Chapter 25 #2
“Hello, Aubrey. As we discussed at your last appointment, we’re going to confirm the pregnancy with an ultrasound. Who is this joining us today?”
“This is Jamie. He's my… boyfriend.”
We’ve never discussed titles, only telling HR that we’re dating.
Hearing her call me that has me sitting up a little straighter.
There’s no denying Aubrey can do this on her own, but between her inviting me and telling her doctor I’m her boyfriend, I try my hardest to school my expression so I don’t look like I’m in shock or entirely too happy about it.
“Well, Jamie, welcome. Aubrey’s had the rundown, but so you’re prepared, I’ll be starting with an ultrasound wand on her belly, and if we can’t get a clear picture, we’ll shift to a transvaginal ultrasound—which is where I’ll use a probe to enter her vagina to collect the images.”
“I’ve done a little research,” I admit, “but thank you for explaining.”
The doctor warns Aubrey before squeezing gel on her stomach, She then presses the ultrasound wand into the same spot, squinting at the image. “Well, the good news is the IVF took, but you’re measuring about a week behind schedule. I’ll want to check vaginally to confirm the size of the fetus.”
“I had a feeling I came too early,” Aubrey chuckles. “You said six to eight weeks and I jumped at the first appointment.”
“Understandable.”
Her doctor pulls out what looks like an anal probe from alien movies I’ve seen and wraps it in plastic. “This won’t be the most comfortable thing you’ve experienced,” she warns, slathering the plastic with lube.
“I’ve had bigger. Maybe I should’ve had Jamie stretch me out before coming here.”
The nurse laughs to herself and even the doctor is smirking. Meanwhile, I’m a little embarrassed by the praise, though I shouldn’t expect anything different from Aubrey. Her doctor presses the wand into Aubrey and she winces.
“I thought you said I was bigger,” I tease, but she scowls at me. “Sorry. Are you okay?”
“Yeah, there just wasn’t any foreplay.”
Fuck, I love this woman.
“All right, Aubrey, I need you to take a deep breath for me,” her doctor insists.
An image appears on the screen and I can’t tell what she’s looking for—it’s just a black hole with a little circle in the middle.
“Well, my suspicions are correct. A little smaller than we’d expect for almost seven weeks, but you’re definitely pregnant.
” She turns up the volume of the machine.
“A steady heartbeat, and we’ll keep an eye on the size moving forward.
I know you have a demanding job, but keeping your cortisol levels down will help. ”
“Cortisol? Like stress?” I ask, fascinated by the little image.
“Yes. This was her second round of IVF and she won’t be out of the woods until the second trimester.”
“You’re not going to Bakersfield,” I growl.
Aubrey lets out a full laugh, unfazed by my comment. “Oh, fuck off. I can travel for several more months, especially after you suggested we utilize rail to help our carbon footprint. Thanks for that, by the way. I’ll be working until my water breaks.”
I should’ve known she’d fight me, but I’m going to be on edge if anything happens to her baby because she won’t rest. Her doctor senses my unease and gently tells me, “She’ll be okay, but because of her job, we’ll be checking in more frequently than my other patients, especially since she’s measuring almost a week behind from when she was inseminated.
” She pulls the wand out, and again Aubrey winces.
“We’ll schedule another ultrasound in a few weeks, but you have a strong heartbeat, and I don’t have any other concerns at this point.
” Printing out the images, she adds, “It was a pleasure meeting you, Jamie. Aubrey, if you need anything, please don’t hesitate to reach out before your next appointment. ”
The nurse and doctor leave us alone, and before Aubrey gets changed, she freezes, murmuring, “Fuck.”
“What’s wrong?”
As I’m checking her over, Aubrey grips my wrist, turning it over. She traces the bandage covering my tattoo and whispers, “If you and I—if we do this—are you really ready to be a dad?”
“I wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t.”
“But we hardly know each other.”
“It doesn’t matter. We have months to get to know each other better and I’m not going to make the same mistake Isaac did.”
“What do you mean?”
“There was a morning in Isaac’s office, a day or two after Olivia was elected,” I explain, “and he told me the story about how he met her. Apparently, for years in college, he took classes with her and never worked up the courage to ask her out. He overheard what you and Olivia were taking the next semester and signed up for them. The first day of class, he gave her his number, and she called him that night. He said their first date was the best night of his life and he knew that one day he would marry her.”
“One day? Try like fifteen years later,” I laugh.
“When you and I had our first lunch together at the summit, I understood what he felt for your friend. The way you get to know someone is by spending time with them, so that’s what I intend to do. No more stealing you away into some storage closet.”
“I wish it was that simple.”
“It is. While you may be a brilliant political strategist, I’m the one with the marketing background.
When we’re ready to make our relationship public, we’ll ensure it’s a small story, buried by other headlines.
It’ll be strategic, but there’s no rush.
I want you to be comfortable before anything is in the news, but I’m all in. ”
“Why are you so…”
“Charming?”
“No. I mean, yes, you are, but you’re a lot more emotionally intelligent than any other man I’ve met.”
“I grew up with a single mom. Being a parent, you’ll have to make decisions with their interests as a priority. So, as much as I’d love to walk out of this office with your hand in mine, you need to do what’s best for the family you planned on having before we met.”
“What happens in six months when I’m as large as a parade balloon and you’re dealing with me being a raging bitch?”
“I’ve known since the first day I met you that there’s a fire within you that burns brightly. That doesn’t make you a bitch, you’re just mi abayarde.”