Chapter Five #2
“Not a lot, really,” I tell her. “The fatigue is very real, though. I feel like I need a lot of naps. Especially around two or three in the afternoon. But it’s manageable for the most part.”
“That’s perfectly normal,” the doctor agrees with a nod.
“As you enter the second trimester, your hormone levels will stabilize a bit, which usually brings a bit more energy. Today’s scan will give us some numbers on fetal growth.
We’ll measure crown-to-rump, assess anatomical development, and evaluate nuchal translucency.
Are you ready to see what’s going on in there? ”
“Oh, okay. Yes! I didn’t realize we would jump into it so fast,” I say, nervous excitement washing over me.
“We should be able to get what we need to see now that the baby is a little larger, so I just need you to lift your shirt up or unbutton it to your bra line.”
I unbutton the bottom buttons on my blouse and tuck the fabric under my bra to expose my belly. The cool air hits my skin, making goosebumps rise on my arms.
Dr. Chen grabs the bottle of ultrasound gel, shaking it a bit. “This shouldn’t be cold. We keep the gel in a warmer.”
The minute the gel touches my skin, I suck in a breath.
Before I can exhale, a warm hand covers mine.
I look at Brody’s hand wrapped around my trembling hand on the table.
“You okay?” he asks in a low rumble, his eyes searching mine protectively.
“I’m good,” I whisper, my fingers automatically lacing through his, squeezing gently. “Just a weird sensation.”
“Okay, I got you,” he murmurs softly.
He doesn’t pull his hand back. He stays right where he is with his fingers tightly entwined with mine. Like he’s my anchor.
Dr. Chen presses the ultrasound wand onto my lower abdomen, spreading the clear gel across my skin. The high-definition monitor mounted on the wall flickers from a dark grey blank screen to a black and white image.
“Okay…let’s see here,” she says, moving the wand around my belly.
And then my breath catches.
On the screen is a clear, distinct shape. It’s not just a flutter like it was a few weeks ago. I can actually see a human profile. I see the feet, hands tucked near the chest, and a round head.
As we watch, the baby gives a little kick, bouncing against the wall of my uterus before settling back down.
“Look at that,” Brody whispers beside me.
His deep voice is stripped of its usual steady calm and is thick with something like he’s awestruck.
I turn my head to look at him. He’s leaning forward in his chair, his eyes fixed on the screen.
He looks completely transfixed. The strong professional athlete who shattered a defensive line a few nights ago looks a bit undone.
His jaw slackens, and his eyes shine in the dim light as he stares at the tiny human on the screen.
“Heartbeat is strong and steady,” Dr. Chen announces, clicking a button on her control panel. “I’ll turn the audio on so you can hear it.”
Suddenly, the room fills with the rapid, rhythmic sound I’ve been thinking about.
It’s fast, vibrant, and overwhelmingly powerful—a loud, beautiful beat echoing through the speakers like a little engine of pure life.
I feel like I’m about to cry, but I bite down hard on my lip, desperately trying to keep myself together, but it’s hopeless. A single tear escapes, followed by more until they’re running down my cheek.
Without hesitation, Brody raises his free hand and brushes some of my tears away with his thumb, with unbelievable tenderness.
“You hear that, Princess?” he murmurs, his voice sounding thick, like mine probably would if I could actually speak. His hand lingers against my face for a second before wrapping it around my forearm. “That’s a strong little heart right there.”
“Baby’s measurements are fantastic,” the doctor says as she taps the screen to place digital calipers on the image.
“Crown to rump length is measuring right at 5.4 centimeters, which places you at precisely twelve weeks and two days. The baby’s heart rate is 148 beats per minute.
Everything looks textbook perfect, Ellis. ”
She clicks some buttons on her console, freezing four images on the screen before pressing the print command.
“I’ll give you two a few minutes to catch your breath while I go update your file,” Dr. Chen says, her eyes softening as she looks between Brody and me. “Seeing the first image of your baby, looking like a little person, can be very emotional. Take all the time you need. I’ll be back in shortly.”
She hands me the strip of black and white photos before stepping out of the room, shutting the heavy door with a soft click.
I start to sit up, but Brody stands before I’m fully upright. “Let me get you some tissues to wipe that off.”
He hands me a box of tissues, and I pull a bunch out and wipe the gel off my stomach.
My hands are shaking, and I feel a little like an alien has taken over my body, flooding me with all these wild emotions.
It feels like a physical betrayal of the emotions I can usually control.
But Brody doesn’t move an inch. He stays near me, his hand, once again, on my arm.
“You okay, Ellis?” he asks gently, looking at my face with genuine care and concern.
“I’m fine,” I breathe out, using a new tissue to dab another stray tear, and let out an exhausted laugh. “I don’t know why I’m reacting like this. It’s like I have zero control over my emotions.”
“Ellis,” Brody starts, his tone soft but serious.
He reaches out with his other hand and wraps both of his hands around my single hand, holding it like it’s a precious gift.
“You’re allowed to cry. You’re allowed to feel overwhelmed.
You don’t have to be in control all the time. And definitely not in this room.”
I look at him—really look at him.
He sits there in his green sweater, his dark hair slightly messy, but he looks relaxed and watches me with unreserved emotion that makes my throat tighten.
Ever since Dylan walked away from the responsibility and left me to navigate this alone, I felt like I had this weight on my chest. Not because I can’t handle it, it’s just a big, life-changing moment.
I’ve tried to pretend that I have everything in its own little box, taking each item out when I need to.
But sitting here with Brody in this room, the reality truly hits me that I’m not doing it alone. He’s here, and he really doesn’t have to be.
He’s a gorgeous bachelor, for God's sake. I’ve literally seen women throw themselves at his feet.
And then there’s his commitment to his career, training, and brand commitments that keep him insanely busy, I’m sure.
He has no reason to be here, and every reason to keep his distance to avoid the potential media storm that’s likely to happen.