Page 255 of Sins & Secrets

Little blips, they come and go,

In rhythm and in time.

Black lines that paint a picture,

And soft lullabies in rhyme.

You’re everything, and the reason I need,

To love and to forgive.

My only wish is to keep you safe,

For as long as I shall live.

Seeing that little blip makes it real. “I can see his heartbeat.”

“You’re still convinced it’s a boy?” Evan says although he doesn’t take his eyes off the monitor. A trace of a smile is on his lips and it only grows when the little one moves.

“We’ll find out soon,” I tell him with a little more glee in my voice.

“Soon as in right now,” the doctor comments, breaking up our little moment. With Evan to my right, I hold his hand as I lie back on the white paper, hearing it rustle under me. Dr. Harmony holds the wand right above my belly button. My belly is covered in clear gel and there’s more than a little bump now that I’m twenty weeks along.

I’m quiet as the sound of a steady heartbeat comes through the speaker.Lub-dub,lub-dub,lub-dub. The only thing that distracts me for a moment is Evan placing his second hand over our joined one.

“Our little baby,” he whispers in awe.

“Your littleboy,” the doctor corrects him, pointing to the screen. She keeps the wand there for a moment, tapping on the keyboard to take photos before removing the wand and the soft, rhythmic heartbeats are gone. But I heard them, I heard that steady heartbeat and that sound will stay with me forever.

“He’s healthy?” Evan questions and my heart swells.

“Perfectly healthy,” Dr. Harmony says as she wipes down the equipment and tosses the paper towels into the trash.

“I’ll be back in just a bit with some pictures for you two.” The young blond doctor has a pretty smile; it’s one that reaches her eyes.

“Thank you,” Evan and I say in unison.

“A boy,” I murmur to him before he cuts me off with a kiss.

“We’re going to have a son,” Evan says, running a hand down his face. “It’s real.”

“Does it feel real to you now?”

Evan takes my hand again and kisses my knuckles before nodding his head.

My gaze moves from Evan to the screen. The little heart is beating in a perfect rhythm.

“I have a feeling it’s going to be really, really good,” I tell him and get a little choked up.

“It is,” Evan says and kisses my hand once more. “I know it is.”

Evan

The morning brings a bright light,

Hope and laughter too.

And with time comes a new love,

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