Surviving (Surrender 2)
Declan actually looks scared before he answers me. “Um, I asked for help getting your tests. We had to provide a distraction.”
All four guys are watching me waiting for my reaction. I don’t hesitate, even though it hasn’t completely sunk it yet I smile at them. “How do you guys feel about being uncles?”
The looks on their faces is priceless, and I giggle. Then I’m tackled on the bed in hugs and kisses. I forgot I’m in my pajamas, but Declan obviously doesn’t when he starts throwing them off of me and hands me one of his shirts.
“This is fucking crazy! A fucking baby? Dec man, how’d this happen?” Blake says.
“I’m pretty sure you know how babies are made dumbass.”
Nate, Cooper, and I listen to them banter back and forth a few minutes smiling. When they finally shut up, all eyes come back to me.
“Guys, I really want to see a doctor and get some answers before we tell everyone else. Please keep it quiet until then. Blake, especially you. If Charlie knows, everyone will know.”
They agree and get up to leave. I’ve got some calls to make and hopefully an appointment to make.
I call my doctor’s office in Nashville and talk to the nurse. She does some research and calls me back with a name of a local doctor they recommend until I can get home. When I call, they understand the urgency and the confidentiality and make an appointment for tomorrow morning. Declan and I spend the rest of the day on the internet looking at baby websites and writing down our questions. When we leave for the concert, I can’t hide my excitement for tomorrow.
*****
The office is full when we arrive, but we get a room right away. The nurse comes in and takes my vitals, draws blood, and then leads me to the bathroom so I can give a urine sample. After about ten minutes, she comes back in and confirms I am indeed pregnant. She hands me a sheet and asks me to undress from the waist down and sit on the exam table.
Declan is smiling wider than I’ve ever seen him before. I guess the medical confirmation of the pregnancy sinks in. He pulls a chair up next to me and holds my hand.
I’m relieved the doctor is a woman. She introduces herself as Dr. Johns, and she explains she has been an OB for twenty years. We explain our situation, and she promises to get her files to my doctor in Nashville. We talk about my morning sickness and other symptoms.
She gives us her complete attention and we suspect, I may have gotten pregnant around the time I had my migraine the first few weeks of the tour. Apparently the medicine counteracted the effectiveness of my pill. I share my concerns about drinking and eating unhealthy, but she assures me we can check the health of the baby with the ultrasound today. Declan goes into his uber protective mode asking about how much sleep I need, my diet, exercise routines, and anything else that he can think of. She calls the nurse in and asks her to pull some pamphlets for us to use as a guide until I get back to Nashville.
Declan starts to fidget in the chair and looks uncomfortable. His eyes plead with mine, and I know what he wants me to ask.
“Dr. Johns, what about sex?”
“Sex is perfectly safe during the whole pregnancy unless there are complications. Your baby is basically cocooned in your body so penetration will not harm it.”
I’m satisfied with the answer, but Declan nudges my arm. I look at him with wide eyes, but he mouths ‘please.’
“One more question.” She looks at me with no expression on her face. I’m actually embarrassed now. “Um, let’s say hypothetically your husband is huge and has his penis pierced?”
Declan can’t hide his amusement and drops his head to the table by my hip. Dr. Johns grins slightly but remains professional.
“Hypothetically, it is still safe. Li
ke I said unless there are complications, sex is safe.”
Heat hits my face, and I look at the ceiling.
“If there are no more questions, let’s take a look. Lay back for me. Since we’re not exactly sure how far along you are, I’m going to do and transvaginal ultrasound today. We can get measurements, hear the heartbeat, and take pictures.”
She squeezes some gel on the end of a wand-like instrument with a rubber sheath over it. Declan’s eyes are huge and he starts to say something, but I shake my head. She moves the screen and inserts the wand in me. The room fills with a squeal and what sounds like the beat of a drum. It’s constant and soothing, and when I look at Dr. Johns she smiles slightly. She taps some buttons and then speaks.
“That sound is the heartbeat. You may realize it is a steady constant. This worried me at first until I saw why.”
We both tense up, and Declan inches as close to me as he can.
“Is there a problem?” he asks.
“Not at all, the beat is constant because there are two of them. Congratulations, you’re having twins.”
Shock, surprise and fear all hit me at once. My eyes are glued to the two dots she is pointing to on the screen. Tears pour out of my eyes as love fills my heart. Nothing could have prepared me for this moment. Two babies.