Page 58 of The Little Black Rose

“Ugh,” I gasp as another pain streaks through my stomach. “Eight? Maybe nine.”

“Okay,” she says, plucking some gloves from the box on the counter and pulling them on as she turns to face me. “Let’s have a look.”

She wheels the ultrasound machine closer, then pulls down the blanket to bare my stomach. I flinch as she squirts the cold lubricant on my skin, then watch the screen intently as she circles the wand across my abdomen.

Sophie gasps as the babies’ forms come into view. Two round heads, two little bodies, and four pairs of extremities, the latter of which are twitching and waving back and forth.

“Oh, Ava,” Sophie whispers, her voice filled with awe, “they’re amazing. Seeing them like this is so much better than the pictures.”

Tears sting my eyes as I study my children. They look the same as last week, maybe a bit bigger and more defined. The picture changes, and their bodies fall out of focus as Dr. Kohatsu presses some buttons and takes measurements along with some screenshots. She turns a knob, and the sound of two quickly beating hearts fills the room. Then she nods, sets the wand in its holder, and flips off the machine before turning to face me.

Using a paper towel to clean the goop off my stomach, she says, “Everything looks great, Ava. I don’t see any problems with the pregnancy.”

Relief washes through me, then I grunt as more pain hits, this time lower than before. I breathe through it, and Dr. Kohatsu arches a black brow at me.

“What did you eat this morning?” she asks.

“I had some fruit and a cup of decaf,” I say, feeling my face heat. “Then I went toJuanita’s Drive-Thrufor a bean and cheese burrito.”

The doctor nods, as Sophie chides, “Juanita’s? Really? That place is gross, Ava.”

“Hey, don’t judge,” I say defensively. “These girls have me craving Mexican food all the time. The spicier, the better.”

“Ava,” Dr. Kohatsu says to get my attention. When I look at her, she gives me a small smile. “I think it’s just gas.”

“Gas?” I repeat, and another pain hits, this time accompanied by the biggest, loudest fart that has ever escaped my body.

I gasp as laughter erupts from Sophie, who doesn’t even try to hold back. Dr. Kohatsu smiles widely and tilts her head to study me.

“Feel better?” she asks.

I blink a few times, taking a mental inventory. The pain and pressure have eased a bit, and I feel like I can breathe easier.

“Yeah, a little,” I reply.

“Don’t try to hold it in,” she says. “Lay on your right side for a while, then roll onto your left. That should help push it through to relieve the pressure. Medications with simethicone are safe during pregnancy if it doesn’t go away soon, or if it happens again. And stay away from gassy foods from now on.”

With that, she gives me a smile, tells me she’ll see me at my next appointment, and walks out. I give Sophie a stern look for the giggles that are still tittering out of her, but before I can give her a verbal scolding for finding humor in my pain, the door flies open and Zeke rushes in, followed quickly by Zoey.

“Ava,” he breathes as he slides to a stop beside me.

He takes my hand, holding it tightly as his hazel eyes rove over my face before moving down to my stomach. His free hand caresses it lovingly as he meets my gaze once more.

“Are you okay? And…the babies?”

“We’ll give you some privacy,” Sophie says, shooing Zoey from the room with promises that she’d tell her everything.

I barely notice their departure as tears fill my eyes. Zeke sees them and his face goes white before turning a bit green. I tighten my grip on his hand and shake my head.

“The babies are fine,” I say quickly. “They’re perfect, Zeke.”

Tears spill from his own eyes as he takes a few deep breaths. His relief is palpable, escaping as a bark of laughter. He quickly sobers, his hand cupping my stomach firmly as he blinks the tears away and clears his throat.

“What happened?”

“I was having some really bad stomach pain, and I panicked. I’m sorry I worried you. It’s…nothing.”

“It must be something,” he says, some of that earlier worry leaking back into his voice. “You were hurting badly enough for a trip to the E.R.”

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