Page 93 of Shattered Union

Relief washes over me, and I'm grateful both Michael and Justin were here. Justin is the man who watches over Chloe. I hadn't realised he accompanied her while she was with her father.

"Ms. O'Hara," I hear called and raise my head to see the ultrasound technician smiling at me. "We're ready for you now."

I suck in a deep breath and let it settle me. Right now, the only thing I want to focus on is my babies. "Ready?" I ask Denis when I've gotten myself under control.

The anger is still swirling in his blue eyes, but he gives me a smile. "Never been readier." He holds out his hand for me and helps me off the chair. "Let's go see our babies, yeah?"

I press close to him, needing the comfort and support that he gives me. Mam and Chloe standing close to the two of us. I can feel their giddiness as we get closer to the ultrasound room.

We're ushered into the room, and I'm instructed to lie on the bed and lift my shirt. As soon as I do, Denis's gaze zooms in on my bump, which seems to have grown a lot over the last few days.

Chloe stands close to her dad, her body stiff as she focuses on the screen in front of her.

After a couple of minutes, the technician runs the wand over my stomach and within seconds the thumping of my babies’ heart beats fills the air.

The 4D scan makes the babies features so clear. I can see their noses, eyes, fingers, and toes. God, I've never seen anything so beautiful in my life. My breath catches as one baby brings their hands to their mouth and sucks its thumb. Utter beauty.

"Only granny and sister are to find out the genders, is that correct?" the technician asks.

Mam beams at her while Chloe's cheeks flush. I give the lady a smile and nod. "That's correct, they're planning the party."

"What a lovely idea. Okay, we just have a few more measurements to take and then we're done. I have lots of pictures for you today, as well as the video for you to bring home with you."

Denis's hand clasps mine, tightening as the wand moves around my stomach again. The lady's quiet this time, but has a bright smile on her face as she takes measurements of the bones and organs. "They're slightly small, but that's to be expected for twins. They show no signs of abnormalities, and they're growing."

Relief washes through me. That's all I wanted, for them to be healthy.

She finishes up the scan and hands me some paper towels so I can wipe the gel from my stomach.

"Take your time. When you're finished, come to the reception and I'll give you the pictures and the DVD for you to bring home. Granny and sister, if you'd like to follow me, I'll give you the good news."

Mam and Chloe follow her out as I wipe the gel from my stomach. Denis's strong hands cover mine, stopping me in the process. "Let me," his deep voice smooth and filled with emotion.

I remove my hand from the paper towel and he meticulously goes about taking all the gel from my stomach.

"Seeing them,mo ghrá—" His voice deepens and takes a gravelly tone to it, one that sends shivers down my spine. "Fuck, I love you. Thank you."

I close my eyes and let his words wash over me, trying to stop the tears that burn the back of my eyes from falling. "Love you too, Denny," I whisper.

He helps me off the bed and fixes my top so that it smooths down over my bump. Once I'm standing, he pulls me into his arms and feathers light kisses against my lips. God, this moment couldn't have been any more perfect.

* * *

"Okay, I've given you time," I say to Chloe when we're about to leave to meet Denis and the others for dinner. "What happened this morning?"

Instead of going home with her dad, she pleaded to come home with me. Denis was pissed. I knew he wanted to say no, and I assured him that whatever he said, I'd back him completely. He smiled at me, letting me know I said the right thing. But ultimately he allowed her to come back with me. She's been quiet all day, barely saying a word.

She crosses her arms over her chest as her brows knit together. God, I remember being like this at her age. I should really apologize to Mam, because I was a bitch in my teenage years. "What?" she bites out, looking so much like her mam in that moment.

"Chloe, you're upset. Have been all day. Please talk to me."

Her lips twist in disgust. "You're not my ma; I don't have to tell you anything."

A direct hit.

Tears sting my eyes, and my chest feels as though something's sitting heavily on it.

"I know," I croak, trying to keep the tears at bay. "But I am your friend. I care a lot about you and I want you to be happy." I glance down at my phone and see we need to leave. "Grab your bag, it's time to go."

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