Chapter Twelve.
The familiar scent of disinfectant mixed with lavender air freshener greeted Nivéa, bringing back memories of every appointment that had led to Nyla.
Of course, nothing about the place had changed since her last pregnancy.
The same neutral-colored artwork hung along the walls, the same soft music played in the background, and the same glass bowl of peppermint candies sat on the receptionist’s desk.
Dr. Lisa Harris had been delivering babies in Nivéa’s family for generations.
She had delivered Nivéa’s mother while caring for her grandmother, delivered Nivéa while her mother lay in the same position, and years later, placed Nyla into Nivéa’s arms. Now, if everything went as planned, she would be there to welcome another baby into the family.
Even the women behind the counter recognized Nivéa before she could give her name.
“Well, look who’s back already.” Ms. Renee teased with a warm smile, her attention moving from Nivéa to Nyla asleep in the carrier. “And you brought the last little blessing with you. She’s so beautiful.”
“Yesss…I’m back.” Nivéa replied with a nervous giggle, heat climbing to her cheeks. “Thank you.”
“It happens, sweetie. I see you have a ring, too. Congratulations to you both.”
“Thank you so much.”
“Appreciate you,” Crown said, standing beside Nivéa. He hadn’t said much since they left home; both anxious and nervous to check on his seed.
Ms. Renee slid a clipboard across the counter. “We need updated forms for every new pregnancy. Fill these out, then leave a urine sample before the nurse calls you.”
Nivéa sat, and Crown claimed the seat beside her. She worked through the forms, marking her last menstrual period, current medications, previous pregnancy, previous C-section, and the date Nyla had been born. Having to write the dates so close together made her pause.
Four months.
She had only been Nyla’s mother for four months, and she was already starting over once more.
For a moment, fear settled all over again, replacing the excitement she felt that morning.
Her body had barely recovered. Some mornings, the scar along her lower stomach still felt tight when she stretched too quickly.
Nivéa was still learning Nyla’s cries, building her business, adjusting to marriage, and living under the pressure of Crown’s lifestyle.
Now another baby was growing inside her, depending on her body to be strong enough to do everything again.
She knew she should’ve been thinking about all that when she and Crown were making love.
But every time that man lay inside of her, she lost her damn mind.
Crown’s hand covered the top of the clipboard, getting her attention. “You good, ma?” He asked.
“Yeah.”
“You sure?”
“It just looks crazier when you see the dates written down.”
Crown chuckled before moving his hand and settling back in his chair. “We knew it was close.”
“Knowing and seeing it are two different things, baby. I’m just a lil nervous again.”
“I get it, but calm down. I’m right here and I ain’t going nowhere. You ain’t carrying this by yourself.”
Nivéa nodded and finished the forms. The words didn’t erase her concern, but they loosened something inside her.
Crown had a way of making her feel safe when she felt uneasy.
After leaving her urine sample, a nurse called them to the back.
She weighed Nivéa, checked her blood pressure and temperature, then led them into an exam room.
Crown placed Nyla’s carrier on the chair and took her out since she had woken up.
He moved around the small room with her attached to his chest, taking turns studying her and every piece of medical equipment.
The nurse sat in front of the computer. “Any nausea or vomiting?”
“Nausea a little in the morning. Nothing too bad. I haven’t thrown up.”
“Cramping?”
“A little. Nothing painful.”
“Bleeding or spotting?”
“No.”
“Headaches, dizziness, fever, anything unusual?”
“No.”
“Are you taking a prenatal vitamin?”
“Every day since I found out.”
The nurse typed each response before asking questions about Nivéa’s C-section recovery, sleep, appetite, and whether she had experienced any complications after delivering Nyla. Once she finished, she printed several lab orders and placed them beside the keyboard.
“We’ll draw blood before you leave today. Dr. Harris will also talk to you about genetic screening and what she wants to monitor because the pregnancies are so close together.”
Crown paused and finally spoke. “Is there a concern for that? Is it a bad thing for her and the baby that she’s pregnant again so soon?”
The nurse looked toward him. “Dr. Harris will give you both a full explanation.”
“Why can’t you?”
“I’d prefer not to provide details before she does.”
“And why is that?”
“It’s important that you hear it from her directly. That’s all. Don’t worry.”
Crown didn’t appear satisfied with the answer, but he nodded anyway. Once the nurse left, Nivéa turned to him.
