Chapter 17 #2
Once we were in the back area, she led us to a small room with an exam table, a chair for him to sit, a computer, and more doctor shit. My heart was beating out of my chest by then. Holy shit, this was all so damn real.
“Breathe, Muffs. You’re over there overprocessing and I can see it in your eyes. Our shit has been pinballing through this damn room since we came in.” Indiri’s voice interrupted my thought rampage, making me look at him. Well, maybe I mugged him.
“Call me anything but that.”
“Nah. I shortened it, be grateful ’bout that.”
I sucked my teeth.
About thirty seconds later the nurse reentered with a cup in her hand. “Alright Ms. Murray, I wanna get your weight right out here in the hall, then I’m gonna need a urine sample. The bathroom is right behind us.”
I nodded then set my purse down. Then while Indiri sat his big, comfortable ass in the chair, now staring at his phone, I went out to be weighed.
After she finished telling me I had gained a whole five pounds, she gave me the cup and I went to the washroom.
She said to leave it on the counter right outside the door.
All of that happened fairly quickly since I’d had to pee since I’d first gotten here.
When I returned to the room, Indiri was still in the same space I’d left him in, watching what I assumed to be his training video from this morning. That was the only thing he watched this close.
The nurse returned a little bit after that, informing me that they also needed to do bloodwork, which I half expected.
The entire time she took my blood and asked about my menstruation, I felt Indiri’s eyes.
When she was finished, we were left alone again, with her promising the doctor would be in soon.
“I love you, Muffs,” he said out of nowhere.
This was new for both of us, all of it, but something about him telling me he loved me was reassuring. Knowing him, that was what he’d meant to do.
“I love you too.”
Shortly after we settled into a comfortable silence, the doctor entered the room. A petite, brown skinned woman with a curly updo and piercing eyes. She smiled as soon as we locked eyes.
“Good afternoon. I’m Dr. Williams and I’ll be taking care of you. What brings you in today, Selah?” She took a seat on the stool.
“I’m pregnant,” I said for the second time since I’d found out.
The first time was to Indiri that night and this time to a doctor who already had my urine and blood.
Shit, she knew that too, unless I was supposed to answer something else.
I immediately looked at Indiri who was already looking at me.
She chuckled. “That we know. Both your blood and urine tests came back with a positive result. Now I’m wondering how you’re feeling. Do you have any concerns or anything you want to talk to me about? If not, let’s do some estimation and possibly an early ultrasound.”
“Nothing that I know. Just extremely tired and hungry all of a sudden.”
Her smile grew. “That is completely normal. Our next stop will be the ultrasound, and based on your last listed menstrual, you may be far enough along for one. Are you ready for that?” She was on her feet in seconds, tapping away on the computer.
Again, I looked over at Indiri.
He nodded.
“Yes. I am.”
“Okay, give us just a second and we’ll be ready. Can you undress and put this on for me?” She pulled a gown out of the drawer. Once I had it in hand, she excused herself, leaving just Indiri and me.
“You want this baby with me, Muffs?”
I shook my head. “Yes. It’s just different. It feels like it’s gonna take a while to get used to.”
“Aight. You need help getting undressed or am I enjoying a free strip tease?”
“Nah. Get on outta here, champ.”
“You’re shitting me. Now go ahead and get this shit started before I need some theme music, baby mama.”
“Shut up.” I tossed my shirt at him and he caught it.
“Damn you smell good,” he complimented.
Once I was fully undressed, I put the gown on. I was about to fold my clothes but when I went to do so they were in his lap already folded.
“Worst fucking tease ever. What do you wanna do after this? I’m yours until about eight.”
I laughed. “I’m actually hungry. I want a really good burger.”
“Course you do. You boutta start having to eat with Jordyn.”
I laughed hard as hell. Even though he was joking, he was lowkey serious. No matter how disciplined he was, he loved food. I was about to respond but there was a knock at the door.
The doctor entered with a nurse wheeling a machine and once again I had butterflies in my belly. Indiri must have seen it because he was at my side holding my hand with the quickness.
From the moment his hand interlocked with mine, everything moved fast. It felt like the moment I blinked, we met the most innocent form of our baby, his or her heartbeat.
The doctor then confirmed I was about eight weeks along and gave us a late summer delivery estimate.
I could barely hear her over the sound of his or her heartbeat filling the room.
It was the most melodic tone I had ever heard, proof that we’d created a life…
a life I wanted to protect from everything going on more than anything.
After we left the doctor’s appointment, I got my burger then we did an impromptu stop by my mother and grandmother’s house.
It was time I told them, seeing as how Siyah had been hounding me.
When I showed my mother the sonogram, she jumped up and down, rejoicing and doing the cabbage patch for about ten minutes straight while my grandmother seemingly already knew.
Long story short, they were happy and so was I.
With Indiri, I actually saw a future I didn’t have to romanticize. I saw us.