Epilogue

I winced as the tech squirted some cold jelly like substance onto my swollen stomach. The instrument she held rolled the blue jelly around and around in circles, pressing here and there while she closely watched the monitor. Every few seconds the tech would pause as she took measurements or printed out a picture.

Quinn and I peered at the fuzzy black and white screen and tried to figure out what we were supposed to see or recognize. Right now everything just looked like a big old blob adrift on a sea of grey static. The tech’s silence had me a little worried. Quinn squeezed my hand in reassurance.

Finally, Gretchen, the ultrasound tech asked the million dollar question, “Are we ready to find out the sex today?”

Six weeks later after our dream honeymoon, we’d discovered that we were expecting a baby. A honeymoon baby as my mother called it. We were at my sixteen week appointment to find out how the baby was doing. And hopefully find out if we were having a boy or girl.

I knew that Quinn secretly wanted a boy. I’d caught him looking through baby magazines, gazing at the football themed baby nurseries and pointing out little outfits with cool sayings on them like LADIES I’VE ARRIVED with a bow tie applique or PARTY AT MY CRIB 2AM.

Well, I couldn’t be too hard on Quinn. I had been sneaking glances at pink frilly things and posting ideas on Pinterest for my dream nursery in colors of pink, mint, and soft yellows. However, the old saying is true. We would be happy with a healthy baby of either sex.

With excitement in his eyes, Quinn looked at me for approval. We’d talked in advance about whether or not we wanted to know the sex of our baby and spoil the delivery day surprise. Quinn thought it was a good idea to know so we could be prepared and I couldn’t agree more. I had over a hundred nursery ideas pinned on my page and I needed to narrow them down pronto.

“Yes, we want to know!” I answered quickly before I could change my mind.

“Okay, let’s take a quick peek and see if we can tell with any level of certainty. Then I’ll do the rest of my measurements.” She scrolled the instrument around some more, pressing lightly on my belly.

We kept our eyes glued to the screen. Suddenly, everything came into focus and we could finally see the image of our baby. Or our little peanut, as we like to call the little one. It squirmed around in my belly, little legs kicking and arms flailing about. Heartbeat pounding. I couldn’t keep my eyes off the screen. To see the little life that Quinn and I created together made my eyes swell up with tears. I couldn’t believe I was actually carrying our first child in my belly.

“If I can just get a better look…” Gretchen pushed a couple of buttons and peered at the screen. “Ok…mmmhmm, well this little one won’t stop squirming to give me a better look.”

Butterflies swarmed my stomach from the anticipation. Quinn blew out a breath as the three of us continued to stare at the monitor, willing the baby to untangle its legs so we could get a better look.

“Roll on your side, kinda rocking back and forth. Let’s see if that helps position the baby so we can see between the legs,” Gretchen recommended.

Quinn held my back and shoulder as I squirmed around on the table hoping this maneuver would work. ‘Come on little peanut, cooperate with your mama so we can see you,” he encouraged.

A couple more swirls of the instrument and Gretchen finally yelped. “We got it!”

Quinn and I looked at each other and smiled. This was it. Our lives would be changed forever.

Gretchen pointed to a spot on the screen. “Well, congratulations mom and dad. You’re having a girl.”

Quinn kissed me on the lips, and the joy that squeezed my heart muscle couldn’t be articulated. I was going to have a daughter. A little sweet girl that I would smother with affection each and every day. A daughter.

“A little girl,” he whispered in my ear. “We’re having a girl. She’s going to look just like her beautiful momma.”

“I want us to name her Ellie,” I said. I had given this a lot of thought over the past few weeks. Ellie. Nanna’s name. I knew that she’d meant the world to Quinn and he was still racked with guilt over her passing. I knew he was having a hard time forgiving himself for the accident and I hoped this small gesture would help. A beautiful new life to pay homage to the one we’d lost. A tear rolled down his face as he smiled.

“It’s the perfect name,” he agreed.

Gretchen printed a few photos of the ultrasound and handed them to us. “She looks healthy, guys. We’re still on track for a spring baby. Possibly Easter. If you want to get dressed I’ll send Doctor Jennings in to talk to you and confirm the due date.”

“Our dreams have come true,” I said as the tech shut the door to give us privacy. Quinn helped me off the table and I slipped out the hospital gown and into my clothes. “We’re having our own little family.”

“Thank you,” he whispered into my ear as he held me in his arms.

“For what?”

“For giving me a daughter. For loving me. For naming her after Nanna. I couldn’t ask for a better partner, a better wife. I love you so much.”

I pulled Quinn in tightly and pressed my lips against his. “Words are inadequate to fully express the joy I’m feeling right now. You. Our daughter. I’m so happy I found love twice with the same man. Thank God for second chances, Quinn Andrews.”

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Sinker by Colleen Charles ©2017 All Rights Reserved

Wasted Love by Colleen Charles ©2016 All Rights Reserved

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual events, locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Colleen Charles loves reading and writing stories that entertain and sweep the reader away from their everyday life.