Page 31 of Summer Message

The tech punches a lot of buttons. The machine starts printing out what I’m assuming are our pictures. I can’t wait to see them.Despite the shock, I’m happy.

“Here you go. Congrats again.” The tech stands up and leaves the room.

“We’re having two babies.” Matt mutters. He flops back into a chair.

I don’t know what’s going on inside his head. After we get back from the x-ray, he’s still quiet.

“I had no morning sickness, so I never even thought that I could be pregnant. Is this the reason for my back pain?” I ask Matt.

“I’m thinking you pulled a muscle or strained it,” Matt tells me absently.

“Your boyfriend is correct.” The doctor speaks up. “Now Tylenol, rest, heat and or ice, which ever helps. Also, once the pain starts to subside, do a little stretching, low key yoga. Now onto the pregnancy, you’re looking good. Now is the time to start prenatal vitamins, and you need to find yourself a good ob/gyn. I can recommend a few names that are in this hospital.”

“Thank you.” Matt takes the paperwork after I sign my discharge papers.

Since I was still in my pajamas, Matt went to get a wheelchair for me. He doesn’t want me walking too much.

“I still can’t believe that we’re having twins.” I blurt out as he takes me to the parking garage. “What does this mean for us?”

The wheelchair abruptly stops and Matt’s suddenly kneeling down in front of me. I raise my eyebrow at him. I hope he’s not planning to propose to me.

“We have nine months to figure it out. But I know one thing for sure, I want to be with you every step of the way. I’m thinking that if it’s okay with you, I’d like to move in with you.”

“You would? I’d thought you’d want me to move to the city. I was going to argue with you.” I smile and lean forward to kiss him. Then I grunt. “My back doesn’t allow for that.” I chuckle. He stands and towers over me. “I love you.” I whisper into his lips as he kisses me. I run my fingers along his cheek. I love touching the scruff.

“Let's get you to the house so we can get you relaxing.” He pushes me to the truck.

I wish he would’ve brought my car, but it’s okay. He picks me up like it’s nothing and puts me into the truck. He leaves the wheelchair by the elevator as he sees a nurse coming. She must have told him that she’d take it because he waved at her before running towards me.

Once we get to the house, Matt carries me up to his room. He gently lays me in the bed. He’s running from room to room, looking for the heating pad. I’m laughing. He looks so unsure of himself right now.

I call his name to get him to stop. He looks at me. I point to the heating pad that’s on his side of the bed on the floor. He laughs. I think I just got a taste of what it’ll be like when my water breaks.

I want to call Randi so bad. He hooks up the heating pad on my side of the bed and places it on my back while I’m sitting up. I’m tired but also wired. My mind is running a thousand different directions.

“Matt, can I have a pen and paper, please?” He hands me one from my bag, then sits down on his side of the bed and stares at me. “I figured that we need to figure some things out.”

“Can we do that tomorrow and take tonight to just enjoy the fact that we’re having twins?” He looks at me with this crazy smile on his face. “We have time. I know that sounds cliché. We’re about to be bombarded with a lot of people telling us how we need to behave, what we need to do, and how our lives are going to change forever. Tonight, it’s just the four of us. No one is telling me that we need to get married before the babies are born. No one is telling us that one of us needs to give up our career to move to the other town.”

I nod.“My brain needs lists to start preparing, but I like how you think. We actually have about seven weeks before the first trimester is over. Are we waiting that long to tell our family?”

“What do you want to do?” He makes a face. “You know that when you call Randi, she’s kicking my ass.”

“I know.” I laugh. The heating pad, Tylenol and sitting up with my knees bent resting on pillows taking the pressure off of my back is helping the pain. “Our parents need to know before Al or Randi. If they find out that we told them first, we’ll be disowned. Call them tomorrow?”

“I’m going to call my boss tomorrow and let him know that I need to meet with him. I don’t know how things will work because of the contract, but he might be able to find me a place near you to finish my contract.”

“You could tell him that you can work there until the babies come, then I’ll need you at home. We’ll figure out everything as it comes, but once you talk to your bosses, we’ll know more. I don’t think we should overthink it. We can’t control things right now when there are other people to factor in on our life. You can slowly move your stuff into the house. We’ll work it out. I promise.” I smile at him.

I believe these words with my whole heart. I know that we’ll be okay. We love each other, even though we’ve only known each other a few months. My heart knows that Matt is the man for me, babies or no babies. I place my hand on my stomach and Matt’s hand is on top of mine.

“My family,” he whispers as he kisses my cheek.

I take a picture of it because this is how I’m going to tell people. I’ll show them this picture. When I’m at my house, I’m home. When I’m with Matt, I’m home. This has been the best decision I ever made in my life.

The End

Epilogue

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