More Than Friends

Chapter 64: Lookin' Ahead

A couple of weeks had passed since Nicole and Devin faced the heartbreak of the miscarriage. It had been a heavy time for both of them, but they leaned on each other, workin' through the pain together. Amani, too young to fully understand what had happened, was still her usual bright self, and in some ways, that helped keep them grounded.

Nicole knew it was time to check in with her doctor. She needed answers—needed to know when, or if, they could try again. She wasn't ready to give up on the idea of expandin' their family, but she also needed to make sure her body was ready. The miscarriage had been a physical and emotional blow, and she didn't want to rush anything.

At the Doctor's Office

Nicole sat in the waiting room of her OB-GYN's office, feelin' a mix of anxiety and hope. She had made the appointment to talk about her options, to find out when it would be safe to try for another baby. Devin had offered to come with her, but Nicole wanted to handle this part on her own. She needed to face it, to hear the doctor's advice firsthand.

When her name was called, Nicole followed the nurse into the exam room, her heart racin' a little. After a short wait, her doctor came in, a warm, reassuring smile on her face.

"Hi, Nicole. How are you holding up?" the doctor asked, her tone gentle.

Nicole took a deep breath, tryin' to gather her thoughts. "I'm...I'm okay, I guess. It's been hard, but we're gettin' through it. I just...I wanna know what's next. When can we start tryin' again?"

The doctor nodded, takin' a seat across from her. "I understand. It's completely normal to want to start thinking about that. First, let's make sure your body is healing properly. Physically, we usually recommend waiting at least one to three months after a miscarriage, depending on how your body is recovering. But it's also important to make sure you're emotionally ready as well."

The Conversation

Nicole nodded, listenin' closely. "I feel like I'm ready, but I don't wanna rush it, you know? I don't wanna put myself at risk."

"That's exactly the right mindset," the doctor said. "We'll do a quick checkup to make sure everything is healing as it should, but from what I can tell, there's no reason you won't be able to try again soon. I'll recommend waiting a full cycle to let your body recover completely, but after that, you should be in a good place to start trying again."

Nicole felt a wave of relief, though it was mixed with a little bit of anxiety. She wasn't afraid of tryin' again, but she was nervous about the possibility of another loss. Still, she felt like she needed to focus on the future, on the possibility of growin' their family.

"So, physically, I'm on track," Nicole said, her voice steady. "But emotionally...I think it's gonna take some time. We're ready, but this whole thing shook us, you know?"

The doctor nodded understandingly. "That's perfectly normal, Nicole. Grief is a process, and it's okay to feel however you feel. Some people need more time, others are ready to try again sooner. The important thing is to listen to your body and your heart, and not to rush into anything until you're both fully ready."

Moving Forward

After the appointment, Nicole felt a strange mix of emotions. She was relieved to hear that her body was healing, that she would be able to try again soon. But the emotional weight of the miscarriage still hung over her, and she knew that was something she and Devin would have to work through together.

As she drove home, she thought about their journey. They had come so far as a family, and this setback, while painful, wasn't going to stop them from growin' their love and their future. But she also knew they needed to take their time, to make sure they were both truly ready to try again.

When Nicole got home, Devin was in the kitchen, cookin' up a simple dinner while Amani colored at the table. The sight of them made Nicole's heart swell, and she realized that, no matter what happened, they already had a beautiful family.

"How'd it go?" Devin asked, glancin' over his shoulder as Nicole walked in.

Nicole smiled softly, walkin' over to him. "It went well. The doctor said we're on track. We should wait a little while, but physically, I'm good to go. Just...need to make sure we're both ready, emotionally."

Devin nodded, wrappin' his arms around her. "We'll take our time, Nic. No rush. We'll get there when we get there."

Nicole leaned into him, feelin' the love and support in his embrace. "Yeah, we will. I'm just glad we're in this together."

And as they stood there, holdin' each other close, Nicole felt a renewed sense of hope for the future. They weren't there yet, but they were on their way—and that was enough.