pretty girl (Lauren/You- first person)

chapter forty six.

"Alright, just a few minutes here." Dr. Robbins said as she came back into the room from what was Lauren's fifth pregnancy test, this being the first one from the doctor's office. When Lauren saw the results from the first test, she was in utter disbelief. I was bewildered, but it hit me right away that she was actually pregnant, while she was convinced it had to be a false positive. According to her, there was "no fucking way" she got pregnant so fast. She decided she would take the other test that came in the box the next morning, because "it would be totally different pee." I held in my laughter and watched in a combination of adoration and amusement as she scrambled around the house all day, her mind very obviously somewhere else, though just as much as mine was. When she did take the second test, she still refused to believe that she was pregnant, no matter what I said to prove it to her. So, on that Sunday night I found myself jogging into Target ten minutes before they closed to pick up another box of tests. She repeated the process yet again on Monday morning, with the same results, while I made an appointment for Friday afternoon, the soonest we could get in.

Before we had left today, she decided to take the final test, justifying it by saying that if it came out negative, we could cancel our appointment and stay home. I just chuckled to myself and left her to it, not surprised at all when I heard a raspy squeak and "it says I'm pregnant!" For what was now probably the tenth time. Now, we found ourselves waiting for the results of yet another test, but I was fairly confident with what the answer would be.

"Well, no surprises here, but you're definitely pregnant." Dr. Robbins said cheerily, looking at us to gauge our reaction. I felt a bit desensitized to the news at this point, but felt my heart swell nonetheless. Lauren let out a breath she was holding, her eyes wide and sparkling when she caught my gaze.

"Okay, where do we go from here?" My wife asked once she had her fill of smiling and celebrating what we technically already knew.

"Well, I have a whole speech prepared of the general do's and don't's, a stack of pamphlets that tell you the same thing, and some information on prenatal vitamins." We both nodded as the doctor shuffled through the desk drawers, pulling out the pamphlets she mentioned. "So, for right now, there isn't much of your daily routine that needs to be changed, except the drinking and smoking obviously. Oh and your caffeine intake. You probably won't feel any different yet, but it's still important to pay attention to your body and what it needs, so don't hesitate to get plenty of rest and water."

"Do I really need to eat twice as much?" Lauren asked shyly.

"Not at all." Dr. Robbins laughed. "This early, maybe add an extra, oh I don't know, hundred calories a day, but that's not even necessary. The foods you're eating are more important than how much food you're eating. Keep it healthy and balanced. And that's something we can discuss more as you move along and your tastes and your body's needs change." Lauren and I nodded along as she spoke, occasionally asking a question or two but mostly taking lots of mental notes. I let myself get sidetracked as we were wrapping things up, deciding that when we got home I would dig around for the copy of What to Expect When You're Expecting I knew I had somewhere, which was probably packed away in a closet.

"See you in a few weeks." Dr. Robbins waved as we followed the colorful duct tape arrows and turned the sharp corners of the confusing hallway, leading us from the exam rooms back to the front lobby of the office. We were able to check out and schedule Lauren's next appointment fairly quickly, and soon enough we were on our way back home.

"I know they're going to ask us as soon as we walk in the door." Lauren sighed but giggled softly afterwords, reaching her left hand over to my thigh and resting it there as I drove.

"They definitely will." I replied with a laugh. "We don't have to say anything. Some people think it's bad luck if you start telling people before the first trimester is over."