Chapter 50
Griffin and Jaxon are following me closely as I hurry over to the spot where Edith just parked. Glaring at the pile of rust, I consider all the ways I can make this piece of shit car disappear and not have her pissed at me.
“There’s no way that thing is safe,” I growl, pleased when both of them grunt their agreement. Unfortunately, none of us have a leg to stand on at the moment. That’s going to change as soon as I can get her to believe my concern comes from a good place, not just me being a controlling asshole.
She’s barely turned off the engine before I’m pulling the door open and offering her a hand to help her out. I feel my lip twitch into a brief smile when she eyes it, then me warily before accepting with a sigh.
“You need anyone to grab a bag or somethin’ for you?”
She peeks over my shoulder after my question, then widens her eyes in surprise. Seems she wasn’t expecting us to all show up when she texted her appointment time. Girl is in for a rude awakening. I’ll be damned if I’m missing a single one, and neither are they.
Griffin spent the entire drive looking up pregnancy facts and reading them aloud while Jaxon grew more and more worried the closer we came to arriving here. Finally, he snatched the phone away, begging him to stop reading all the worst-case scenarios.
“Oh, umm, I’ve just got a shoulder bag with a copy of my record from the other hospital I was seen at when…” She trails off and awkwardly shifts on her feet when she realizes she brought up a reminder of why she disappeared for months.
Clearing his throat, Jaxon carefully moves around her and plucks the bag from the passenger seat. “When you were keeping yourself and our little girl safe. It was the right thing to do and none of us will ever act like you shouldn’t have left.”
With a nod and lips pressed tightly, she glances toward the hospital. “My appointment is in thirty, but I have to check in fifteen minutes early to fill out some forms. Did you want to just come up when I go in?”
“Hell no, darlin’. Besides, I’ve got some questions about the baby.” Cupping her lower back, Griffin leads her toward the building while peppering her with question after question, barely giving her a chance to breathe between answers. “So, I was readin’ up on the whole throwin’ up issue you’ve got. It’s called emesis, right?”
Thinking it over, she tries to explain. “Hyperemesis something. It starts with a ‘g’, but I can’t remem—”
“It looks like it could get pretty serious. The internet said it makes eating and drinkin’ difficult, but dehydration is a real concern. Are you sure you’ve been gettin’ enough water every day? What’s your intake look like?”
“Knock it off, Fin,” I snap. I study the careful way she walks through the lot, holding her stomach as if she’s supporting the weight. Her baby bump is pretty out there, and I worry how much larger it’ll get over the next few months, especially on her petite frame. “And it’s called hyperemesis gravidarum.”
Both Edith and Griffin stop walking. She turns to me with her jaw hanging open. “Yes. That’s it. How did you know that?”
Glaring at Jaxon when he smothers his smile by wiping his face, I admit, “I’m perfectly capable of readin’. I also know your doctor is gonna be all over it and will make sure it doesn’t get too severe. So lay off the naggin’, grandpa.” I direct the last part toward Griffin.
I know he’s worried but stressing her out over things she has no control over isn’t the way to go about it.
Nodding, he gets her moving again and we ride the elevator to the third floor where there are massive signs labeled LABOR and DELIVERY. Gulping down my nerves, I hurry forward to hold the door while Griffin goes with her to the check-in desk.
Although we were thirty minutes early, the time moves quickly as the three of us watch her scribbling a pen over a stack of papers, chewing on her lip when encounters a question she isn’t sure about. I noticed a few yes boxes checked instead of no, which the majority of them were.
Is there more goin’ on with her aside from the nausea?
Her cheeks flush when a nurse calls her name and all of us jump up to be the one to help her. She brushes our hands away, and, without looking at us, follows the nurse to her room. The woman throws us curious looks, but never says a word about why three oversized men are tagging along.
We stop and wait while Edith has her weight and height checked, Jaxon turning both Griffin and me around just before the scale flashes a number. Whispering, he keeps his voice soft enough for Edith to not overhear him. “Women don’t love having their weight flashed in front of everyone.”
“That’s stupid,” I mutter back. “It’s just a fuckin’ number.”
He rolls his eyes but doesn’t argue. We turn back around when they’re finished and the nurse hands Edith a soft pink gown, then points toward the room at the end of the hall.
“You’ll be there on the end. Why don’t you head in and change out of your clothes? You can keep your bottom clothes on. Keep the gown open to the front so the doctor can have access for measurements, please. You aren’t due for an ultrasound since you had your twenty-week done at the other hospital, but the doctor may decide to do another.”
My pulse pounds at the chance of seeing the baby. I hadn’t even considered it. Christ, there’s a lot of shit to think about. Appreciation for what she’s been doing all on her own fills me as she simply nods and murmurs a soft thanks.
