Twenty Weeks And Counting

[MELANIE WHITFIELD]

Melanie was still in the throes of wedded bliss. It had been six months since she’d changed her name to Melanie Whitfield, but she still adored the novelty of signing it. She smiled as she printed it now, signing herself into the OB/GYN. “The nurse will come get you in a few minutes.” The receptionist had a sweet smile, one that Melanie returned warmly before giving a soft, “Thank you.” She instinctively rested her hand on her growing belly as she turned away from the window and walked back to Kevin. Taking her seat next to him, her hand slipped easily into his. It had been a whirlwind of good news the last few months. River turned one, Bran and Jo got married, she and Kevin got married, Jo announced she was pregnant with their second, and Melanie discovered just over a month later that she was expecting again.

She was much more nervous this time, her excitement abated with the memory of her last pregnancy. Kevin was such a blessing for all of his encouragement. He always reminded her they would take it one step at a time. So they did. After three months, they felt safe enough to announce the pregnancy. Bran and Jo couldn’t have been happier for them and it was the same for all of their friends. Jo was excited to have a pregnancy buddy and Melanie was happy to have a sister-in-law who had already been through one pregnancy and would hold her hand through the months. Every day she woke up hoping she would get through the next with her baby safely intact. And every check-up Dr. Shorter assured her the baby was perfectly healthy. Her belly grew and she found herself amazed at how fast it all felt! She caught herself staring in the mirror, rubbing her belly and praying silently that it would continue to grow. Perhaps that was strange since most women were so concerned with their figures, but Melanie loved the changes she was experiencing. It was everything she had hoped for with her first baby when all of those hopes were crushed.

The cravings she could do without, though. They were strong these days. Sometimes she craved broccoli and Cheddar cheese, sometimes it was bananas and salt and vinegar chips, but she absolutely couldn’t resist chocolate. She couldn’t leave the grocery store without a chocolate bar of some sort. Poor Kevin also had to deal with how emotional she was too. A Budweiser commercial featuring a cute puppy and a horse during the Super Bowl made her cry, as did a commercial about domestic violence. If she saw the ASPCA commercials come on TV, she had to change the channel or leave the room to keep the waterworks from starting. She cried when she was happy and she cried when she was sad. Thank goodness Kevin loved her as much as he did to put up with it all!

Her strongest emotion now was curiosity, though. Today they were at her twenty week appointment—it was time to find out the sex of their baby. She was curious, excited, and nervous, but more curious than anything else. Squeezing Kevin’s hand gently, she turned to him with a smile. “I think it’s a girl.” Her voice was soft in the quiet waiting room so she wouldn’t disturb the others there, but her eyes were bright with excitement. The smile she wore was wide and happy, wondering what Kevin would think if they did have a girl. She was sure he would adore it either way.

[KEVIN WHITFIELD]

Life was far different for Kevin now than it had been two years ago. Two years ago he was in a low paying job, breaking his back daily just to make ends meet as he supported himself and his sister. Everything changed when he met Melanie. Now he was at a good job making decent pay, married to the most beautiful woman he'd ever known, living in a nice house with a child on the way. Life wasn't perfect. His job, though good, was sometimes high pressure, but he did his best. Mentally, he wasn't completely ready to be a father, but he wasn't entirely sure anyone ever was. Things would be different when his baby was here, with him, in his arms. He knew what kind of parent he wanted to be; he'd had plenty of experience being parented, and knew all the things he didn't want to do, which was a long list and a good start. Besides, he had the best partner in the world by his side. He knew as long as he had Melanie, he had the world. He would e just fine.

He sat anxiously in the waiting room as Melanie signed herself in. There were three other people, none men, one so pregnant he was sure she might go into labor if she sneezed. This was the second time he'd been there, and he couldn't wait to see his son, or daughter, again. Last time the baby had been no larger than a kidney bean, and didn't look much different in the picture they had on their refrigerator. Bean; that's what he called it. It was nicer than referring to it as just "it" anyway.

