Page 88 of Mortify

The gel is cold on my belly.

The room is silent except for the hum of the machine.

I can't look at the screen.

Can't bear to see an empty uterus where my baby should be.

"There," Dr. Sims says softly. "See that flicker?"

My eyes fly to the monitor.

A tiny flutter.

A heartbeat.

"The baby's okay?" I sob.

"Heartbeat is strong. Good placement in the uterus." She moves the wand, taking measurements. "Looks like you havea small subchorionic hemorrhage. Basically, a pocket of blood between the placenta and uterine wall."

"Is that... bad?"

"It can cause bleeding, obviously. But most resolve on their own." She prints out images. "The baby looks perfect. Right size for ten weeks."

Relief hits so hard I shake with it.

The baby's okay.

Still there, still fighting.

"But the bleeding?—"

"Will likely continue for a few days. Possibly even weeks." She sets aside the ultrasound equipment. "I want to keep you overnight for observation. And you'll need to be on modified bed rest for at least a week."

"But the baby's really okay?"

"The baby's fine," she assures me. "But you need to take this seriously. No heavy lifting, no stress, no... intimate activities for at least two weeks."

I nod, not trusting my voice.

"Is the father here?" she asks gently. "Someone we should call?"

"He's... working," I manage. "But my friends are here."

"Good. You'll need support." She squeezes my shoulder. "Try to rest. We'll get you moved to a room soon."

After she leaves, Vail and Gwen crowd in.

"Well?" Gwen demands.

"Baby's okay," I whisper. "Something called a subchorionic hemorrhage."

"Thank God." Vail sinks into the chair beside my bed. "You scared the shit out of us."

"Scared myself too." I touch my belly gently. "But they're still in there. Still fighting."

"Of course they are," Gwen says. "They're half you. Stubborn as hell."

And half Dylan, I don't say.

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