Chapter 29
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Nellie
Waiting for the results of the DNA test and the date of my ultrasound seemed to take forever. Work kept me busy, especially after the snowstorm. We had so many calls and emails to return after the snow day.
Then there was Noah. He’d insisted on taking me out on a few dates.
We went to the author signing with Atticus Connelly—which had been one of the most interesting town events I’d witnessed yet, especially with the stand-off between Betty and Atticus.
I’d started to feel a little hopeful that the Hartley sisters had lost interest in my and Noah’s relationship, but that proved to be false when I ran into them at the grocery store.
They had all kinds of questions for me about Noah, although they didn’t drop any more comments about babies or gene pools, so I considered that a win. I was showing more and more every day, and thankful for the layers winter required I wear to stay warm.
I’d managed to avoid attention so far, but I could tell Charlotte was growing suspicious of me. She hadn’t outright asked me any intrusive questions, but she seemed to study me closely when she thought I wasn’t paying attention, as if looking for answers in my behaviour or movements.
But finally, the day for my appointments arrived. I’d given Damien plenty of notice that I’d be out for the entire day, so Charlotte was covering for me. I had the ultrasound appointment in the morning, followed by my afternoon appointment with Dr. Kramer.
At first, I hadn’t been sure if I should invite Noah or not, but Sage and Tabitha worked their magic and convinced me that I should ask him. So, I’d told Noah that he was welcome to join if he could get away for the day, and he’d assured me he could.
I was finishing putting on my mascara when a knock sounded at my door, alerting me to his arrival.
“You’re a little early,” I told him when I opened the door for him and stepped aside.
“Sorry, I’m excited to see you,” he said as he stepped inside, not looking very sorry at all. He pressed a kiss to my temple. “I can wait, if you’re not finished getting ready?”
“I need to brush my teeth, then we can go,” I said, trying to ignore the way my heart raced in my chest at the sight of him.
Noah nodded, shoving his hands into his coat pocket, and waiting by the front door while I went back to the bathroom to finish getting ready. Once my teeth were brushed and lip balm applied, because winter sucked all the moisture out of my lips the moment I set foot outside, I was ready to go.
I tried not to be silent on the drive to Springwood, but I couldn’t help the way my mind was whirling.
I’d had an ultrasound during my first trimester, but the baby was the size of a bean then. This time, the baby would be more baby-like, and they’d be able to determine what gender it was.
I’d decided I wanted to know. I figured it’d make telling my parents about the baby easier. Telling them they’d be having a grandson or a granddaughter in a few months’ time might warm them to the idea. I knew, regardless, they’d likely start questioning all my life choices.
I wanted to know for me, too, and a large part of me was curious to see if Noah was right.
“So, did you want to come in during the ultrasound?” I asked him when we’d almost arrived at the hospital. He glanced at me, his eyes widening with surprise. “I mean, you don’t have to if you don’t want to.”
“No, I want to. I do, I figured you’d want me to keep my distance ‘til after you got the results.” Noah seemed hesitant, as if he was afraid to trust that I wanted him there.
“I want you there if you want to be there,” I said. “I mean, I want to see your face when you’re told you’re wrong and it’s a boy,” I added with a teasing smile, trying to lighten the mood with him.
“Wanna bet?”
“What kind of bet?” I asked, intrigued.
Noah paused for a moment, as if thinking.
“If the baby’s a girl, you crash at my house this weekend, in my bed,” he finally said.
“And if it’s a boy?” I asked.
“I crash at your place tonight, in your bed.”
“Seems like you win in either scenario.”
“Well, that’s because I do win in either scenario.” Noah’s declaration and the look he sent me made me swoon, and the baby started wiggling about as if dancing in agreement.
“Fine,” I said, fighting the urge to melt into a puddle at his feet.
After we found parking in the hospital lot closest to the ultrasound department, we went up. We’d arrived twenty minutes before my appointment time, and things seemed to be moving on schedule.
“Ellen Banks?” The ultrasound technician called my name, and I stood up.
“It’s Nellie,” I corrected her automatically, and she gave me a warm smile.
“My apologies, Nellie. I’m Allison, and I’ll be your ultrasound technician today. If Dad wants to come in, he’s welcome to,” she added, spotting Noah beside me.
I didn’t bother to correct her on Noah’s status as the maybe-father, especially not when I noticed the spark in Noah’s eyes and the soft tilt of his lips as he smiled, as if he liked being referred to as Dad.
