CHAPTER 23
Gentry
T oday was the day we got to see our little one on the screen. Ainsleigh’s father graciously gave the three of us the afternoon off so that we could go to the appointment. We got a good laugh when Brooks and Leo pouted because they weren’t able to go. I’d pulled them both aside and explained that Holden needed this more than they knew. They gave me questioning glances so I’d elaborate, but I didn’t go into further detail. Instead, I told them Holden would explain it to them if he felt up to it.
Silence filled Ainsleigh’s Jeep as we drove to the doctor’s office in town. I could feel Ainsleigh’s anxiety from across the vehicle. Her leg bounced up and down as she stared out the window with her head leaned against the glass. Looking in the rearview mirror, I noticed Holden’s expression was the same as hers. This was supposed to be a happy time that all parents looked forward to. However, this instance we were all wondering the same what if questions.
What if there’s no heartbeat?
What if there’s something wrong with the baby?
I reached across the console and grabbed Ainsleigh’s hand. She jumped at my touch, but turned toward me and gave a weak smile.
“He or she is going to be just fine.”
I didn’t add I promise to the end of that sentence.
I couldn’t.
“Yeah, sis. That baby is going to be perfect,” Holden said from the backseat with a shaky voice. He was trying his best to sound truthful, but I’d heard the hesitation in his voice as he spoke.
She didn’t respond.
She just continued to stare blankly out of the windshield, holding onto my hand now for dear life. I tried to let go of her hand to switch driving positions, but she gripped me tighter, refusing to let go.
So I held on, hoping she pulled some strength from me to ease her nerves.
When we pulled into the parking lot fifteen minutes later, she gasped and her leg shook more.
I parked the Jeep, shut down the engine, and turned toward her.
“You and this baby are going to be just fine. Stress isn’t good for either of you. Take a deep breath and relax. In a few short moments, we’re going to see him or her for the first time, and you’ll see that I’m right and can stop stressing as much.”
“But what if…?” she started to ask, but I stopped her from finishing by putting my pointer finger on her lips.
“We’re not going to think that way. We’re not going to mutter that question and put that possibility out into the universe. Instead, we are going to think happy, positive thoughts as we get out of this Jeep and walk inside. Those happy thoughts are going to continue throughout this appointment and the rest of this pregnancy. There’s no room for any other ones.”
She pondered over my words for a few minutes before she nodded and let go of my hand.
The three of us walked into the office with our heads held high. Holden and I took a seat while Ainsleigh checked herself in. The office was packed full of expectant mothers and fathers in various stages of their pregnancies.
Ainsleigh walked over moments later and sat down between her brother and me. She rested her head on my shoulder and let out a sigh. I knew then that while she had heard the words I’d said in the Jeep, she was having a hard time believing them.
“Miss Courtright,” a nurse called from the opposite side of the room about twenty minutes later. Hearing her last name still remaining something other than my own caused me to clinch my teeth. I couldn’t wait until I could hear someone call out my last name when referencing her. The sooner the better.
The nurse weighed Ainsleigh and then led us to a different room than we’d been in last time. Vaguely, I remembered seeing a room similar to this the last time she was pregnant.
“Go ahead and get undressed from the waist down. There’s a gown in the restroom for you to put on while you wait for the ultrasound technician to come in,” the nurse said before she shut the door behind her.
“Why do you have to get undressed?” Holden asked.
“They can’t see the baby from the other type of ultrasound. They have to use a wand from inside of me to see him or her. I’m sorry, Holden. I should’ve thought about that before I invited you. If this makes you uncomfortable, you don’t have to stay,” Ainsleigh told him from the doorway of the restroom.
“No worries, sis. I’ll man up and handle it. I wouldn’t miss this for the world,” Holden told her with a smile as he sat down in one of the chairs across from the table.
Ainsleigh came out of the restroom and just as I helped her onto the table, a knock sounded at the door.
A woman in her late twenties walked in with a big smile on her face.
“Good afternoon, everyone. I’m Becca. I’ll be your ultrasound technician today. Are you ready to see a baby?” she asked as she turned on the monitor and grabbed the wand from a compartment on the side of the machine.
“We are,” I spoke when neither of them had taken the opportunity to reply.
“Alrighty then. Let’s get to it, shall we? Miss Courtright, scoot down and place your feet in the stirrups and we’ll get to see your little one,” the ultrasound technician instructed.
I stood at the side of the table as Ainsleigh got comfortable on the table, placing her feet in the stirrups. The nice woman placed a blanket over top of Ainsleigh’s legs and placed some gel on the wand before she began. When Ainsleigh winced from discomfort, I wanted to tell her to stop, but I refrained. We all stared anxiously at the screen as we waited. The nurse clicked on some buttons as she measured different things, and then my world stood still. She pointed to the screen and showed us our little baby.
“She’s as small as a little bean,” Holden said.
“She?” Ainsleigh questioned.
“One can only hope,” he responded.
“Well, he or she is measuring perfectly at nine weeks’ gestation,” Becca told us, and I felt an instant relief wash over me.
She clicked on some more buttons, and tears filled my eyes when the sound of the baby’s heartbeat filled the small space.
“Is that?” Holden questioned.
“That’s your niece or nephew’s heartbeat,” Ainsleigh told him.
“Nice and strong at one hundred and sixty-three beats per minute.”
Ainsleigh let out a sigh, and I looked up at her as a lone tear slipped down her cheek.
“It’s nice to see siblings partake in these,” Becca said as she printed off some pictures of the baby.
“I have two more at home. He needed to be here today,” Ainsleigh replied without going into too much detail.
“Thank you for allowing me to be here with you both. I’ll cherish that sound and this experience for the rest of my life,” Holden said as he stood.
“These are for you. I went ahead and printed off six. We shouldn’t, but I figured I couldn’t let your siblings go without one as well. There’s also an extra. I hope you all have a great rest of your day. You can go ahead and get changed. The nurse right down the hall will show you to the exam room so you can wait for the doctor.”
We all said goodbye as Becca left the room. I could hug that woman right now for giving us amazing news. We all needed to hear it, but Ainsleigh needed the words and confirmation the most. Her anxiety wouldn’t be completely gone until this little one was born, but at least for now, she could rest easy knowing our baby was safe and growing perfectly.
The rest of the appointment went well.
As we drove home, I looked over at Ainsleigh who was smiling from ear to ear as she stared at the picture of our baby.
I couldn’t wait to execute the plans I’d kept a secret from her and hopefully see a smile that huge when she found out what they were.