Page 106 of Fall to Me
The screen comes to life, but it’s hard to make out anything. I wince as he moves the wand around and squeeze Carter’s hand.
“Sorry. This can sometimes be uncomfortable. You may experience some light spotting, but there’s nothing to worry about. Ah. There they are.”
“I-I’m s-sorry. Did you say ‘they’?” Carter asks.
“Yes. They,” Dr. Jones responds, clicking the mouse then moving it over and clicking again. “I had a suspicion with her hCG levels, but I wanted to be positive. Let’s measure real quick.”
Carter stands unblinking, looking at the screen in awe while my heart nearly pounds out of my chest.
“You knocked me up with twins,” I whisper, a tear slipping down my cheek.
Carter smirks and looks between me and the doctor as if he knows something I don’t.
“Actually, Kitten. Twins come from the maternal side. So, thank you.” He gives me a quick peck on the lips.
“Oh, you did not get smart with me.”
“Didn’t want to take all the credit, baby.”
The doctor looks between us before moving the wand again. “Are one of you a twin?”
“My husband is.”
“Ahh. Yes. That’s just a happy coincidence.” He winks at Carter offering him a smile. “Alright. You’re measuring right around six weeks give or take a couple of days. See the yolksacs?” He points to the screen. “You can’t really see much of anything quite yet, but you definitely have a set of fraternal twins baking in there.”
I need to breathe. I just need to fucking breathe. This isn’t happening. Dr. Jones removes the wand, prints the ultrasound pictures, then helps me to sit up. “You can use this sheet to clean yourself up with. I’ll want you back in three weeks to see how things are progressing. At the next appointment, we should be able to hear their heartbeats. I’ll send over a script to the pharmacy for prenatal vitamins.”
“Thank you, Dr. Jones,” Carter says.
I look down at the ultrasound pictures, and my heart begins to swell. Two seconds ago, I was freaking out and now, I can’t imagine not having them both. My emotions are all over the goddamn place.
Dr. Jones walks out the door as Carter stands there with a shit-eating grin on his face. I clean up and tug on my blouse, and as I zip up the back of my skirt, he stands there, watching me with that same smile.
“What?” I ask, plucking my coat off the back of a chair and putting it on.
Carter strolls over and wraps his arms around me. “I’m kind of in shock about the twins, but a good kind of shock. This is the best day of my life.”
I smile up at him.
“And now, you get to be pregnant alongside Aspen, and I?—”
“Wait! How do you know Aspen’s pregnant? She’s only told me.”
He takes my hand, leading me out of the exam room. “When we were at their house last week, Cal told me he suspected. More than suspected, actually. He’s convinced.”
Since that day, Carter’s been watching me like a hawk, asking if I could possibly be pregnant. Staring at my damn boobs. Then,when the pregnancy test came out negative, he was moping around the house. It all makes sense now.
“Wait. Is this one of those things where you realize your best friend’s having a baby, then you decide you want one too?”
He scoffs, “No. Of course not.”
“Mmm-hmm. I think you had a little FOMO.” I giggle, swinging his hand in mine while we walk through the parking lot.
When we reach the car, he turns me around and presses my back against the door, caging me in. “When I saw you having the same symptoms as Aspen, I immediately became hopeful. There was no question in my mind when you were sitting against that tub after getting sick that I was ready to be a dad. I’m thirty-one. I’m not getting any younger, and I’m in love with my wife. The only thing that worried me about the situation was the fact that Jaxon is still on the loose. I felt like I was being foolish wanting a child given the circumstances. But when that pregnancy test came out negative, it gutted me. Goddamn, Kitten . . . this entire week, all I could think about was putting a baby in you. And now that you’re pregnant, I'm on top of the world. This is what I want, and it’s not because of anyone else. It’s because of you. Because I love you, and I want a family with you.”
Carter kisses me, then opens my door and helps me into the car. He fires up the engine while I pluck my phone out of my purse and call Aspen, placing the call on speaker. She immediately picks up.
“What?” she barks.
