Adventures in an alternate dimension Book 2

Chapter 20 - A Little Mystery in the Making

Irissa's POV

My stomach lurched as Daniel squeezed my hand in the waiting room. We were here. Second trimester ultrasound. It felt monumental. Renesmee, my impossibly cool older sister, was now Dr. Cullen, a freaking OB-GYN. The weight of that title, and the responsibility it implied, settled heavily on me.

"Hey, you okay?" Daniel murmured, his voice a welcome anchor in the sea of nervous jitters bubbling inside me.

"Yeah," I squeaked, unconvincing even to my own ears. "Just..." I trailed off, unable to articulate the knot of emotions twisting in my gut.

"Excited? Scared?" he prompted gently.

"Both," I admitted, letting out a shaky breath. "What if something's wrong?" The worry gnawed at me, a constant companion since the positive test.

Daniel nudged my shoulder with his playfully. "Then we deal with it. Together. Like we always do, okay?" His unwavering confidence was balm to my anxieties.

The door creaked open, and a familiar face emerged. Renesmee's smile, even masked, held its usual warmth. Her eyes, the color of melted chocolate, crinkled at the corners. "Hey, you two! Ready for a sneak peek?"

"Hi, Nessie," I mumbled, feeling a goofy grin tugging at my lips. It was weird, seeing her in doctor mode, but the way her eyes softened when they landed on me chased away any awkwardness.

"Alright, come on in," she said, gesturing towards the inner sanctum. The sterile white walls and impersonal equipment did little to ease my nerves, but Renesmee's presence was a grounding force.

The exam itself was a blur – cold jelly, the scratchy probe, the rhythmic whoosh of the ultrasound machine. My gaze darted between the screen, a grainy black and white world teeming with indistinct shapes, and Renesmee's face, a mask of professional concentration. Daniel held my hand the entire time, his silent support a constant comfort.

Finally, Renesmee leaned back, a relieved smile gracing her lips. "Everything looks perfect," she announced, her voice radiating warmth. "Heartbeat's strong, and growth is on track. You've got a healthy little... well," she hesitated, her smile turning sly.

"A healthy little...?" I prompted, heart hammering in my chest.

"A healthy little what?" Daniel echoed, his voice laced with amusement.

Renesmee's grin widened. "That's the big question, isn't it? But you two still haven't decided if you want to know, have you?"

We exchanged a glance, a silent conversation passing between us. The question of finding out the gender had been a point of contention for a couple months. A part of me craved certainty, the ability to start picturing a future with a little boy or a little girl. But another, more whimsical part, reveled in the mystery, the delicious anticipation of the surprise.

"Actually," I blurted out, surprising even myself, "we were thinking... maybe it'd be more fun not to know."

Daniel's eyes lit up, mirroring the spark of excitement that ignited within me. The unknown, suddenly, felt exhilarating.

Renesmee's smile widened further. "Excellent choice," she declared, clapping her hands together. "Keeps things interesting, right?"

"Right," I agreed, letting out a relieved breath. The weight of the decision, once a burden, lifted, replaced by a delightful sense of anticipation. We were going on this journey together, blind but excited, hand in hand.

The rest of the appointment flew by in a flurry of questions, reassurance, and whispered jokes between Renesmee and me. Leaving the sterile confines of the office, I felt lighter, a giddy thrill bubbling in my chest.