Aces & Spades

Baby

Isabella:

We arrive at the hospital, with the car ride being silent I thought that the wait for my ultrasound wouldn't be any different.

"Are you sick?" He asks me out of the blue, causing me to look up from my view of the sticky, sick-coloured floor.

"No." I manage to say when I glimpse into his emerald gems.

"Then what's wr-"

"Isabella Martinez?" The sonographer calls, saving me from the extensive questioning.

I hastily get up, grabbing my bag with Massimo staying behind.

"The father can come in too." She says.

"Wait what?" Massimo blurts out, but she has already retreated into her room. I follow her in without turning back around.

Soon enough, Massimo walks through the door, taking a seat beside the bed.

He gives me a quizzical look before taking my belongings and holding onto them.

I lie down on the bed, lifting up my oversized hoodie. I watch Massimo's eyes in the dark room, darting from my bump back to my face.

"You're-"

"So Miss Martinez. This is your first scan for the baby, am I correct?" The sonographer interrupts. I shoot a quick glance at Massimo who looks as if he has pieced everything together.

"Yes." I reply as she gives me a smile.

She takes the gel beside her, squirting some onto the probe before beginning to glide it across my flushed skin.

"You two have made a beautiful baby." She remarks, with neither Massimo nor I saying a word about her comment. 

"The little one is right over...here." She turns the screen to show us.

I feel my breath catch in my throat.

My baby.

The only person that I have left to love is there- on the screen- within me. I feel my eyes well with happy tears as I turn to face Massimo, his eyes fixated on the screen. He looks at our baby in awe, a smile playing along his lips.

Maybe he remembers-

"Would you like to know the gender?"

"Yes." Massimo whispers under his breath quickly, before glancing over at me shyly for approval.

I nod my head in agreement, feeling the position of the probe change.

"You have a healthy baby girl!"

I feel my heart beat faster than ever before.

A baby girl!

My little girl. 

She looks so perfect, so serene in her state, shielded away from the world. But, I'll make sure that no one harms her- that no one can separate us.

"Have you decided on a name yet?" The sonographer asks as she begins to print out some photos for us to treasure.

"Rose." I'm quick to say, feeling Massimo's eyes burn holes into the side of my head.

She hands me and Massimo each a photo of our child, before helping me clean myself up and leave. I look down at the sonogram, my heart full of pure joy for the first time in a while.

As I put my coat on, I watch as Massimo stares down at the photo intently, gently using his fingertips to caress his child, before sharply dragging them away and standing up.