Pulling into a parking space at Ashley’s apartment complex, I sent her a quick message to let her know I’d arrived. Six weeks had passed since our night at the Cerf Blanc, and I had never been happier in my life. We were going to have our second ultrasound. The first had been exciting beyond belief, but it had revealed very little regarding the health of our baby. We could scarcely see its little heartbeat. It seemed to just be a mess of shapes in Ashley’s womb, as much as that thought made me chuckle.

When she stepped out of the complex, it was all I could do to keep from going starry-eyed. The mother of my future child was getting chunkier by the day, and though I knew she felt as if she were losing her sex appeal, I only grew more attracted to her. There was something about her carrying the life that would shape the rest of our lives in turn, something that sent me into a frenzy of passion.

Getting out of the car, I circled around to open the passenger door for her. She offered me an appreciative smile, and I was so overcome with love that I was helpless to do anything but kiss her. She moaned against my lips, a sound that could drive the strongest of men to the brink of madness. As much as I wanted to carry her back up to her apartment and make love to her, I knew the ultrasound was a more pressing issue for the time being.

I fastened her in once she got inside the car, though I knew it was a tossup as to whether she’d enjoy the spoiling or insist I was babying her. That day, she seemed all too receptive to my attention and affection, and I leaned in to press a kiss to her cheek before closing the car door and walking back around to the driver’s side. Getting inside, I gripped her hand where it rested on the center console, something that had become a habit for the two of us. She squeezed my hand, her own smaller hand resting on the broad expanse of her stomach.

“I’m getting so fat. I think I’m eating too much,” she whined, rubbing circles on her baby bump. As cute as I thought she was, I knew she had gained a good bit more than was normal for a pregnancy. I could only hope she wasn’t suffering from some gestational condition, one of many things that made the day’s ultrasound so important to me. I was eager to get a better look at our baby, but I wanted to be sure my princess was healthy as well.

“You’re perfect, my love,” I assured her, though I couldn’t dismiss her concerns altogether. I didn’t want to worry her, however, so I kept my concerns to myself.

We arrived at the ob-gyn’s office a few minutes later, and Ashley seemed somewhat nervous as I went to help her out of the car. She clung tightly to me as we walked across the parking lot, hesitating for a long moment before stepping through the door.

“Do you think everything will be okay?” she asked timidly.

While I wasn’t positive, I certainly liked to think everything would be just fine. I nodded, tightening my grip on her hand as we stepped into the office, where a plethora of couples lingered in the waiting area. I checked us in as Ashley settled in one of the armless chairs, apparently made to accommodate sizeable pregnant women.

The nurse made an attempt at idle chitchat with me, but as soon as I had checked us in, I dutifully returned to Ashley’s side. She shifted uncomfortably, looking from one couple to another. She was one of the larger women in the waiting area, though it was all in her stomach. I could tell she was flustered by the fixation that the other women seemed to have on us, so I spoke in hushed tones to distract her.

“I bet all of their husbands are jealous that I landed the best catch,” I murmured teasingly, giving her a little nudge in the side. She huffed, considering me from the corner of her eye with a small smile.

“I hardly think it’s the men who are jealous,” she replied a bit sourly. I rolled my eyes, leaning in to kiss her on the cheek.

“I’d be jealous, if I were them. Just look at you, my princess. You’re absolutely radiant,” I whispered, pleased with the embarrassed little smile I was rewarded with.

I settled in my seat while all of the other couples were called back in turn. My poor Ashley only seemed to grow more anxious as we waited, and I could only hope they would call us back soon enough. I could have likely bribed the ultrasound technician into seeing us first. I had even suggested it as an option to Ashley. She had quickly shot that idea down, however.

“They’re probably just as nervous as we are,” she muttered, smiling at another woman as she stepped through the door that led to the back examination rooms. The woman returned the smile absently, but it was clear her eyes were on me. Ashley and the woman’s husband simultaneously uttered bitter sighs, but I wrapped an arm around my lover to comfort her.

“We should be next at the very least,” I whispered, pressing a kiss to her earlobe.

She shivered, shooting me a glance that was likely intended as a warning, but I only smiled cockily, reaching down to pinch her rear. She jolted upright, unable to swallow a soft giggle as she settled back down against my side.

“You’re so naughty,” she said with a grin.

“Guilty as charged,” I agreed, glancing up as our names were called.

Any ounce of confidence she had been able to muster seemed to evaporate as Ashley rose to her shaky feet, clutching my arm as we were led back to one of the ultrasound-equipped rooms. The technician was kind, offering us a reassuring smile as she provided Ashley with a gown to change into.

We were allowed a bit of privacy as my princess changed into the gown, pouting as her stomach poked out from the opening in the front. I smiled, reaching out to rub her stomach. She batted at my hands, flopping melodramatically onto the examination table.

“I’m nervous,” she said quietly, and I felt my heart ache at the fear in her voice. She wiggled in her seat, obviously agitated as she waited for the technician to return.

“Don’t work yourself into a tizzy, that will only make you feel worse,” I said firmly, and Ashley looked as if she might argue. Fortunately, our ultrasound technician chose that moment to step back into the room. If she sensed any tension, she gave no indication either way. She simply began to rub the gel on Ashley’s stomach, making sure to apply an ample amount.

“Are you two excited? First time parents, right?” she asked idly, absently trying to make conversation as she prepared the machine. Ashley nodded, seeming not to trust her voice.

“We’re absolutely thrilled. We just want to make sure everything is progressing as it should,” I replied, bringing my lover’s hand to my lips. I kissed her knuckles gently, releasing her when it seemed she wanted nothing more than to anxiously clench her fists.

“Just relax, honey. Everyone panics a bit at this point during their pregnancy, especially if it’s your first time,” the technician assured Ashley as she grabbed the wand and began to probe her stomach, watching the screen with a pensive expression.

“I wasn’t so nervous with the first ultrasound, but I just have a bad feeling this time,” Ashley said shyly. She grunted as the probe seemed to touch a particularly sensitive area, and I glanced toward the ultrasound screen.

“Well, here’s number one,” the technician announced, shifting the wand so we could get a better look at our child. Her words didn’t truly strike me initially. “Now for the others,” she continued, shifting the wand to the side a bit.

Sure enough, there was another tiny body forming inside Ashley. My eyes widened, and I turned to her with a wary expression. Her lip was drawn between her teeth, clamped down so tightly that it appeared that she might draw blood.

“Is it healthy?” Ashley implored, not seeming to have caught onto the ultrasound technician’s references to multiple fetuses.

“Oh, yeah. Healthy as a horse. All four of them look like they’re going to be perfectly fine. It’s the first time we’ve seen quadruplets in this office, so I have to say I’m quite honored to be the one doing this,” the technician continued conversationally.

As the woman finished up the ultrasound, she offered Ashley something to wipe the gel off with. My poor princess looked entirely tuckered out, though the panic I may have expected was completely absent. I could only wonder if she had actually listened to anything the technician had said.

When the technician left the room, I rose from my seat and looked at the image she had left up on the screen. Suddenly, the inexplicable mass of shapes in Ashley’s womb seemed to make all too much sense.

Now it was just a matter of breaking the news to the mother-to-be.