55. SCARLET
We return to the hospital for my doctor’s appointment about an hour later. Both of us break out into chuckles off and on during the car ride.
"Out, out, out," Antonio mocks me.
I roll my eyes and try not to sink too deep into the cushions in embarrassment.
There is nothing else for me to do but fess up.
"In college, for my degree, I had to take several biology classes.
During one, meant more for the med students, we analyzed urine…
" I take a deep breath, aware of Antonio's amused gaze on me.
“So, one of the girls volunteered hers…"
"And?" He prompts when I break off.
The embarrassment I felt for that girl is still fresh in my mind. Maybe it’s a little bit of mine too, because I laughed like the others, after first one person, and then another cried out, There's something swimming in the pee . I saw it too, under the microscope, just like the others.
It's urine, Mister Helm , the professor corrected. But that wasn't the problem; the problem was all those little sperm, most still very much alive, swimming in the urine like they were training for the Olympics.
The professor moved the closest student out of the way and looked through the microscope, coming up, almost in awe, saying, that ladies and gentlemen, is a very good example of how resilient sperm are, even hours after…
whatever he said next was lost as the entire class of over forty people broke out in loud laughter, me included, I'm afraid.
My laughter, however, died the moment the girl whose urine we were scrutinizing let out a sob and ran for the door.
I never saw her again, never had a chance to apologize, but her humiliation is still branded deep inside me.
"So you worried the nurses would see my sperm in your urine?" Antonio concluded.
"Stupid, I know," I agree, but that's the story.
"I love you," he says, putting his hand behind my head and pulling me in for a kiss.
"I love you, too," I say, slapping his arm, but some of my initial embarrassment slowly burns away.
Antonio gets out of the car first, like he always does.
I wait inside while he looks up and down the street, and up at the buildings surrounding us, before he deems it safe for me.
His hand comes into view, and I take it, allowing him to help me out of the SUV.
Four bodyguards trail us as we make our way back into the hospital for the OBGYN appointment.
Where, just as I feared, Antonio inspects the chair the medical assistant left us with after she took my vitals and instructed me to put on a gown, which, I notice, is not paper here.
"There's no fucking way I'm allowing my wife to sit on that fucking contraption, spreading her legs," Antonio curses the moment Doctor Vandercamp walks in.
"Mr. DeLuna, I assure you?—"
"No fucking way."
"Antonio?" I place a palm on his arm, "I think it's better if you leave for a few minutes."
"Leave?" He nearly yells. "Leave you and this man alone? In here? With you wearing that? Fuck no."
"Would you feel more comfortable if I found a female doctor?" Doctor Vandercamp offers reasonably.
"I don't think—" I start, but Antonio interrupts.
"Yes, that would make me feel better . It'll be better for your health, too." He narrows a glare at the man, leaving him visibly shaken.
"Of course, of course, give me just a second." Vandercamp mumbles and rushes out of the room.
"Antonio," I shake my head at him, "that was so uncalled for."
He pushes against the stirrups and lets out another string of profanities. "You women have to do this a lot?"
I try to keep down the giggle rising in my throat, but it’s hard. I do manage a nod. "Yes."
"You better pray we only have boys."
Oh shit, that is a complication I haven't considered yet. As protective as he is of Gigi and me, I hate to think what might happen if we have a daughter.
After a short knock, an older lady with greying hair walks in. Her face is round and wrinkled, and she has a grandmotherly persona about her that instantly puts me at ease.
"Mr. and Mrs. DeLuna. I'm Doctor Gupta. I heard you might prefer a woman doctor," she greets.
"Nice to meet you, doctor. Yes, yes, we do," Antonio says, pulling out all his charms, but she mostly ignores him.
"How are you feeling, Mrs. DeLuna. The chart says you're here for your first pregnancy exam?"
I nod eagerly. "Yes, please."
"When was your last period?"
"Uhm, about six weeks ago?" I try to calculate.
"Okay, and when did you stop taking contraceptives?"
"About three weeks ago."
Doctor Gupta tilts her head, "That doesn't seem that long ago. What makes you think you're pregnant?"
"I started getting sick." I avoid Antonio's eyes because, with everything going on, I didn't tell him that I've been throwing up consistently for the past week.
"Morning sickness is not unusual, but normally, it doesn't set in until the third month." Doctor Gupta assesses me curiously.
"I know, but the mother of a friend of mine told me that she started throwing up from the moment of conception, and that's kind of how it’s been with me."
"Interesting." Doctor Gupta nods. "I've heard stories like this before.
The human body is a mysterious thing, is it not?
And you were right too, as the test my esteemed colleague Doctor Brown took confirmed.
" She looks confused at Antonio, who coughs and turns his head at her last words, but then continues, "When was the last time you had a pap smear and breast exam? "
"Not too long ago, I had my annual like," my mind tries to remember, "I think it’s been four months?"
"That's good. Do you have any other issues or concerns?"
I shake my head.
"Good, then we may forgo the chair today," she sends a meaningful glance at Antonio. "I'll send in the nurse for samples."
"Sounds good."
"I like her," Antonio nods after she leaves the room. Shortly after, a nurse arrives to draw blood, and then we wait again for a while until Doctor Gupta returns, all smiles. "The test confirmed what Doctor Brown already told you. Congratulations, you're about two weeks pregnant."
A lightning bolt of happiness races through me. Pregnant! It was one thing hearing it from Antonio, but having it confirmed now, here with Doctor Gupta, makes it all so much more real. Jellybean is real!
Antonio grins smugly. "I told you."
I shake my head, leaving him with his illusion that he knew before I did. Please.
"Thank you, passerotta. You make me the happiest, luckiest man on Earth." He picks me up and spins me.
"Well, it wasn't all me." I try to wave him off.
"You said you were sick the moment after conception?" Doctor Gupta interrupts our happy moment.
"Yes, is that concerning?" I ask. Just like that, my happiness is replaced by worry.
"No, I don't think so. But I'd like to keep an extra eye on you, run all the blood tests, and so on, just to make sure. But in all honesty, I don't think there is any reason for concern."
"Little jellybean, you scared me," I say, rubbing my stomach.
"Jellybean?" Antonio mocks. "You better not be calling my son Jellybean."
I grin up at him, always ready for one of his challenges, but before I can say anything, Doctor Gupta inserts herself. "I think Jellybean is very appropriate at this stage. Would you like to see your Jellybean?"
Antonio is not happy that I'm on that chair after all, but once Doctor Gupta has inserted the wand inside me and my uterus is on display on a monitor, he stops muttering and squeezes my hand.
"There," Doctor Gupta points, but I don't see anything but white and black shadows. She highlights a tiny black dot, "Meet your embryo."
"It’s a black glob," I say, disappointed.
"It's a jellybean," Antonio says, kissing the top of my head and filling me with so much love I feel like I'm going to explode.