A Chance Encounter

“Kendall let me in,” Mom continues, “after I told her it was me through the door. I spoke to emergency and gave them her address. I’m with Kendall now in the waiting room, but we haven’t heard anything yet.”

“I’m on my way,” I tell her. “Do you have Sophia’s phone?”

“Kendall does…”

“Call Naomi and let her know what happened.”

“Okay.”

“Call me with any updates, please.”

“I will. You just focus on getting here safely.”

I walk out and Nicole is typing away on her laptop. “I got you a private flight that can take off within the hour and a car is on its way to take you to the airport.”

“Thank you.”

The minute I step through the door to Sophia’s private room and see her eyes open and her face split into a soft smile, I take in a breath of relief. My mom updated me while I was on the flight here once the test results came in. She tested positive for the flu, and they said she was extremely dehydrated, which caused Braxton hicks, but she’s okay. They checked the baby when she first arrived and everything was good, but I needed to see it for myself.

“Sir, we’re in the middle of a—”

“It’s okay,” Sophia tells the woman, “he’s the dad.” She looks at me with glassy eyes. “She’s showing me the baby.”

I hurry over to her side and see the tiny baby on the black and white screen. He’s floating in her belly, and you can hear the rapid beat of his heart. My own heart feels as though it’s being pulled from my chest.

“I was just asking Ms. Davis if she’d like to find out the sex,” the technician says.

“You can find out at sixteen weeks?” I ask.

“Depends on if the baby is cooperating.”

I glance over at Sophia. “Do you want to know?”

“Do you?” she asks back.

“Yeah.”

“Me too.”

“It’s a—”

“Wait.” I glance around. “Where’s Kendall?” It’s already after eight o’clock, but my mom told me she and my dad were here with her.

Sophia’s lips curl up. “She’s in the waiting room down the hall. They didn’t want her in here in case there were any problems. Naomi tried to bring her home to get some sleep, but she threw a fit.” Her eyes water. “She was so scared. She hasn’t left my side since they let her back here.”

“I’ll go grab her,” I tell her, leaning over and kissing her forehead. “Be right back.”

I find Kendall, my mom and dad, and Naomi and Dante all sitting in the waiting room. The second my mom sees me, she jumps up and throws her arms around me. “Oh, good, you’re here. She’s getting an ultrasound right now…”

“I know. I was just with her. I came in through the back, so I didn’t see you guys here. I went straight to her room.”

“Can I go see Mommy?” Kendall asks, looking far more stressed out than a six-year-old should ever look.

“That’s why I came out here. We’re about to find out if the baby is a boy or girl.”

Her eyes light up. “I already know it’s a boy, but I wanna see!”

Everyone laughs, appreciating the break in the tension.

“C’mon, K, let’s go see your mom and the baby.”

I give my mom a kiss on her cheek and hug my dad. “Thank you for being here,” I say to everyone before I take Kendall’s hand and walk her back to her mom’s room.

When we walk in, Kendall runs straight to her mom and hugs her the best she can from the side. I grab a chair, sit down, and lift Kendall up so she can see and be near her mom.

The ultrasound tech walks us through all the body parts for Kendall’s benefit, since it’s her first time seeing the baby on the screen, and when she gets to the sex, she asks us all what we think. Kendall insists it’s a boy, so we both guess the opposite just to mess with her.

“It’s a boy!” the technician announces, making Kendall squeal in excitement.

“I knew it!”

“You did,” Sophia tells her.

While the technician points out a few more things and then goes about shutting down the machine, I sit frozen in my place. Holy shit! We’re having a boy. I’m going to have a son. A myriad of images hit me: a little boy playing in the dirt, martial arts, sports games, bonding over music, father/son trips like my dad and I used to take…

“You okay?” Sophia asks, wiping the goop off her belly.

“I’m perfect.” I set Kendall down and kiss Sophia’s cheek. “I can’t believe we’re having a little boy.”

“I was so scared,” she admits softly. “I’m just so glad he’s okay.”

“Me too,” I agree. “I’m glad you’re both okay. I’ll go get everyone so we can share the good news.”

When my parents, Naomi, and Dante come inside, Kendall immediately announces she was right and we’re having a boy. Everyone congratulates us.