Chapter 26 #2
“No. No birth control. Because I thought…”
Ben stands up next to the table and puts his arm around me for a squeeze.
“She thought it wasn’t even a possibility. Like, she didn’t even want to take a test because ‘she knew’ it would be negative. I tried to tell her about my super swimmers. She didn’t believe me.”
I have a feeling Ben will be talking about his sperm for the rest of his life. This poor, innocent baby is going to know that the sperm that created them faced a lot of adversity in their quest to find the egg.
My doctor continues. “I know exactly how your thought process worked, Cassie. Don’t worry about it.
And although ‘super swimmer’ isn’t the exact medical terminology, Ben is right that some men have better motility, so that is probably part of the explanation here.
What's important is that we get your prenatal care started right away, since your baby’s measurement is already around twelve weeks.
You're just about out of the first trimester already.”
I look at Ben, and his jaw drops. Finally, an appropriate reaction from this guy! We are both doing mental math when my doctor says, “The date of conception would be right around the first week of July. We measure from the last period, so that is how you get to twelve weeks.”
Ben and I stare at each other, saying nothing.
“Does that make sense?’ Doctor Hunk inquires.
I nod my head. “Yes. That was the first time we slept together.”
Ben groans. “Of course, that would be the time I got you pregnant. Our child is off to a bad start from conception. Hopefully it’s not a boy, or he will be genetically predisposed to performance issues.”
“Ben, can we re-focus here?” I ask, pointing to the doctor.
Doctor Hunk just shrugs and says, “I hear weird things all the time. You can’t scare me. So, I take it this is a newer relationship?”
Ben chimes in. “Yes. We’ve known each other for a while. We are neighbors. We didn’t become romantically involved until recently. In other words, my luck finally turned around. It’s too soon to tell if it’s a boy or girl, right?”
“You're correct. We’ll have you come back for another ultrasound in about a month, and they should be able to tell you at that time, if you decide you want to know.”
I’m still reeling from actually being pregnant, so I have no idea if I want to know. Ben replies to the doctor and says, “It’s up to Cassie. I found out with my girls, but I’m open to whatever.”
The doctor turns to Ben and asks, “You already have children, then?”
“Yes.” Ben’s grin turns huge, beaming like he always does when he talks about his girls. “I have three girls: 14, 10, and 4. Their mom passed away shortly after the youngest was born.”
Doctor Hunk nods his head once and says, “I’m sorry to hear that.”
“Thanks,” Ben replies. “I’m just so happy for Cassie because she wanted this so badly. I know the circumstances aren’t ideal, and it’s a fast jump ahead in our relationship. I keep telling her we will figure it out together, no matter what happens.”
Doctor Hunk then turns to me and says, “It sounds like you got a surprise pregnancy with a good guy. I’ll get your next appointment set up. I have a folder here with all of the prenatal information you need, suggestions for vitamins, and things to avoid.”
This triggers a gasp to escape from my mouth. Since I had no idea how far along I was, it didn’t even occur to me to panic about what I had been eating and drinking.
“Oh, no. I definitely drank while I was pregnant. Is the baby going to be okay?”
“How much did you drink?”
“Probably a glass of wine or two, several days per week. I haven’t had a drink since I found out, and not for a couple of weeks before that because I was feeling so nauseous, nothing sounded good.”
“You’re just fine, then. Almost all pregnant women have consumed things they wouldn’t have had they known. Just abstain from any alcohol now and get started on your prenatal vitamins. I have zero concerns about it. Dad, any questions from you?”
“Is there something you can do to help Cassie with her nausea? She has barely been able to eat.”
He nods and says, “Yes, there are several things you can do, but most women start feeling better in the second trimester. Do you want to try something now or wait a week or two and see if things improve?”
“I want to wait. I don’t want to take anything if I don’t have to.”
“It’s perfectly safe, but I respect that decision. If you change your mind, just call the office, and we can send something in for you. Anything else?”
Ben and I look at each other, and both shake our heads no.
“All right, then,” he continues. “We’ll see you back next month, and don’t be afraid to call if something changes or questions come up. Congratulations to you two. This surprise really made my day.”