“Crack the door when you’re ready for us to come in,” she adds before stopping us with an arm as we start to follow. “You should wait out here until she’s changed. You all can head in when the door opens.”
“Not a problem. Thank you,” Jaxon says, flashing a smile. She’s not immune to him, laughing softly. Eventually she leaves us to wait a few feet from Edith’s room.
She’s quick to change and within a few minutes, the door clicks and slides open a few inches. Rushing toward the door, I push it gently open in case she’s standing nearby, then hurry to her side once I find her trying to crawl onto the table in the center of the room.
Holding her sides carefully, I help boost her up until she’s turned around, huffing in annoyance. “I’m fine, Mason.” Her complaint is adorably frustrated, most likely due to needing the help versus me just giving it.
“Happy to help, girl. You comfortable?”
I bite my cheek when I catch Griffin’s attempt to smother his chuckle over how hard Edith is glaring daggers at me.
“Perfect,” she grits out.
A poorly timed knock at the door ruins my next round of teasing, and a tall woman pokes her head inside.
“Ready for—Oh. Wow. We have a whole group in here.” Working her way inside and past us, the guys and I shift to give her space as she heads over to Edith. She doesn’t hide her curiosity the way the nurse did. Maybe it’s a doctor thing, but she’s definitely about to ask questions.
And I’m fucking ready to answer every single one of them.
Facing me, she tilts her head to the side. “Would you mind scooting over for me? I need my stool.”
“Oh, fu—” Coughing to cover up my language, I just close my mouth and step out of her way.
“Perfect! Alright Ms. Edith Hughes. I’m Doctor Kasey Willet. I’ve already gone through the files we had transferred from your previous OB, so today I just want to do a quick, non-invasive physical, measurements of the baby, and quick check of your cervix. Then we can talk about any questions or concerns you’re having.”
Edith is bright red again; maybe some of it is still left over from the waiting room. Flicking her eyes at me briefly, she turns back to Dr. Willet with a forced smile. “Sounds like a plan. What, umm, what do you want to do first?”
Her eyes roam over us to check for our reactions. It’s clear she’s uncomfortable with the idea of us watching, so I bite the bullet. “We can step outside while you do the personal stuff first, if you’d like?”
Dr. Willet snorts and peers at me over her shoulder, eye squinting as if I said something hilarious. “It’s all personal stuff. But yes, why don’t you guys step out and we’ll do the not so fun part.” To Edith, she says, “Up to you if you want dad to stay behind.”
A garbled noise pours from Edith’s throat and now she’s looking at everything not human.
“We’re all takin’ that role,” Griffin announces proudly, then whispers, “Ow, you ass,” after Jaxon delivers a sharp poke to his side. I’d have smacked him, but we’ve all got to be aware of these sorts of things around Edith.
Waving her hands at us, Dr. Willet ushers us from the room. “Shoo. I’ll let you know when you can come back in. Out you go.”
As soon as we’re back in the hallway, Jaxon turns on Griffin. “Would you not be so callous about this?” Pointing between all of us sharply, he hisses under his breath. “We are okay with this, but she’s clearly not thrilled she’s having a baby with three potential fathers. Would you have some sensitivity?”
“That’s rich, comin’ from you of all people.” Griffin bites back, but nods anyway. “But yeah, sorry. I’ll hold back my comments until the end. I do have questions though, and I’m gonna get them answered.”
“Just…” Jaxon trails off. “Just have some awareness.”
It’s not long before we’re allowed in again. Edith is laying back slightly on the table with her gown tied above her bare stomach. Her hand is fisting the edges together between her breasts tightly.
She watches as we file in and gives us a wobbly smile.
“Alright, now for the fun part! We’ll check her growth and if you’re all really good, I might even let you stay for the heartbeat!” Shoving a hand into her pocket, she produces a thin tape measure like it’s a prize, then starts turning it all sorts of ways over Edith’s baby bump.
I can’t take my eyes off the smooth, alabaster skin stretched tightly, knowing there’s a good chance that’s my kid in there, tucked just a few inches away from the air we’re breathing.
It’s overwhelming, more intense than I imagined it would be when it was just the idea of a baby. But seeing her stomach up close like this, I feel a ball of something clogging my throat and I cough softly a few times to clear it.
Checking with the guys, it’s obvious they’re just as overcome as I am. I want to ask them what they’re thinking, but a soft grunt from Edith has me whipping my head back to her with a frown.
Dr. Willet is pressing one hand into the top of Edith’s stomach, her other down where the waistband of her leggings is lowered. With a scrunched-up face, she groans a bit again, wincing.
“Sorry, honey. I know this part isn’t fun, but…” Dr. Willet tightens the measuring tape, then pulls her hands away, checking out the number. “You’ve got yourself one big baby! She’s measuring right where she’s supposed to be. Good job, momma!”