Melanie made her way back over and he smiled at her as she took her seat. He was excited for the baby, but nervous for Melanie. If they lost this one too.. Kevin knew he'd be okay. They would try again and for him it meant a set back. Sure, he loved this baby already, but he wasn't carrying it. It wasn't a part of him, and though he would be devastated he feared what it would do for Mel. It had been so hard on her that first time, and he worried about her mental health. It had taken months for her to be completely normal again, her typical self. When she found out she was pregnant, he'd never seen someone so happy and afraid at the same time. They didn't talk about the what ifs at first, but he knew it was on her mind constantly. It was on his too, and when they hit 12 weeks they both seemed more relieved. The chances of Bean coming to full term were much higher after that point, but they weren't in the clear until they held their baby in their arms.

“I think it’s a girl.” Kevin's hand squeezed his wife's in return, smiling back. "I think it's an eggplant." He teased back gently, laughing softly at the gentle way she shoved his arm, the playful dirty look on her face. "Whatever it is, it's ours." He shook his head and sighed. "Would you believe me if I said I don't really care what it is?" It was true. Kevin would like a son for all the reasons men typically want sons, but having been so close with his sister growing up, he was more than content with the idea of a daughter. Besides, there was no reason they couldn't get her a pink tool belt so she could help him around the house. Why couldn't she have a tree house like his son would? There wasn't much he couldn't do with a daughter that he could with a son, except pee against the same tree in the woods. Unfortunately, that probably would never happen if he had a daughter.

"But if you're right she better be ugly, because if she looks anything like you I'm in serious trouble in about thirteen years."

[MELANIE WHITFIELD]

Kevin’s hand closed more tightly around hers, drawing a wider smile from Melanie. “I think it’s an eggplant.” She tried to make her smile disappear, but she couldn’t even though she pushed his arm gently at his bad joke. Their baby was not an eggplant! “Whatever it is, it’s ours.” That warmed Melanie to her core. He was right—this baby was the sum of their love for each other. It was definitely theirs. Sighing and shaking his head, Kevin continued. “Would you believe me if I said I don’t really care what it is?” She loved him so much. “Yeah, I would believe that.” Her reply was soft and her eyes warm as they gazed at her husband’s handsome face. He was such a loving man, she knew he would bestow equal love on a son or a daughter. Could she have found anyone else so sweet?

“But if you’re right she better be ugly, because if she looks anything like you I’m in serious trouble in about thirteen years.” She giggled softly, bumping his arm with her own playfully. “Unfortunately, I don’t think it’s possible for her to be ugly. With beautiful parents such as ourselves, how could she be anything but beautiful too?” Her grin was playful before she leaned in and planting a quick peck on his cheek. She didn’t care about the others in the room. The only thing that mattered was the man holding her hand and the baby in her belly. “You’ll just have to get a shotgun.” She nodded her head matter-of-factly as if this was the most obvious solution in the world. His grave response made her giggle.

“Mrs. Whitfield?” Melanie turned her head to see the nurse in the doorway scanning the sparse crowd. She smiled and released her husband’s hand so she could get to her feet. The nurse gave a big smile in return, asking her to follow along to her room. On the way she asked Melanie several conversational questions about whether she was excited to find out the sex and if she’d thought about a baby shower. Melanie responded enthusiastically, Kevin’s hand in hers as they made their way back to the exam room. Inside the nurse took her blood pressure and her weight, asking her a few simple questions before leaving and assuring the doctor would be in shortly. Melanie changed into the gown given to her, teasing Kevin for watching her change. Sure enough, the doctor was there within a couple minutes, just as Melanie finished tying her gown, a big smile on her sweet, aging face. “How are you today, Melanie?” “Just fine, Dr. Shorter.” This launched a series of questions to assess any oddities in her pregnancy. Thankfully, there wasn’t anything to report. “Alright then, Melanie. Time to find out what you’re growing in there!” Melanie gave a sweet smile while exhaling a soft breath. This was it! She laid back in the chair and put her feet in the stirrups. Dr. Shorter was used to Kevin being at the appointments and she smiled at him. “Do you mind getting the light for me, dear?” she asked before getting her tools in place. It was never completely comfortable for Melanie, but she was too excited today to care about her comfort. She just wanted to know what her baby was!

