Page 127 of Finding Forever

He smiled in what he hoped was an encouraging way, but she’d already averted her eyes back to the doctor.

“I’d like that very much,” Fern stated and the doctor sent a curious glance Cade’s way. She had to be confused about his lack of participation. He’d certainly been more verbal at the first appointment. Then again, he’d been a little more certain of his welcome back then.

“Wonderful. Lee-Anne should be set up by now. I’ll join you in a few minutes.” The doctor smiled at them and jotted down a few notes on Fern’s chart. It was a clear dismissal and Fern pushed to her feet before Cade could assist her. They exited the doctor’s consultation room together but as soon as they were on the other side of the door, Fern turned to him.

“You don’t have you join me for the ultrasound.”

His stomach sank through the floor. He wanted to be there for this. Wanted to see how much the fetus had grown and he wanted to see Fern’s face when she learned the baby’s gender.

She chewed on her lip before adding assertively, “In fact, I think it’s best if you didn’t.”

“Fern,” he murmured, a little embarrassed by the broken note in his voice. “Please…”

“Tell me why you want to be there,” she invited and he stepped toward, her, closing the physical gap, even while feeling helpless to bridge the ever-widening emotional chasm between them.

“Because I’m not an emotionless monster. This means something to me. I’m sorry I can’t define it in a way that’s satisfactory to you yet, but I’d like the opportunity to figure it out.”

She opened her mouth to reply, but the technician—Lee-Anne—popped her curly head out from the next room before she could speak. The young woman grinned when she caught sight of them.

“Aah, Mr. and Mrs. Hawthorne, I was just about to come looking for you. Are you ready?”

Fern threw him a troubled look and then nodded at Lee-Anne and forced a smile.

“Yes, thank you.”

“Excellent.” The girl disappeared back into the room and Fern slanted him another bleak look.

“I don’t want you to be unhappy,” he suddenly decided. “I’m sorry, Fern. I’m being a selfish prick. This should be an exciting moment, if me being there with you is going to ruin it, I’ll wait out here.”

His words gave her pause and this time her gaze was speculative.

“Areyouexcited about finding out the gender?” she asked, watching him closely.

Cade swallowed and tugged at his restrictive tie as he considered her question. Then he smiled. Because answering that question really wasn’t as complicated as he’d thought it would be. His reply—while wholly unexpected… to him at least—was quite simple.

“Yes. I am.”

She nodded. “Then let’s go and find out.”

Chapter

Twenty-Nine

Even though Cade was expecting it this time, the rapidwhooshof the fetal heartbeat had the same dizzying impact that it’d had last time. And he sank into the provided “new dad catching” chair as Lee-Anne had dubbed it.

His feelings now were much less ambivalent though. He found the rapid, obviously strong, tattoo of that tiny heart reassuring, almost comforting. After all, a healthy baby meant a healthy Fern. Less chance of catastrophic complications that could endanger her life.

Dr. Khan pointed to the various features… but it was wholly unnecessary today. There was no mistaking what they were seeing. That was ababy.

With a big round head, a tip tilted little nose, a firm chin, and a tiny mouth.

Cade blindly reached for Fern’s hand and squeezed, completely shaken by the unmistakable image on the monitor.

He said the first thing that came to mind, “Looks like Casper the Friendly Ghost.”

He immediately winced and wanted to kick himself forruining the moment with such an inane, irreverent observation but Dr. Khan chuckled.

“They all do at this stage, although I’ve got to say, I’m shocked someone your age would know that reference.”

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