One Night ✔

38. Double Trouble

Dr. Reynolds chuckles, looking up at my boyfriend while my head continues to spin in confusion. I, like my boyfriend, must've heard her wrong.

Babies. There was no way. Right?

"Follow my finger" the doctor smiles, pointing at the screen. I look away for a quick moment to gauge my daughter's reaction but am unable to read it. She's staring numbly at the screen.

I swallow harshly and turn back around. "This is Baby A." Dr. Reynolds circles her pointer finger around the baby before dragging it over to another part of the screen. "And this is Baby B. You're expecting twins and I'd say your conception estimate was just about right. I'd put your due date around April 18th " she explains, leaning back in her seat.

I exhale shakily.

Twins.

Lucas was happy about a second baby. He was thrilled even but becoming a family of five wasn't part of our plan. Not yet at least.

"I'll give you a moment to get cleaned up" Dr. Reynolds says, reading the room. She stands up and walks out, leaving me alone with my family.

"Say something" I beg them, looking between them. "Please."

Avery clears her throat, leaning over to curl her hand around mine. "It's unexpected but hey, so was I, and look how well that turned out" she jokes and I crack a laugh at that.

I'm once again confused as to how I had raised such a perfect, understanding and loving girl on my own.

I glance at Lucas. "You okay?" He had yet to move, staring at the screen that was frozen on our babies.

"Your family is convinced I'll fail at fathering even one newborn" he says softly and my heart drops. Of course he wasn't upset about the babies. He was already worrying about the reaction my family was going to have.

"Hell" he stands up, pacing. "My family doesn't even know I'm divorced." He runs his hands through his stubborn blonde locks, tugging at the ends.

My heart aches. Lucas worried about everyone but himself about ninety-nine percent of the time and this situation was no different. His worry of others feelings and reactions were ruining a moment that should've been joyous.

We were back together and expanding our family and now that the initial shock was wearing off, I was thrilled.

I squeeze Avery's hand before letting it go completely to sit up and get cleaned up while my boyfriend continues to pace. Avery pulls out her phone and presumably starts to text Hayden, detailing the chaos around us as I stand up and start towards Lucas in an effort to comfort him but unfortunately my journey is interrupted by the door opening.

"How're we doing?" Dr. Reynolds asks, peeking her head back in.

"Fine" I force a smile despite the tension surrounding me. Lucas comes back to my side and stands beside me at the very least. "Is there anything else?" She shakes her head and we all walk out of the room, Avery walking a few feet back as she texted.

I set up my next appointment and we head out to the car, piling in.

Lucas doesn't move to start the car.

"I'm sorry" he apologizes, placing his hand on the gear shift instead of my thigh. He didn't know if I wanted him to touch me. I could tell in the resigned way he sat and the way his fingers sat shakily.

"Talk to me" I beg, placing my hand over his, initiating the contact I knew he wouldn't.

Avery pipes in from the backseat. "Do I have grandparents I haven't met?" she asks, seemingly just realizing this after his little outburst. He chuckles, looking back at our daughter.

"Yea you do" he confirms. "And I need to call them" he sighs, turning his hand so he can intertwine our fingers. "They'll be so glad I'm with you again" he beams and my heart skips a beat.

"Are you still glad we're together? That we're pregnant...with twins?"

He squeezes my hand. "Of course I am. I-I'm sorry for how I reacted. It wasn't appropriate or even close to how how I really feel about the situation but I just-" he pauses, leaning his head against the window. "I heard your dad's voice doubting us and heard the disappointment he'd direct towards you and I lost it."

"It's okay" I try but he shakes his head, looking between both me and Avery.

"It's not okay Riles. I don't want you to ever feel like I'm unhappy with this life we're making together or that I don't love you both more than anything" he says, staring at Avery for a brief moment. "I was shocked and I'm terrified about a lot of things but I know that we'll be okay. We have to be, right?" He says, trying to be the strong man he thinks I need right now.

I smile. "Luke, we'll be fine. All of us" I add, placing my hand on my belly. He chuckles and Avery rolls her eyes, collapsing into her seat.

"I still can't believe that you come back after fourteen years and end up impregnating my mother with twins" she scoffs. "Overachiever."

Lucas laughs, moving in his seat to finally start the car. "Is it me or is she sounding more like Maya every damn day?"

~ 🌌 ~

"You're kidding?" Maya deadpans, staring at me with her mouth wide open over Facetime. "Twins?" she shrieks. "How did this happen?"

I laugh, rolling my eyes at my best friend. "I won't be poetic Maya because it worries me that you haven't had this talk yet. So, you see when a man and a woman have inter-."

"Enough" she puts her hand up to silence me. "I know how babies are made. I am carrying one myself" she reminds me. "I just find it incredible that a few months ago you were still swearing that Avery would never even meet her father and now you're all living together and you're having not one, but two more little Huckleberries. It's insane."

I nod. There was no arguing with her. It was beyond insane. It was unbelievable. "It's crazy" I agree as my boyfriend walks back into the room from the bathroom briefly before leaving though the bedroom door.

"Now, you just need to convince him to put a diamond on that finger of yours" Maya says, drumming her fingers on her belly. "Are you thinking wedding before or after babies?"

I sigh, titling my screen for a better angle. "Honestly Maya, we have to survive telling everyone about the twins first before we discuss marriage."

"Fair enough" she concedes. "But think about it. We all know you want to be a Friar" she smirks and I chuckle despite the way my heart skips a beat at the thought.

All my kids would be Friars. Why wouldn't I want to be one too?

Riley Friar. It had a nice ring to it. A nice ring to it indeed.