Chapter Twenty-Five #2
At the clinic, I cling to both Colt and Anna’s hands. Johnny walks with his arm slung over Anna’s shoulder. I smile at him—he looks proud. I’d worried he might struggle with all of this, but Colt told him he’d be on-call twenty-four-seven for cravings, mood swings, or anything Anna needed.
Once inside, we’re led to a waiting area. I bounce my knee anxiously.
Anna reaches over and places her hand on mine. “Don’t be nervous,” she says. “It’s simple. I’ll be in and out.”
I nod and hug her tightly just as the nurse calls her name. My legs feel like they’re made of damn concrete.
“Do you want us to come in?” Colt asks.
Anna hesitates, then bites her lip.
I step in quickly. “It’s okay. We’ll wait out here.”
She smiles gratefully. I rise to hug her again, tears welling as she wraps her arms around me.
“Thank you,” I whisper, overwhelmed.
Colt steps in, wrapping both of us up in a hug. Johnny joins seconds later, making us laugh through the tears.
“I’d do this a thousand times for you,” Anna says, kissing my cheek.
“I love you,” I whisper.
“I love you too,” she says, then turns to Johnny for a quick kiss before heading off with the nurse.
I sink back into the chair, and Johnny sits beside me, taking my hand. “We’re honored to do this for you guys. Truly,” he says.
“Thanks, Johnny. I know it’s a big deal,” I reply.
He shrugs. “It’s for the right reasons. So I’m in.”
Colt sits on my other side and takes my free hand. I lean into him, exhaling deeply.
Time passes.
I don’t know how long we wait while Johnny paces.
Colt and I sit close, silent but united.
Eventually, Anna returns. Her face is a little pale, but she’s smiling. “Well, fucker,” she says to Colt. “You knocked me up.”
We all burst out laughing.
“So… it’s done?” I ask.
She nods, and for the first time, her eyes fill with emotion. “It’s done. We come back in three weeks for the pregnancy test, but… I already feel different. Like two little beans are growing inside me.”
I grin. “What if they take after their dad?”
She frowns playfully. “No way. I’m not carrying rock stars. I need to sleep.”
Johnny wraps an arm around her. “You ready to head home?”
“Yeah. I’m wiped.”
We walk to the desk, finalize the paperwork, and schedule the three-week scan.
Colt drives us back to their place. “I can’t believe it’s done,” he says in awe. “Just like that, you’re knocked up.”
“Yup. Just like that,” Anna says with a grin.
It feels surreal. We didn’t have to do much today—just show up—but somehow, in nine months, we’ll have two little people to call ours. That thought alone fills me with quiet wonder.
We stay long enough for a celebratory meal, but Anna’s fading fast, so we leave her to rest.
We’ve had a lot of celebrations lately.
But when you’re creating life?
That’s worth celebrating.
Three Weeks Later
We’re back at the clinic, and my excitement is through the roof.
All four of us are acting like giddy teenagers.
Anna’s convinced she’s pregnant and says she knows something’s going on in her body.
She even wanted to take a test on her own, but we convinced her to wait.
We all want to hear it from Dr. Doherty. Together.
She had her blood drawn earlier, and now we’re waiting on the results. Anna and I are chatting about baby names and nursery themes while the guys sit back watching sports on the waiting room television like they’re not about to find out the biggest news of our lives.
“Colt, we’re ready for you if you’d like to come through,” the nurse says sweetly, batting her lashes at my husband like she’s auditioning for a low-budget medical drama.
Seriously? Have some dignity.
He’s here to find out if he’s having a baby with his wife, not to flirt with you while you play nurse Barbie. I roll my eyes so hard they practically spin out of my head.
We all stand and follow her down the hall to a consultation room, filled with strange machines I don’t recognize. Sterile, clinical, but right now, it might as well be a temple. My heart is pounding with every step.
“Dr. Doherty will be with you shortly,” the nurse says, still eyeing Colt like he’s dessert. He doesn’t even notice, bless him.
But I do.
“Thanks,” I reply flatly, narrowing my eyes at her. She catches my death glare, turns a shade paler, and scurries off like she’s just remembered she left her shame at the front desk.
Anna bursts out laughing. “Jesus, Dee, could you have stared the poor girl down any harder?”
Colt gives me that confused puppy look, eyebrows knit. “What?”
“She was totally ogling you, and I just thought she needed a reminder that you’re very taken.”
“What?” he repeats, baffled.
“Oh, never mind,” I mutter, waving it off.
“Wait! Were you jealous of the nurse?” Colt asks as Johnny grins cheekily.
“No!” I snap, too quickly.
“C’mere, baby,” Colt says with a laugh, pulling me into his arms. “I love it when you get all jealous.”
I giggle against his chest, and even Anna and Johnny chuckle, shaking their heads at us. The laughter dies down when Dr. Doherty enters the room, a warm smile on his face.
Colt releases me, and we all take our seats, suddenly quiet.
“Good morning, everyone,” Dr. Doherty greets. “Are we ready to hear the results?”
My stomach flips. My hand finds Colt’s, and I grip it tight, maybe too tight, but he doesn’t flinch.
“I’m sorry,” Dr. Doherty says, holding up a printed sheet. “I haven’t had a chance to look at the results yet, but I’ve got them right here.”
I want to jump up, snatch the damn thing from his hands, and read it myself.
“We’re ready,” Colt says calmly.
We’re all leaning forward now, like our collective weight might help will the answer into being.
My breath hitches.
He smiles as he reads, and for a moment, my heart soars… until that smile slowly fades. His lips press into a thin line. His brow furrows, and his hand rubs at his chin.
My lungs tighten.
Everyone in the room stills.
“I’d like to do a quick scan,” he says finally. “Just to confirm something.”
Anna stiffens beside me. “Is something wrong?” Colt asks the question I don’t have the strength to voice.
Dr. Doherty keeps his face calm. Too calm. “I just want to double-check something.”
Anna nods slowly and walks to the bed, glancing at me with uncertainty. My gut twists as she lies back. He lifts her top, squirts the familiar cool gel on her lower stomach, and starts moving the wand over her skin.
The tension in the room spikes.
I clench onto Colt’s hand so hard I feel my nails bite into his skin.
Dr. Doherty’s smile doesn’t return. His lips purse instead. He shifts the probe again, then again, and again.
Silence.
Too much silence.
He angles the monitor slightly away from us.
My heart pounds in my ears.
His face drops, and my stomach sinks with it.
He keeps scanning, his frown deepening, and something inside me starts to unravel—slow, sharp, and sickening.
What is he seeing?
Why isn’t he saying anything?
I look at Anna. Her eyes are wide, searching his face for answers.
But he says nothing.
Not yet.
And in that moment, the air in the room turns cold.