“Baby, come sit down before you start scaring these people with your interrogations.”
“I only asked a few questions, ma.”
“The way you looked at her and asked them sounded like she was hiding something.”
“She was.”
“She wasn’t hiding anything, Ahmad. I’m sure it’s just precautions. She told you the doctor would explain it. Sit yo’ ass down.”
Nivéa and Kerri were the only people in this world that could speak to Crown Knight that way. Instantly, he lowered himself into the chair beside the exam table, shifting Nyla higher against him.
“Aight, ma.”
“Mmhmm…” Nivéa shook her head, smiling. She loved how he was so overprotective of her.
A light knock sounded against the door before it opened.
Dr. Harris stepped inside, moving slowly while wearing navy-blue scrubs beneath her white coat.
Silver had taken over more of her short curls, and more wrinkles graced her skin since Nivéa’s last pregnancy, but her warm brown face and direct gaze remained the same.
She carried a tablet beneath one arm and a familiarity that made the room feel less clinical.
“Niv, hi. Back again, huh?” She smiled, looking over the top of her glasses.
Nivéa covered her face. “Please don’t fuss at me.”
“I’m not going to fuss.” Dr. Harris closed the door behind her with a soft laugh. “But I may ask whether you remember how babies are made. I think we need to discuss the birds and the bees again, gal.”
Crown chuckled.
Dr. Harris spoke to him and introduced herself, then she washed her hands before approaching them. She touched Nyla’s foot, complimented her beauty, then looked at Nivéa with a teasing expression.
“You’re definitely pregnant. Based on the date of your last period, you should be close to six weeks. Your blood pressure looks good, and nothing you reported sounds unusual for early pregnancy. We’ll confirm the due date with an ultrasound today.”
“Is everything okay with her getting pregnant so soon?” Crown was on it, something about the way the nurse had said the information earlier fucked with him.
“It is certainly earlier than I would have recommended, especially after a C-section.
Her body has had less time to rebuild its iron stores and fully recover from surgery.
Closely spaced pregnancies can also increase the chance of anemia, an early delivery, and certain complications involving the uterus or placenta.
But that does not mean one of those things will happen.
It means I need both of you to understand why I’ll be watching Nivéa more carefully.
Her appointments will be closer than normal.
We’ll check her blood count, pay close attention to the location of the placenta as the pregnancy develops, and monitor her scar and the baby’s growth.
I also need you to keep taking your prenatal vitamins, eating regularly, resting, and calling me if you experience bleeding, severe pain, dizziness, or anything that does not feel right. ”
“I’m on it.” Crown said.
Dr. Harris looked at Nivéa. “Daddy runs a strict program, huh?”
“Yes ma’am. All the time.”
The two laughed in unison as Crown sat with a stone face. Wasn’t shit funny to him; he was serious about his wife’s well-being. Part of him felt bad for sending her through this all over again so soon. But the other side of him understood it was destiny. Their baby had been made from pure love.
“Ain’t nothing wrong with that. I love to see it.” Dr. Harris went on to say.
She wanted to add that she was happy Nivéa moved on with her life and found someone reliable and accountable. She had witnessed the way Boe stood her up for many appointments during the last pregnancy. But she didn’t say that; she kept it professional and offered her congrats.
After reviewing Nivéa’s history and answering their questions, Dr. Harris stepped out while Nivéa changed from the waist down. Crown placed Nyla back in the carrier to assist her in settling onto the exam table. He adjusted the pillow behind her head, then pulled the drape over her legs.
Once Dr. Harris returned with a nurse, she dimmed the lights, leaving most of the room lit by the ultrasound monitor. She prepared the slender wand, covered it, and explained each step before beginning.
“Remember, you may feel some pressure, but it shouldn’t hurt.”
Nivéa nodded and reached for Crown’s free hand.
At first, the monitor showed only shades of black, gray, and white that meant nothing to either of them. Dr. Harris adjusted the angle slowly, studying the screen with the same concentration she had worn during every pregnancy in Nivéa’s family.
“There’s your uterus,” she said. “And the pregnancy is exactly where it belongs.”
Nivéa released a breath as Crown’s fingers closed around hers.
Dr. Harris moved the wand slightly. A small dark space came into view, followed by a pale shape inside it.
“There is the gestational sac. There is the yolk sac.” She pointed toward the screen. “And right there is your baby.”