Page 25 of Hung Up on the Hacker

“This is just the next logical step. The next piece of data. No decisions have been made. You’re still in control here.” He followed the assurance with a kiss to her brow.

Hadley couldn’t stop herself from reaching for him, cuddling close for a hug. His arms slid around her, warm and solid.

“I’m really glad you’re here with me.”

His voice rumbled against her ear. “I wouldn’t be anywhere else.”

A perfunctory knock sounded on the door before it swung open and two women strode in. The darker of the two stepped forward and offered a warm smile. “Hello! I’m Dr. Washington. You must be Ms. Steele and Mr….?”

“Grantham.” With one last squeeze, Cash stepped away, nodding to the doctor.

“Nice to meet you.” Dr. Washington dropped onto the rolling stool. “Well, let’s get right to it then. I’m sure you’re eager to have that home pregnancy test confirmed. You are definitely pregnant. Congratulations!”

Hadley swallowed hard and wanted to curl up into a ball. She’d known there wouldn’t be a different answer. The morning sickness made that clear enough. But a part of her had hoped.

Cash took her hand.

When neither of them burst into spontaneous joy, Dr. Washington clued in that this wasn’t a thing they’d necessarily be celebrating. She sobered, nodding in a brisk, no-nonsense fashion, her velvety brown eyes kind as she rolled over to the foot of the exam table. “Let’s get to the physical exam and see what there is to see, and then we’ll do the ultrasound to figure out how far along you are.”

Right. Now she got to endure a total stranger poking around in her lady parts. Resigned, Hadley fit her feet into the stirrups and leaned back, staring at the blank ceiling.

“I’ve never understood why we don’t have posters of hot guys on the ceiling, so we have something to look at while things are going on down there.”

Dr. Washington laughed. “That would make things more bearable, wouldn’t it?”

Cash huffed a laugh and kissed the back of her hand.

Through a casual discussion of favorite actors and pretty faces they’d vote for ceiling art, she endured the pelvic exam. When it came time for the ultrasound, she managed not to make a dirty joke at the sight of the transducer—which still totally looked like a dildo. Her eyes stayed resolutely on the ceiling as Dr. Washington did her thing.

“Ah ha, here we are. That right there is the head. And you can see the arm and leg buds just there.”

Hadley tensed, blinking back the heat of tears as she kept her gaze firmly above her.

“Wow.” Cash’s hand tightened on hers, but Hadley didn’t think he was aware of it.

She chanced a look at his face and caught the unguarded moment of awe as he stared at the screen. Through this whole thing, he’d been so very careful to keep his emotions battened down, to avoid influencing her decision. But in this moment, faced with the reality of what they’d created, his instinctive reaction wasn’t grim resolution, wasn’t regret or anger. It was something that might have been joy.

That alone gave her the courage to look for herself.

The shape on the screen looked more like a malformed lima bean to her, but she could see well enough the suggestion of a spine and the bulbous alien head that was almost the same size as the rest of the body. Though it wasn’t clear, there was the suggestion of a face in the profile. She couldn’t stop herself from wondering if those features would be predominantly her or Cash or some blend of both.

“I’m thinking you’re right around eight or nine weeks.” Dr. Washington flipped some switch, and the room was filled with a fast swishing sound. “Heartbeat is steady at a good 160 beats per minute.”

“So fast,” Cash murmured.

“Totally normal at this stage.” She pressed a button and the machine spit out a photo of the lima bean. “Baby’s first picture.”

Hadley’s hand shook as she accepted it.

Finished with the exam, the doctor rolled over to the sink to wash her hands. “Everything looks good. You and the fetus are healthy. You’ll want to start some prenatal vitamins if you haven’t already, and otherwise, follow up with your OB when you get back home. I’ve got some literature to send home with you. The nurse will have it waiting for you in the hall. Do you have any questions?”

Mute, Hadley could only shake her head.

Dimly, she was aware of Cash thanking the doctor and of being told she could get dressed, but it was mostly white noise. Then they were alone again.

“Do you want me to take it?” His tone was gentle, though his face was back to being that imperturbable mask.

She handed the glossy black-and-white picture to him and slid off the table, half expecting the world to tilt as she did.

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