Someone Like Us | Completed ✓

Chapter Six: Heartbeats

Week 6 (2 months): May 16

When Ace walked into Joan's room a little bit before her 6 week doctor's appointment, he found her trying to stretch her favorite shirt to fit over her stomach. Ace smiled. "Aw, look at your bump!"

"It's not really a genuine bump yet," Joan said. She gave up on stretching the shirt and put on a baggy sweatshirt instead. "It sure looks like a bump to me," Ace said. He got on his knees and kissed her protruding stomach. He looked up at her. "When will they be able to hear us?" he asked. "At 6 or 7 months," Joan said. "I have an app." "Is it one of those apps that tells you what fruit size the baby is?" Ace said. Joan nodded. "I check it every morning. They're the size of a bean right now."

"That's it?" Ace cried. "You're 2 months pregnant and they're only that big?" "Well, next week they'll be a blueberry," Joan said. Ace chuckled. "That's... kind of weird." He kissed her stomach again. "Hey, lil' blueberry," he whispered. "Er, you know... bean. Hey, we have to come up with something to call them until we know weather they're a boy or girl." "That's a good idea," Joan said.

She sat down on the bed. "How about just... bean?" she suggested. "Jellybean," Ace said. Joan smiled. "Aww!" she said. "Yeah. Jellybean." She rubbed her stomach. "I love you, Jellybean," she said. Ace knelt in front of her on the floor and kissed her stomach again. "I love you, too," he said.

Lilly poked her head into the room. "Hey, guys, are you ready to go?" Joan nodded and stood up. "I'm ready." She looked at Ace. "Are you ready?" Ace smiled big. "So ready," he said. "Let's go!"

They drove to the hospital, and Ace stayed in the waiting room for most of the appointment, until it was time for the ultrasound. Ace was called inside the room, and he sat next to Joan, who was lying on the exam table with her baggy sweatshirt pulled up. He held her hand and kissed it and she smiled at him. "I haven't had the time to tell you this recently, but... thanks for sticking with me through all of this. I don't think I would have kept the baby if it wasn't for you," she said.

"Hey, it's nothing," Ace reassured her. "I love you. I'll stick with you through thick and thin, no matter what." "I'm so glad you have such a dedicated father for your baby, Joan," the doctor piped in. "I know," Joan said. "I'm the luckiest girl in the world!" Ace blushed and smiled.

The doctor spread a gel on Joan's belly and started to move the transducer around. Ace gasped when he saw the now I bit more human-looking form on the screen. "There's your baby, dad!" said the doctor. "Oh my gosh," Ace murmured. "Seriously? That's them?" "Yes, sir," the doctor said with a smile. Ace laughed a little bit in his shock and leaned down to hug Joan. "Wow, babe!" he said. "You made that, Jo!" Joan blushed. "You helped," she reminded him. "Let's not go there," he said. The doctor and Lilly laughed.

"My gosh, this is crazy!" Ace exclaimed, staring at the screen. "It's about to get even crazier," said the doctor. "I'm going to turn the sound on, alright?"

"Wait, what?"

The doctor smiled and pushed a couple of buttons. Suddenly a muffled sound came through a speaker on the machine.

Thump, thump. Thump, thump. Thump, thump.

Joan and Ace's jaws dropped. "Is that what I think it is?" Joan whispered. "That's Jellybean's heartbeat, honey," said Lilly. Joan covered her mouth and started to cry. She reached for Ace's hand, and he took it. His smile was huge.

"This is actually happening," he muttered. "I have a real, living child. Jo!" he cried. He pointed at the screen. "We did that! That's ours!" Joan nodded and smiled. She was still crying. "Jo Jo," Ace mumbled. He leaned down and gave her a big hug. "You're a mama, Joan," he said.

"I can't believe this is happening!" she cried. "Congratulations!" said the doctor. "I'm so happy, sweetheart!" said Lilly.

"So, what do you think? Still thinking about abortion?" Ace teased. Joan laughed with joy. "Heck no!" she yelled.