It warmed my heart. His words resurfacing again, that it didn’t matter to him either way—that he already considered this baby his.
The look in his eyes made me realize that he wasn’t telling me lines he thought I wanted to hear, he meant those words wholeheartedly.
Noah stood, and we followed the ultrasound technician into a room. There was a chair at the end of the bed, which he sat in, his eyes taking in the ultrasound equipment with a nervous interest.
“Please get comfortable, this scan is a little longer than the first ultrasound you had,” Allison smiled, waiting while I climbed up on the table and rolled down my sweats.
“This might be a little cold,” she added, smearing the cold ultrasound gel against my stomach.
I tried not to flinch, but it really was cold.
Noah’s fingers tapped restlessly against the chair’s armrest as Allison got everything prepared for the ultrasound. Once she was ready, she brought the ultrasound wand to my belly, pressing it in.
The wand moved against my womb for a moment, then Allison found the baby, and the sound of the heartbeat filled the room. “That’s the baby’s heartbeat we’re hearing, very healthy and strong. And look, baby’s waving!”
Noah leaned forward, looking at the screen, and I glanced, too. The baby’s hand was moving back and forth, and although I wouldn’t quite call it a full-on wave, it was adorable.
“Aww,” I cooed, my eyes welling with tears. If asked, I wouldn’t have been able to articulate the feeling I had upon seeing my baby.
“Woah,” Noah said, his eyes widening as he looked at the screen. I could hear the awe in his voice and see the visceral reaction happening within him. His eyes misted, too.
“I’m going to take some measurements, then we’ll get to the fun stuff. Will you be wanting to find out the baby’s gender today?” Allison asked, glancing at me.
I looked at Noah. “Yeah, we’d like to find out if we could,” I answered, looking back at the screen. She nodded, turning the screen a little so she could see it better to take her measurements.
That process took about fifteen minutes, and once she was done, she turned the screen toward me more and called Noah over. “Are you ready?”
“Sure are.” Noah sent me a wink, taking my hand and giving it a firm squeeze.
“It’s a girl,” Allison said, her smile wide. I expected Noah to gloat, to shoot me a see, told you so look, but he was captivated by the screen. She clicked a few buttons, zooming in to show us the evidence.
Allison printed off a few photos of the ultrasound for us, then the appointment was over. I wiped the ultrasound goop off my stomach with a paper towel, tossing it in the trash and standing.
Noah stepped toward me, putting his arms around me and pulling me against him. “Thank you for letting me be a part of this. That was probably the coolest thing I’ve ever experienced.”
Noah was an excellent hugger. His tender embrace made me feel safe, and his earnest words had me overcome with emotion. “Well, it looks like you were right about the baby being a girl.”
“I would have been happy either way,” Noah assured me, pressing a kiss to my temple. “But I do love hearing you say that I was right. Say it again?”
“Don’t get used to it,” I said, narrowing my eyes playfully.
Noah helped me into my coat, and we left, walking to his truck. “I think we have time to get something to eat before the next appointment. What are you craving?”
“I could actually go for pizza, or maybe pasta,” I replied, mulling over between the two.
“You’re in luck. There’s a decent Italian place around the corner that has both pizza and pasta,” Noah grinned.
We went to an Italian restaurant in Springwood, halfway between the hospital and my OB’s office. They had an overwhelming menu to choose from. Since I was craving pizza and pasta, we decided to order both and split them, as well as an order of bruschetta bread for an appetizer.
We ordered our drinks and an appetizer first. For the main course, I ordered the creamy cappelletti with bacon, and then Noah made me pick the pizza, too. I went with the Honey pizza. It had a garlic base with pineapple, caramelized onion, bacon, and feta.
After relaying our order to the server, and watching her walk away, Noah had the audacity to admit he didn’t like pineapple on pizza.
“Why did you let me pick that, then!” I exclaimed, flabbergasted.
“Because you got so excited about it. I don’t mind, maybe it’ll sway me.” Noah leaned back in his chair. “And if I hate it, there’s always the cappelletti.”
I shook my head. “I bet you’ll love it,” I declared, eyeing him with confidence.
“Oh really? What do you want to bet?”
“I guess my cappelletti.” I pouted, not liking the idea of giving it up even if I was certain he’d like the pizza.