Chapter 46
DEXTER
Holly is already there when I pull into the garage.
She’s standing near a pillar, wearing a loose white dress and her brown cowboy boots, the ones with the little side-stitching and embellishments she thinks I don’t notice.
A cropped leather jacket is thrown over her shoulders, and her hair is pulled back clean.
She leans against the concrete post, arms loosely crossed, phone in hand.
When she spots me, she slips it into her bag.
I step out, same as always, going to open the door for her. She beats me to it. Her hand is on the handle before mine is. She swings the door open.
I reach past her and close it. My eyes land on hers. “Let’s try that again,” I say.
I open the door myself.
The corner of her mouth lifts.
“Hey,” I greet her.
“Hey,” she says, climbing in. “Right on time. Hopefully the appointment won’t take too long. Thanks for coming along.”
“Of course. Made us a dinner reservation after. Rosalita’s.”
I get in, start the engine, and we pull out of the garage.
“Rosalita’s?” she asks.
“You know it.”
She turns her head slightly, looking out the window. “I only mentioned those quesadillas once or twice. You remembered.”
I always remember. I keep one hand on the wheel, the other resting loosely on my thigh. I glance at her hand draped over her stomach. No ring, no bracelets. She looks rested, and her shoulders seem more relaxed than they were yesterday.
“Some things stick,” I tell her. “I still owe you proper greasy quesadillas.”
“Good. I expect nothing less.”
The waiting room is packed, and couples are everywhere.
Pregnant women in leggings and oversized sweaters, men carrying snacks, tote bags, water bottles.
We check in. I spot a seat in the back corner and nod toward it.
She sits, tugging her dress over her knees, pulls out her phone and types something fast.
“Shelby,” she murmurs, without me asking. “Just letting her know I’ll call later.”
I nod.
When the nurse calls Holly’s name, she stands, glances back at me. “You coming?”
“Always.”
We follow the nurse down a hallway lined with wall art full of smiling giraffes. She leads us into a small exam room and closes the door behind us.
“Morning sickness easing up?” she asks.
“Finally.” Holly gives her a small smile. “Thought it’d never end.”
“It’s funny how they call it morning sickness when it happens all day. Mine used to hit me at night.”
“Okay, I’m glad I’m not the only one…”
The nurse runs through the standard questions about Holly’s health, then hands Holly a gown. “Doctor Barns will be in shortly.”
Once the nurse leaves, I turn to face the wall while Holly changes. I hear the paper on the exam table rustle.
“You can look now.”
There’s a knock and the door opens. Dr. Barns walks in, the same short, warm-eyed woman from last time. She greets us, reviews her notes and rolls her stool closer to Holly.
She walks us through the exam. Everything looks good.
Then she wheels over to a drawer, pulling out a small handheld device. “Now comes the best part,” she says, holding it up. “Doppler monitor. Heartbeat time.”
Holly’s hand finds mine.
A few seconds pass. Then the soft hum begins, followed by an unmistakable heartbeat of our child.
“There it is,” the doctor says.
Bum-bum-bum-bum-bum.
Holly gasps.
I can’t breathe for a second, just staring at the monitor, listening, taking in the life we’ve made.
But then Dr. Barns frowns as she’s adjusting the angle, moving the wand slightly. Her brows draw together.
“Everything okay?” I ask, tightening my hold on Holly’s hand.
“I think I’m hearing a second heartbeat.”
Nothing prepared me for this.
Holly blinks. “Wait, what?”
Dr. Barns glances between us. “Could be twins. It’s still early, but the spacing... the rhythm... I’d say it’s very likely.” She turns up the volume.
And there it is. Two heartbeats.
Holly’s hand flies to her mouth. Her eyes shimmer, wide and stunned. She stares at the monitor, then at me.
“Twins?” she whispers. “Dexter…”
I squeeze her hand, holding tight. My chest tightens and swells, all at once.
“Are there twins in your families?” the doc asks.
I nod slowly. “Yes. On my dad’s side. Great-aunt had twins.”
“Congratulations,” Dr. Barns says. “Your luck just doubled. You’re having two babies.”
“Wow…” Holly keeps staring at the screen. “Their heartbeats are so fast.”
“That’s normal at this stage. Want it louder?”
We nod. She turns the volume up, and the sound of two wild, perfect heartbeats fills everything.
I look at Holly who is staring at her stomach in awe, tears forming in the corners of her eyes. She meets my gaze.
“That’s... our babies.” Her smile turns tender, a little disbelieving. “It could even be a boy and a girl.”
I lean down, resting my forehead against hers. “I don’t care what they are, if they’re boys or girls or both,” I whisper.
Holly slings her arms around my shoulders. She smiles, and damn, I forgot how beautiful she is when she smiles.
That’s when the wall between us begins to come down.
And we feel a step closer to being us again.