“Look at you in your nurse outfit. How cute you are. I was telling Enzo how great it is you working— Oh my god, your ring is huge.” I’m a bitch for loving the jealousy that flashes across her face. My eyes go to her ring, a nothing to sneeze at but kind of boring three-carat round solitaire diamond.
“I knew it. You guys aren’t wasting any time.” Enzo laughs.
“Actually, since Alicia and Che already know, in addition to getting married, Bethany is pregnant.”
Enzo’s eyes go big, and Sheila goes white. “Are you serious? I’m so happy for you guys. This is great, all of our kids are going to grow up together.”
“That’s what Dante is saying about wanting a girl to go with baby Sophia, but I’m wanting a boy.”
“Sophia?” both men say in stereo.
“Sophia was our grandmother’s name. I like it better than Che’s idea of Loretta.”
“Me too. Loretta is a fifty-year-old lady who chain smokes and calls everybody dear. But I wasn’t going to say anything. I’m thankful Alicia has better taste than Che.” Dante laughs.
Eyes wide, I look up at Dante. “I love the name Loretta.” Dante’s forehead crinkles as he goes red. I can’t hold the expression for long. “I’m kidding. I hate it too.”
“You think you’re so funny.”
“I’m hilarious.” I laugh as I lean into him.
“Congratulations,” Sheila says a few decibels louder than all of us, even though she looks like she’s sucking on a lemon.
Dante’s eyes meet mine in question. We both avoid looking at Enzo. I mouth a thank-you, but no one else says anything until we get to the house.
The minute I step out of the car Alicia has me in a bear hug as she squeals in happiness. I hug her back, we’re laughing and talking over each other then somehow we’re crying. Dante pulls me away from Alicia and Cesare has his arms around her.
What feels like an hour later, we’re in the family room on the couch with Matteo upset because me and Alicia are still loud and crying and talking over each other. Alicia is adamant Dante and I have to move out to the ’burbs and is telling Cesare to look for houses around them tomorrow, and I’m telling her it’s not happening. After a little while Cesare takes Matteo and the three guys leave to go put Matteo down for bed.
We’re all sitting down for dinner, and Alicia is listing the benefits of living in the ’burbs. Dante is wondering if he should take his paternity leave when the baby comes or wait for me to go off maternity leave then take his, and I love him even more to hear him ask the question.
17
Bethany
I’m in the softest, nicest examination gown ever. I’m not really surprised though, there’s a freaking Matisse in the waiting room. My bad, it’s called a lounge and looks more like the lobby of a five-star hotel than a doctor’s office. There’s a refreshment station with coffee, teas, and even hot chocolate I was dying to try but too embarrassed to do more than stare at.
Dante is pacing the length of the exam room as we wait. I wanted him outside, but he flashed his dimples and big brown eyes and I gave in. I’m wondering if I should have, though, after he barked at the nurse for hurting me when she took my blood. He didn’t like it when I made him apologize, but he gave in.
There’s a brief knock before the door opens. Dang, she’s pretty is my first thought, and I tense up until she smiles and instantly I’m calmer. “Hi, nice to meet you, Dante and Bethany. Please, call me Whitney. I was going over your labs. Congratulations, everything looks good. Between your hCG levels and the date of your last period, it looks like you are at five weeks along. Let’s do an ultrasound to confirm, okay?”
I nod as I lean back. I’m surprised at her saying only five weeks. I took it for granted I conceived in Madrid. The gel is cool as she rubs it on my stomach. It takes her a few minutes to find it; anxiety begins to inch up in me until she finally smiles. “There we go. Found him.”
; She presses a few buttons and grainy pictures come out immediately. “Hmm, hCG levels were a bit off, it looks like. You’re at seven weeks.”
My stomach plummets. I open my mouth, but Dante asks the question first. “What does that mean? Her hCG levels being low?”
Her smile is reassuring. “Not a thing, hCG levels bounce up and down day to day. If they were exceptionally low, then there would be a cause for concern, but they are still well within a normal parameter.”
Dante’s hand goes around mine, and I cling to him to help me sit up. Whitney hands him the pictures. “Here you go. Bethany, you are a little low on iron. I’m going to include a separate iron supplement, I want you to take it every other day. You’re going to get a pill dispenser, use it, it’s too easy to forget if you took your vitamins or not.”
She writes out two prescriptions, and Dante takes them with a nod. “Any questions for me? Feel free to call me if you have any concerns. I’m going to see you again in a month, then we’ll go from there.”
My eyes are glued to the picture as Dante asks her questions. I can’t shake my unease at the difference from her estimate with the hCG levels to her measuring based off the sonogram.
“Bethany? Sweetheart, what’s wrong?”