I didn’t realize I was poised to shove the doctor away for hurting her, but Jaxon’s palm giving my shoulder a light squeeze pulls me back from how tense I am, and I relax.
Moving around to the equipment stored in the corner of the room, Dr. Willet starts rattling off numbers that Edith nods her head quickly to in understanding. They make absolutely no sense to me.
From the corner of my eye, I can see Griffin opening his mouth to ask questions, then shutting it when a new fact flies from Dr. Willet’s stream of nonsensical words. Nodding as if he understands everything, he eventually relaxes against the wall, completely at ease with his arms crossed and a grin from ear to ear.
Leaning toward him, I ask from the side of my mouth, “You’re gonna tell us what all that means, right?”
“It means baby girl is doing well,” the doctor calls out while pouring a bit of gel on Edith’s stomach. “Oh wow, they actually warmed it this time. Lucky you,” she teases my girl with a wink. “Okay, let’s find—”
A distorted whomp-whomp-whomp fills the room and all of us stand tall with eyes widening after each beat.
“Oh, wow,” Jaxon whispers, his voice cracking slightly.
I’m speechless. Holy fuck. That’s her heartbeat. It’s so—
“Fast,” Griffin chokes out. “That’s good, right? Her heart beatin’ that quickly? I read it’s much faster than an average adult but hearin’ it instead of readin’ about it is so different.”
Grinning, the doctor fake whispers to Edith. “This is my favorite part. The dad, well, in your case, dads, always react strongly to this. She sounds great, mom. Perfect even.” Glancing at us with dancing eyes, she keeps the machine on Edith’s stomach for a while longer, allowing us time to keep listening.
My vision goes a bit unfocused, and I realize there’s a sheen of moisture in them. Dragging my eyes away from where our little girl’s heart is, I meet Edith’s unblinking stare. She’s watching us react to hearing the baby for the first time, a content smile decorating her unbelievably gorgeous face.
I can’t believe this is actually happenin’.
Lunging forward when the sound disappears, I want to plead with the doctor to put it back. I’m not done hearing that sound. With my hand resting over my heart, I feel my own thump-thump-thump racing almost as fast as hers.
Christ, I think I just synced up to my kid.
“Okay, let’s talk about you now. Tell me how you’re feeling.”
I’m rooted in place, not wanting to move at all and lose this tempo under my hand as it continues to beat just like hers.
Griffin moves next to Edith and helps her sit up, who closes her gown and removes my baby from view. It fuckin’ hurts.
Only picking up bits and pieces of Edith’s soft voice as she explains things about some aches and pains in different areas, then answering the doctor’s questions about her morning sickness, I finally come back to myself when Dr. Willet says, “Let’s try the Pyridoxine again.”
“What’s that?” I ask, cutting her off.
She silences me with her eyes, and instead of answering, she continues as if I never spoke. “I think it wasn’t helping last time because you were taking the pre-natal vitamins with it, but I’d like to try cutting the vitamins down and see if those aren’t making your nausea more rampant. Are you okay with that?”
Sighing in relief, Edith agrees. “I’ll try anything.”
“I’m concerned about your weight gain, well, lack thereof, but if we can get you some relief with the vomiting, your weight should start going up. We’re getting to the point in your pregnancy where we’re looking for larger increases each week until D-day.”
“D-day?” Griffin sounds so confused, his head turned to the side in curiosity.
Snickering at her own joke, she crosses her legs and leans forward. “Delivery day. Best day in the world!” Winking at Edith, she claps excitedly. “It’s gonna be a party. I’ll give you a list of foods to try. Keep up your water intake. That’s most important. I’ll have the nurse come in and schedule you to come back in two weeks. Normally we wait a month, but I want to see how the meds are working and adjust if necessary.”
Thanking her, the guys and I follow the doctor out of the room so Edith can get dressed, then before I can blink, we’re back out in the lot with an appointment card in all of our hands.
“Shit,” mutters Griffin, glancing back toward the hospital. “I had a ton of questions. I forgot to ask all of them.”
Laughing softly, Edith shakes her head at him. “Text me your questions and I’ll do my best to answer.” Turning to me, then Jaxon, she asks a bit nervously, “Are you all going to come again?”
“Yes, I fuckin’ am,” I state, hitting her with a look that I hope she sees as my promise I’ll be here every step of the way.
The other two agree as well, and this time, Jaxon walks her back to her car. Then the three of us stand shoulder to shoulder as we watch her drive away.
Forcing ourselves to get back in the truck, we spend our drive coming up with a plan on how to help her with the nausea and food we can start stockpiling at her place. The conversation moves to how amazing it was to hear the baby’s heartbeat, the changes to her body, and what we get to look forward to.
My hand finds my chest once more and my lip curls up when I realize it’s still beating just as quickly as hers. I’ve memorized the sound of my daughter’s heart.