Page 71 of Wrong Number. Right Don.
That same night, Sergei asks me to move in with him permanently, and I don’t hesitate.
“Mom’s doing much better now,” he says when I tell him about our earlier conversation. “We don’t really need you here as a nurse anymore. But I would be so happy if you’d agree to move in. Let’s give this a real shot and raise our baby together.”
“Yes,” I answer before he even finishes.
The very next morning, he sends movers to my apartment to pack up everything and haul it to the mansion. He’s bought out the rest of my lease, too. I’m learning he’s both eager and impatient in the best possible way.
Today, that impatience feels downright endearing. He’s about to see our baby on the ultrasound for the first time. He’s going to hear the baby’s heartbeat. He’s been vibrating with excitement since dawn.
I sit on the crinkly paper at the OB’s office, waiting for the ultrasound technician to come in and show us our baby. Sergei is beside me, his hand clasped in mine, warm and strong and steady. His thumb traces slow circles over my knuckles, bleeding some of his nerves into me.
“You nervous?” he asks, voice low and gentle.
I smile up at him. “Not really,” I say. “Mostly I’m excited for you to meet our little bean. I bet you’ll be every bit as obsessed with them as I am.”
He leans down, brushing a kiss to my forehead. “I’m sure I will.” He smiles. “Even though we’re definitely having a girl.”
“I don’t know.” I shrug. “I’ve been having serious boy vibes since my first ultrasound.”
“I bet you two million dollars that it’s a girl,” he jokes.
“No fair,” I pout. “You know I don’t have that kind of money.”
“Everything I have is yours,” he says, earnest now. “So when you’re wrong and it’s a girl, I’ll cover it.”
The door swings open, and the ultrasound tech strolls in, all bright eyes and easy smiles.
“Welcome back, Nicole,” she greets me warmly. “Dad, are you ready to meet your little one?”
Sergei straightens in his chair, and I swear he sits up like he’s reporting for duty. “Absolutely.”
I let out a soft laugh and recline while the tech spreads cold gel across my belly. I still flinch, but Sergei’s grip tightens around mine.
“All right,” she says, moving the wand across my belly. “Let’s see what we’ve got here.”
The room falls silent except for the sound of soft static, and then, there it is. The rhythmic, galloping sound of our baby’s heartbeat fills the room. Sergei’s hand clamps around mine, and I turn to him. His eyes are wide, shining. His lips are parted slightly in awe.
“That’s our baby?” he breathes, reverent.
“That’s your baby,” the tech confirms, beaming. “Healthy heartbeat. Perfect size. Nicole, based on your measurements, you’re right around eighteen weeks.”
Eighteen weeks. It feels like everything is happening so fast and also crawling by. On the monitor, a little head, curved spine, and tiny arms come into view. The baby’s bigger than last time. The little one has grown so much since I was here a few weeks ago. The next few months are just going to fly by. I blink hard against the tears burning my eyes.
“Would you like to know the gender?” the tech asks, smiling as she looks between us.
“Yes,” I blurt out, just as Sergei says, “Absolutely.”
We both laugh. The tech grins and tilts the wand a little. “Well, it looks like you’re having a little girl.”
The words punch straight through my chest in the very best way.
A little girl. A daughter. A rush of emotions swirls inside me so fast I can’t keep up. Joy, fear, excitement, and sheer panic collide inside me. I’m going to have a daughter. I’m going to be responsible for a little girl’s entire world. How am I supposed to keep her safe? How do I teach her to be strong and kind and everything she’ll need to be in a world like this?
I blink again, and the tears finally spill.
“I—” I begin, but no words come. “I guess I owe you two million dollars,” I finally manage weakly as I look at Sergei.
“I told you I’d spot you.” He laughs, but his expression softens when he sees the panic on my face. “Hey, look at me.”
