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Staring down at my bulging uterus with a piercing glare, I grumble, "You just don't wanna see me thrive, do you, baby?"
Being hunched over the toilet for thirty minutes straight, it's clear why I hold a grudge against the life I'm harboring within me. My breathing is labored as I spit out another chunk of my breakfast. Of course, I would choose today to keep my hair down, hence why Adriano stands above me, hand gripping my hair into a ponytail as I expel whatever is in my stomach.
I can't thank him enough, but I also can't speak long enough to thank him without feeling more urges to throw up.
This is the worst it's been in weeks and it might have been prompted by the gut-wrenching reminder that Adriano leaves for Las Vegas in two days. Luckily, my doctor's appointment is in - I check my watch - was forty-five minutes ago. I'm also reminded of the fact that the obstetrician that made the house call is standing in the doorway of the bathroom, heavily observing my actions.
"Eleven weeks, you said?" She seems to be asking Adriano considering I'm out of commission. I don't see what he does but I know he doesn't say anything, so I conclude that he just nodded. Her accent is thick and she's ridiculously pretty, grey hairs apparent, and cheekbones high and sculpted. "How long have the cramps and vomiting been happening?"
I hold up three fingers.
"Three days?"
"Three weeks." Adriano corrects her, rubbing my back.
"Any fever?"
A pause and I can feel Adriano's eyes on me.
Shit. "Yeah." I nod.
"Cramps, nausea, fever..." Adriano recounts, leaning back as I finally straighten my back and pull back to flush the toilet. The gravity of the conversation was enough to snap the ball of nausea out of my throat. "What does that all mean?"
Dr. Bianchi clears her throat as she squints at me, "Let's get you an ultrasound."
• • •
"You have to be on bed rest for the next couple of weeks." Out of the many things Dr. Bianchi could've said, this is what I least expected, "Continue to take your pre-natal medications and reduce stress, which I know can be hard in this environment, but meditate, read a book, write a book. Do what makes you happy."
"All I've done is bed rest and look where I ended up," I grumble, twiddling my thumbs as she rubs the ultrasound wand against my belly. The gel she applied was cold but a nice change to my overall body heat.
She sighs, "I know you might believe that this won't change anything, but if you continue like this, your chances of going into labor prematurely raise exponentially."
I poke my tongue against the inside of my cheek and avoid Adriano's gaze. And here comes the part of me that's scared to fail him. To fail my baby and me. So I nod.
"Okay." I accept my treatment with slight indignation. "Bed rest it is."
"Your babies are lucky," She says and her phrasing throws me off. My body freezes faster than my brain does and apparently, the same goes for Adriano, "Their mother loves them very much."
"Babies?" Adriano seems to get it out before I can.
Dr. Bianchi nods and adjusts the wand on my belly again. That's when I notice it, but my mind needs help considering I don't even know how to register what she says next. She points them out, "Two umbilical cords, two placentas."
"Y-You're kidding, right?" I stutter out, trying to get a hold of my thoughts that seem to be running from me. This is not what I expected to hear today. Or ever.
She shakes her head and smiles before looking at Adriano, "This was how your mother reacted when I told her the news of you and Luca."
His shoulders fall and he leans back in shock. Just like me, he wasn't expecting the news. But we should've. He is a twin - there should be no surprise that it runs in the family.
"The only reason you haven't shown the growth of two babies is because of...?" She prompts, making me sigh.
"The stress." I rush out, watching as she now packs up the portable ultrasound. She wipes the gel from my stomach and pats it gently.
"I took care of the boys' mother when she was pregnant. All four babies." She assures, "She was in the same position as you are, worried for their lives in this world. Look how well they turned out, taking care of the people around them. I don't doubt that your babies will be raised in a healthy and safe environment with their father and uncles around."
"And their mother," Adriano adds, taking my left hand into his, nervously fiddling with my ring finger.
"Especially their mother."
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