Page 18 of Can We Try?

I pull into the parking lot and turn off the truck before turning to face her. “It’s here. Our little one will be here before we know it.” I want to reach over and rub her still-flat belly, but I refrain. “Ready for this?” I ask her.

Her smile could light up the darkest of night skies. “I’m ready.”

Nodding, I climb out of the truck and help her down, then lead her into the building with my hand on the small of her back. I stay with her as she checks in and then settle into the plush seats as we wait to be called back. My leg bounces because this is a huge moment, and I’m feeling so many things right now.

Maggie reaches over and places her hand on my knee. “You doing okay?” she asks.

“I’m… perfect, but this is big, Mags. Huge, massive, life changing.”

Her eyes are soft, as is her smile. “It is.”

“I’m nervous because I want to hear his or her heartbeat, and I want you and the baby to both be healthy, and I want to yell so everyone in this damn county hears that I’m going to be a daddy. I never thought about it. I mean, I did think about it, but never how I would feel, you know? And now this. You, me, and the baby, it’s… everything.” This time I’m the one that reaches over and places my hand on her knee. “Thank you for doing this with me.”

“Lachlan.” She breathes my name like a gentle caress, but before she can say more, her name is called.

I stand and offer her my hand, which she takes. I help her to her feet. Not that she needs it yet, but it’s good practice for when she does, right? Regardless, I follow her back and she steps on the scale, turning to me and makes a silly face.

“Hate this part,” she grumbles. “It’s just going to get worse as the pregnancy progresses.”

Before she can even step off of the scale, I move in close, and cup her face in the palm of my hands. “You’re beautiful, Maggie. You’re growing our baby. Fuck what the number says.” Leaning forward, I place a tender kiss on her forehead before stepping back.

“You better lock this one down.” The nurse laughs as she leads us back to a room. She takes some vitals and tells us Dr. Holmes will be right in.

Maggie smiles at me, and I wink at her. What else am I supposed to do? Tell her that the nurse is right? That she should lock me down?

Turns out that “right in,” literally means right in. There’s a knock on the door, and then the doctor steps into the room. “Maggie, good to see you.” She moves to the small sink to wash her hands. “How are you feeling? How’s the morning sickness?”

“Not terrible, but it’s still lingering.”

“Let me know if it gets worse, and we can help by giving you something to deal with it.”

“Thank you, but I’m managing okay,” Maggie assures her.

“Perfect. Any other concerns. How’s your appetite?”

“Okay. No weird cravings or anything yet. I’m eating lots of fruits and vegetables, and I’ve cut down to one small cup of coffee a day. That’s still okay, right?”

“Yes, that’s perfectly fine. Do you have any questions or concerns to discuss?”

“Not that I can think of.” Maggie’s eyes find mine.

I clear my throat. “No. No questions. I’ve been reading a lot,” I confess. I guess because I don’t want her to think I’m some deadbeat dad who doesn’t care about my child, because I don’t have any questions. I’m a mess and need to get a grip. My nerves are getting the best of me.

The doctor smiles at me. “That’s good. There isn’t a manual once this little one is born, so being as prepared as you can for this process and the delivery is very helpful.”

“I’m new to this dad thing.” I laugh. “My friends have kids, and they’re amazing, but this one is mine, so yeah, I need to learn everything.”

“Don’t stress too much. Babies are a lot of trial and error and learn as you go. They might be tiny, but they have their own personalities from the day they’re born. You all will learn together.”

“Thank you.” Her words are reassuring.

“You’re welcome. Now, why don’t we get some measurements? Check on how your baby is growing. Maggie, if you’ll lie back.”

Maggie does as she asks, and when she pulls up her scrub top, my mouth falls open. There is a very tiny bump that was not there the last time I saw her without clothes.

“You’re showing,” I blurt without thinking.

“You missed that, did you?” The doctor laughs.

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