Page 19 of The Little Black Rose

“I’m a twin,” I say, speaking for the first time since the doctor joined us.

She meets my gaze and asks, “Identical or fraternal?”

“Fraternal,” I say, and she nods thoughtfully.

“Fraternal twins can be hereditary through the mother, but not the father. It’s one heck of a coincidence, but a coincidence, all the same. Are there any identical twins in your family tree?”

I shake my head. “Not that I’m aware of.”

She studies the screen for a moment, scrolling through the images she captured, then nods. “I can’t say for sure without a DNA test, but I’m pretty confident these are fraternal twins. The babies have separate placentas, and identical twins usually share one.”

She presses a few more buttons, and lines appear on the screen across each baby’s small form.

“By the measurements, it appears you’re about fourteen weeks along,” she says as she types the info into a computer attached to the wall.

Fourteen weeks? Wait…

Ava and I slept togethertwelveweeks ago. If she’s already fourteen weeks…

Pain streaks through me, leaving me lightheaded. The babies aren’t mine. Goosebumps erupt over my skin as disappointment thuds in my bones. There’s no sense of relief. Only dark displeasure as I realize I fell in love with those babies the instant my eyes landed on their tiny bodies.

And now they’re not mine to love.

“Dr. Kohatsu,” Ava says, gripping my hand firmly as I try to pull it free, “how can they be fourteen weeks when they were conceived twelve weeks ago?”

“Oh,” the doctor says, looking at me with wide eyes that instantly fill with remorse. “I’m sorry. I should have explained that better. We measure the fetus in weeks from the beginning of the menstrual cycle during which fertilization occurred. So, the fourteen days before ovulation is factored into the average forty weeks of pregnancy.”

“So, that means…” Ava says, letting the words trail off.

“You’re fourteen weeks pregnant, but the actual fertilization happened approximately twelve weeks ago.”

Ava squeezes my hand, and I look down at her face. She’s smiling, and I return it with gratitude. She’s not going to hold my little moment of doubt against me. I wouldn’t blame her if she did. I clearly remember her telling me that night she hadn’t had sex in over a year. My little freak out over the doctor’s words was pretty much the same thing as calling her a liar.

But she’s obviously chosen to ignore it, smiling with tears in her eyes as she mouths the words “twins” with absolute wonder.

“Twins,” I mouth back, my cheeks hurting with my own wide smile.

I should be freaking out. At the very least, sweating at the prospect of not one, but two innocent creatures fully dependent on the two of us at all times. But while I am a bit nervous, there’s not a hint of trepidation to be found inside me.

I’m fucking ecstatic.

The doctor presses a button on the ultrasound machine, and printed copies of the pictures she took roll out of a slot beneath the monitor. She hands the printouts to Ava, and I bend over to look at them with her. My eyes burn with emotion, and Ava sniffs delicately as I trace Baby A and Baby B with a gentle fingertip.

These are my children.Ourchildren. I can’t fucking wait to meet them.

Dr. Kohatsu clears her throat, and we both look up at her.

“I’ll let you get dressed, then I’ll be back with a prescription for prenatal vitamins and some pamphlets on what to expect over the next few weeks. We’ll also need to schedule your next appointment.” She moves toward the door, then pauses, turning back to us. “Congratulations, you two. I have a feeling you guys are going to make a great team in this amazing journey.”

Then, she walks out, closing the door gently behind her. Ava and I stare at each other for a few more beats, then I clear my throat and release her hand. I move to the other side of the room, giving her my back again so she can get dressed in semi-privacy.

“Thank you for coming today,” Ava says quietly, her voice cracking with emotion.

“There was no way I was missing this,” I reply, “and I’m so glad I didn’t.”

“You can turn around,” she says, and when I do, I see the mix of awe and fear in her expression. “I just can’t believe it. Twins.”

“Are you ready for this?” I ask, my lips tugging up at the corners.

---