The Memory of You (c.t.h.)

Chapter Twenty-Six

Four more months had gone by in a haze. Not only was I due in a month, or even less, but today was my wedding day. Needless to say, things were a little hectic, what with my abdomen growing like the hulk and making my dress tightly fitting. I was beyond stressed, but I sat there silently trying not to snap. All of Calum's family was around me, desperately attempting to alter my dress in the right places so I would be comfortable. My little girl was kicking like a professional soccer player inside of me, feeling my uneasiness. She was probably feeling the jitters too. To calm myself down, I decided to reflect on the past couple of months. All I could think about is the day we went to the clinic for the check up.

Calum drove us both to the local clinic for the ultrasound. I was nervously tapping my leg and I could tell Calum was nervous too. Once we arrived, Calum locked the car after we got out. I intertwined our fingers as we entered the building. The nurse greeted us with a smile and immediately took us to the room. Since business was slow, she knew who we were.

"The doctor will be right with you. Let me just take a few tests..." The nurse informed as she took my blood pressure, weight, etc.

Calum held my hand the entire time and soon enough the doctor came in. She told me to lie down on the bed, rather than sitting, and she lifted up my shirt. She applied the necessary goo to my abdomen before rubbing the stick around.

As we waited for the results to come back, Calum and I reviewed the baby names after the nurse cleaned me up.

"Jamison Ashby Hood," he simply stated.

"Carley May Hood," I nodded. I was getting nervous

The nurse came back will a stack of papers and photographs of the sort. My heart was racing in my chest and Calum squeezed my hand.

"So how do you want this to go?" She asked. "I can show you and wait for you to see it for yourself, or I can tell you and then show you."

I looked at Calum and nodded excitedly.

"Go ahead and tell us," he answered. I squeezed his hand and kissed his cheek.

"Alright you two," the doctor began. I squeezed my eyes shut with a wide smile. "Congratulations! You're having a girl!"

I gasped and wrapped my arms around Calum's neck. He was so happy he started to cry.

"You're going to be a dad!" I exclaimed. "And I'm going to be a mommy!"

"We're parents!" He excitedly responded. His tears were lightly trickling out of the corners of his eyes. I wiped them away while tears gathered at the brim of mine.

We both turned to the monitor where the ultrasound was digitally displayed.

"Say hello to Carley May," I lightly bumped Calum's shoulder as he sat next to me on the bed.

"Hi baby," he spoke. He stared at the screen, new tears showing themselves. I could see the love in his eyes as he looked at every inch on the screen. I could tell he was already wrapped around her finger. He hopped off the bed and knelt down to face her. "Hi baby," he said again.

"Keep talking to her," I smiled down at him as I felt her kick. "Carley can hear you - she knows it's you."

"I hope you're treating your mommy alright - she's been looking after you for a long time," he said. I felt Carley stir inside. He rubbed both sides of my stomach and put the side of his face against it. "Baby girl," he said using my nickname. I didn't know if he was talking to me or Carley.