can call him after work tonight.”

Great. Now the prospect of that conversation would hang over my head all day, stressing me out.

Gavin smiled. “You know you’ve done nothing wrong. He won’t get mad at you.”

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