After the doctor walks out of the office, Ben pulls me into a hug so big that my feet come off the floor. “How are you feeling now?”
I nuzzle into his neck and whisper in his ear, “Relieved. And really, really happy.”
Next step, I need to tell Cora. I call her to see what she is doing, and I find out she has the day off.
I let her know I’m stopping by. If she thinks this is unusual, she doesn’t let on.
I ask Ben to take me there and act as my bodyguard, which he laughs off as not being a serious request, but he hasn’t met Cora yet.
Ben and I walk up the stairs to Cora’s apartment.
He offered to stay in the car or come with, whichever would be easier.
I figure he is going to be Cora’s niece or nephew’s dad, so she might as well meet him.
Cora knows about Ben. She knows pretty much everything we have done together, and that he has kids.
The pregnancy is the only detail I have left out.
When Cora opens the door, I observe a brief moment of surprise cross her face when she sees Ben. She covers it quickly.
“Hey. I didn’t know you were bringing your manfriend with you,” Cora says as she reaches out her hand to shake Ben’s hand. “Good to meet you. Cassie has told me a lot about you,” she says with a perverted eyebrow wiggle.
“I hope she has kept it to mostly good things,” Ben replies.
Not one to ignore a situation to make a man sweat, she responds, “Mostly.”
We head to her living room and sit down. Cora is not much of a hostess, so she just stares at us. Had it been just me, things would have been more natural, but now I’m second-guessing my decision to bring Ben with me.
“So…do you have an announcement? I’m unsure of why else we would be having a formal meeting like this?”
I take a deep breath, and on the exhale, I do the only thing I can think of to do. I blurt out, “I’m pregnant and Ben’s the father.”
Cora’s eyes and mouth gape wide open like a cartoon character. “You…what?”
“Pregnant. Ben’s baby. I’m 12 weeks pregnant. We just came from the doctor.”
She stares at us silently, mouth wide open, looking back and forth between us for what feels like a century. Finally, she says, “I didn’t even think you had been sleeping with him for 12 weeks.”
“Yeah, the doctor math is kind of complicated.”
“I can’t believe this. After everything you have been told. What, do you have some type of superpowers?” she asks, looking at Ben.
“Well, actually...” he chimes in, with a grin on his face.
I cut him off before he started talking because I know exactly where he is headed. “I can fill you in on all of the details, but I just couldn’t keep this from you anymore.”
“Are you okay, and is the baby okay?” Cora asks.
This question causes me to break down in tears.
I am sobbing and nodding. “We’re both okay.
I just never thought this would happen, you know.
I’ve always wanted this and never thought it would happen for me.
I feel so lucky. I feel so overwhelmed. Then, I feel guilty for having anything but positive feelings because I should just be grateful.
I can’t believe I get to have a chance at being a mom. ”
Cora snuggles up to my side and says, “It’s what you’ve always wanted, and maybe this happened exactly how it was supposed to.”
I nod and sniffle back my tears.
“Do you think Mom and Dad are going to be mad at me?” I ask.
“Cass, you're super old. Who cares?”
I laugh and shove her. She’s right. I am super old, and maybe this is exactly how things were supposed to happen. Had I wound up with Ben long term, we got engaged, we got married, and then tried to have kids, it might have been too late.
We spent another hour at her apartment chatting with her, catching her up on all the details. She and Ben basically have the same personality, so they are best buds by the end of the conversation—a far cry from how she has felt about my past significant others.
As we’re leaving, Cora says, “Thanks for sticking it to my sister with such reckless abandon. Even if things don’t work out long term with you guys, she’s the best person I know and will make a great baby mama for you to pay child support to.”
I cringe, and Ben laughs.
As Ben walks out the door, Cora grabs me and whispers in my ear, “I think everything is going to work out. I can tell he’s going to do everything in his power to keep you.”
As we drive back, I start making a mental list of all the things I need to do and people I need to tell. As far as Widow Jenkins is concerned, I will be denying I’m pregnant until a baby falls out of my ass.