How is this possible?
“Pinch me, babe.”
Sydney glances over at me and squeezes my hand, somehow knowing exactly what I’m feeling. “It’s crazy, isn’t it?”
Just then, the door opens and it’s time. They’re talking, but my eyes are focused on the machine. At one point, Sydney told me that she almost waited to find out if she was having a boy or a girl with Savannah and that we could do that with this baby. I shut that down real quick. There’s no way I can wait until October to find out. It doesn’t make a difference if it’s a boy or a girl, we’ll be happy either way, but I need to know. I want to experience this.
My breath is stolen as an image of our baby appears and his or her heartbeat drifts into the air like the sweetest lullaby. I relax a little at hearing this, as it always calms me. The woman is talking again, but it’s not until I hear the word “boy” that I start paying attention. She smiles at us and Sydney squeezes my hand in a death grip.
“Ian?”
I look at her. She’s managed to get even more gorgeous, but right now, she looks worried. “The baby is a boy?”
“Yes,” the woman answers.
My eyes are still on Sydney who hasn’t stopped looking worried. Smiling, I tell her, “You were right for once.”
She laughs. “About time, huh?”
Wow. A boy. Now, I have to start thinking of names. Sydney says since she named Savannah, as long as she gets final approval, that I can name our second child. Which really means I’m doing all the
hard work of searching for names and she gets the easy job of saying yes or no to those on the shortlist. I don’t care, though. I’m excited about doing it.
The rest of the appointment is a blur and as we walk outside, Sydney has her nose in her phone.
“Who the hell are you texting?”
“Meredith. Marc and Lizzy are eloping.”
“What?” We stop walking between two rows of cars.
“Yep. She’s all excited because she’s the first to know and she wanted to tell me. Noah and Meredith are the only ones going with them. She also wants to know if we’ll keep Leo for her. Apparently, they aren’t telling Scott and Sylvia until they get back for some reason and they normally watch Leo if it’s not Marc or Lizzy.”
“Leo?”
“Her dog,” she reminds me.
I frown. “If we keep a dog, Savannah is going to want one.”
Sydney laughs. “Are you saying you don’t know how to tell her no?”
“Yes,” I answer with a nod.
“I can tell her no for you, Ian.”
“What if you want a dog after we keep it? I can’t say no to you either. And doesn’t she know we have our own wedding to get ready for this weekend?”
Sydney rolls her eyes. “Let me call her.” I take her free hand and keep walking to the car while she calls to find out more details. We’re going to eat next because it’s been four hours, so I know she’s starving.
We’re in the car and on the way to the restaurant when Sydney says, “We’ll do it.”
“Babe!” What happened to discussing it with me?
She glares my way. “No, he’s fine with it. He’s just worried we’re going to want a dog and that y’all won’t be back before our own wedding, but we have that settled, so we’ll watch Leo. I’ll text you when we get home and you can bring him on over.” They exchange a few more words before she hangs up. “What the hell, Ian? She heard you.”
“Why did you say yes?”
“Why would I say no? Marc and Lizzy want their best friends to be at their wedding and they need us to watch Leo. I’m not about to say no and get in the way. Besides, Meredith said that they’ll be back Friday.”