Problems in Paradise

Chapter 9

A few more weeks passed, and Leland still hadn't proposed – and I was still throwing up. I hadn't told anyone about being sick because a week into it, I knew what the problem was. I was due for my monthly visitor and hadn't gotten it in nearly two months. I booked an appointment, but I wanted to go alone. I didn't want to tell Leland until I was certain.

When I got to the doctor's office, I sat down close to the door. I was jittery and it was cold, so my legs and hands wouldn't stop shaking. Finally, the nurse came out.

"Annilise Chapman?" I didn't get up. The nurse called again, and finally I got up, realizing I'd forgotten my fake new identity I hadn't changed back.

"Anni," I shook hands with the nurse. "I haven't been called Annilise since grade school. I'm sorry," I lied to her.

"It's alright, sweetheart." She walked me to a back room. I recognized the ultrasound machine. "Do you know how far along you are? You've got a little bump there!"

"Actually, I, um, this is actually my first appointment."

"Aww, honey! Is this your first?" I shook my head. "Well a second is just as great!"

"My first one...she didn't..." I trailed off.

"I'm so sorry, honey..." the nurse didn't know what to say. "Well, this is exciting! Does your husband know yet?"

"I haven't told him yet," she nodded. "I wanted to be sure first. Just in case," I added quickly.

"Understandable," she said.

"Now, this is gonna be cold," she said, rubbing the ultrasound gel on my stomach. I knew I had a bump, so she skipped the first step, the original pregnancy test. I knew I was. I just wasn't sure for how long. A few minutes later, she pulled up the picture on the machine.

"Do you wanna know the genders?" She asked, smiling.

"Can we start with the due date?" I asked her.

"Absolutely!" She walked out to get the doctor. When the doctor came in, she felt around my stomach and looked through the video feed from the ultrasound.

"It looks like they should be ready to come out in about twenty-three to twenty-five weeks!"

23 to 25...that's 5 months. That means I would be 4 months pregnant.

"Five months?" I asked her.

"Just about, yeah! That puts your due date around...September 27th."

Then it hit me. The genders. They. "Am I having twins?" I asked them. Both the nurse and doctor nodded excitedly. "Are they...are they okay? Are they girls?" The thought of having another daughter both frightened and excited me.

"They are both perfectly healthy," the doctor said, "both the girl and the boy."

I left the doctor's office not knowing what to do with any of the information. If I was four months pregnant, that put the date conceived at the end of February. That night in the shower. The first time we ever...the worst nightmare I'd ever had. I didn't know what to do or how to feel. I sat on the couch and waited for Leland to get home. I couldn't wait that long, so I called Lyssa.

"What's up sista?"

"Lys, can you...?"

"Annabelle, what's wrong?"

"Can you come over?" I asked her, trying not to cry.

"I'm on my way."

When she got there, I told her everything. I told her about the doctor's office, about the time after the restaurant, about the first night. I told her the genders, my fears about having another daughter, how I was scared to tell Leland – all of it.

"Oh honey," she said to me when I was finished. "Leland will be thrilled. You just need to relax and rest." I took her advice and went straight to bed.