Lost One

45

❝SHANTEY❞

𝙵𝙰𝙻𝙻 𝙱𝚁𝙴𝙰𝙺 𝙷𝙰𝙳 𝙲𝙾𝙼𝙼𝙴𝙽𝙲𝙴𝙳 and the morning of Shantey prenatal appointment marking her eight weeks. Instead of being accompanied by her husband she hasn't saw or spoke to in weeks, it was the one person on earth she could depend on: Amanda—along with Seona and Azoni. The two year old rests back in her aunt's lap, watching Open Season on the phone and the eleven month old lounged in the stroller.

"—and he wants y'all to fly to Panama for the holiday?" Amanda quizzed after hearing about the phone conversation between Shantey and her birth father earlier, "What you say?"

"What else? I told him no, because I was raised Black and like our people's food for that holiday. I thanked him for even thinking bout us and that was that." Shantey shrugs.

Amanda chuckles, shaking her head, "You so mean; at least he's trying."

"Honestly, I don't really care about having any other family. I'm fine with who I have. I forgave him for not being around and I just wanna move forward without tryna get to know nobody. I'm dealing with the now. Like the fact my kids haven't had any physical communication with their Daddy in two weeks, Romeo's eighteenth birthday around the corner, this volume one of the documentary releasing on the 30th, Dave tryna trip wit me bout having the boys on Thanksgiving, and the fact my Doctor still hasn't came back and told me what she saw on the ultrasound that made her walk out wit little to say. So, no, I don't care to build a relationship with Pedro. Don't need a Father. That's over."

There was a few soft knocks before the door pushed open and Dr. Torres was walking in. "Sorry for the wait.. and how I left. I just wanted to make sure it was what I thought."

"And what is it that you thought?" Shantey quizzed.

"On the ultrasound I noticed there was more than one gestational sac and—"

"Pause..." Shantey interrupted her O.B., "More than one?"

"Yes. Three."

"Three?!" The best friend's reacted quickly.

Dr. Torres chuckles, "Yes, there are three. Well, were. . That's what I noticed over the ultrasound before so left out. The third gestational sac didn't contain the fetus; that explains the spotting you were experiencing."

"And the other two?" Amanda asked before Shantey could.

"The other two fetuses are actually fine. Growing healthy. We can listen to their heartbeats now, I just wanted to get that out the way. And this could be why you're suffering from Hyperemesis Gravidarum. This is your first pregnancy with multiples, and I hate to keep reminding but.. you are over thirty and pregnancy's are different."

Shantey blows out air, "Okay, so, now that I know I'm having twins since the other just vanished, how do I deal with the HG now?"

"By continuing the same way you have been—taking your medication to contain the nausea that I prescribed and it doesn't react badly with your medication for your disorder. Just stick with your medication guide and you'll be aight. HG is difficult but manageable. Ready to take a listen to your babies?"