[KEVIN WHITFIELD]

“Unfortunately, I don’t think it’s possible for her to be ugly. With beautiful parents such as ourselves, how could she be anything but beautiful too?” To anyone around them they might have sounded conceded, but Kevin knew her words were meant playfully and a warm grin spread over his lips as hers came to his cheek.  Kevin didn't think he was the most attractive person in the world, but he knew Mel was beautiful and he thought his own twin sister was attractive, as far as sisters went anyway.  The kid came from decent stock, but he secretly hoped it was a boy only so he wouldn't have to deal with boys later on down the road.  “You’ll just have to get a shotgun.” He gave a short, silent laugh through his nose, looking down at her, shaking his head.  "And a chastity belt."

“Mrs. Whitfield?” He looked up at the same time his wife did, his heart thumping hard in his chest.  This was it; moment of truth.  He pushed himself out of the chair and followed his wife through the door to the back, taking slow, deep breaths as he reached for her hand.  It would be nice to know what was in there so he could simply stop calling the baby "it".  He remained silent as the nurse played twenty questions, looking at the art on the walls as they passed; tasteful photographs of flowers and seashores, closeups of a baby's feet and another of a young child kissing a very pregnant belly.  He could tell he was definitely at a doctor's office for women.

He sat down in the chair silently as Melanie chatted happily, watching as her blood pressure was taken before looking at all the machines in the room.  There was a monitor to the side which he knew would be for her ultrasound.  He recognized the heart monitor and all of the instruments.  The nurse left quickly after she finished measuring Mel and he was alone with her once more, offering an anxious smile as she started stripping.  His eyes never left her, not thinking to look away now when she undressed.  He liked watching her undress..  When she teased him for it he simply rolled his shoulders and chuckled a bit.  "What, I'm a guy, and you're hot." He reasoned, which was true.  Plus, he'd married her, and therefor he was allowed to look, unless she insisted otherwise which of course she didn't.  He found her body more interesting these days as her once flat stomach began to protrude in front of her.  It felt strange to find her sexy in that state, but he did.  Maybe not sexy in the typical way, but in a new way.  She was carrying his child, she was making a huge sacrifice to herself for both of them, which was an attractive quality that only women had, and he appreciated it now that he was an adult.

No sooner had he finished speaking the door opened and a woman came in, his mouth slipping more permanently shut now that someone else was there.  His shyness had failed to leave him as he got older and still often found himself to be a man of little words.  When the woman finally addressed him he shook his head, getting awkwardly to his feet to snap the light switch.  He sat down again quickly, turning to the monitor as the woman began spreading the warm gel on Melanie's stomach, the sounds it made coming out of the tube reminding him oddly of a ketchup bottle.  Soft, dim lights loomed overhead, refusing to leave them in darkness as the ultrasound wand was placed on Mel's stomach.  His gaze moved to Mel's face, catching her eye as she offered a smile that seemed both excited and nervous as the technician did her job.  She was silent as she stared at the screen, typing and moving the mouse with one hand while the other moved on Melanie's stomach.  Silently, the young parents watched as their baby came in and out of focus on the grainy black and white screen, measurements being taken and documented.  "Baby's measuring at twenty two weeks." His brow furrowed and he cleared his throat.  Melanie was only twenty weeks, though.. "Is that good?" The tech laughed and nodded.  "Yes, it just means the baby's growing well.  Sometimes they measure a little big or small."  He sighed, relieved with the answer.  A big, healthy baby was a good thing, and the fact she went through her measurements quickly without needing to double check anything told him he needn't worry.  

The woman pulled the image out, turning her wand and soon Kevin saw the profile of a baby, hands clearly waving around and he couldn't help the smile on his face.  "Looks like baby's awake." The woman typed across the screen Hi mom and dad! before the printer went off, glad they would have something to bring home and hang on the fridge.  "Alright, let's see if baby will cooperate and unfold its legs so we can take a little peek..." She announced, zooming in and lowering the wand over Mel's body.  The moment of truth...