Ever After New York

It's Real.

Hero and I were sitting in the health center waiting room on the morning of my first prenatal exam. Because I stormed out of my last checkup, they didn't get to complete an ultrasound which is the reason we are here today.

I look beside me and see Hero bouncing his knee up and down as he frantically runs his hands through his hair.

I smile and nudge him gently, making him look at me with wide eyes. "What? Are you okay?"

"I can ask you the same thing." I laugh before taking his hand. "There's no reason to be nervous. They're just going to take a look at the baby that's all."

"I know." He huffs. "I'm still trying to get used to this, that's all."

"Well, I just hope these nine months go by quickly because I want to be done with all of this." I sigh.

I look back over and see Hero looking at me with a blank expression, but he doesn't say anything.

"You don't have to come in if you don't want to. I'll just show you a picture after."

Hero quickly nods in agreement. "That sounds good."

Just then, the door opens, and a nurse comes out. "Josephine?"

I squeeze Hero's hand before standing up. "That's me."

"He's ready for you." The nurse smiles.

Before I can even take a step, Hero grips my hand and I look down at him at confusion. "What?"

"He?"

"Yes... my gynecologist is a man."

Within seconds, Hero is up and practically through the door. "Come on, Jo. No time to waste!"

The nurse looks at me with a puzzled expression as I follow behind.

Dr. Monroe greats us with a smile as we walk into the examination room. "Hello, Josephine. Lovely to see you again."

"Dr. Monroe, this is my boyfriend Hero. Hero, this is Dr. Monroe. He went to medical school with my parents."

"Oh dear, I'm so sorry." Hero says extending his hand.

I nudge him in annoyance but can't help the smile spreading across my lips.

Dr. Monroe shakes Hero's hand. "Pleasure to meet you. You've got yourself a wonderful young lady here."

Hero narrows his eyes, but I quickly clear my throat before things become more awkward. "Shall we?"

"Yes." Dr. Monroe says as he dims the lights. "Lay down on the examining table and we'll get you out of here in no time."

Hero helps me onto the table, and he slides a chair over to sit next to me. Dr. Monroe washes his hands, slips on a pair of gloves, then pulls a projector over to the side of the table. From underneath the projector, he takes out a chord with some sort of wand at the end of it and a tube full of blue gel. "Alright my dear, can you lift your shirt for me?"

Hero glares up at him but thankfully bites his tongue. I lift my shirt, so it rests underneath my chest as Dr. Monroe pours the cold gel just below my naval. "Okay, let's see if we can get a clear image today." He presses the wand over the gel and moves it around. Hero and I watch the screen as it comes into focus. The image appeared to be one giant mass until Dr. Monroe moves over a black hole with a small speck attached to it. "There it is."

"Is that the baby?" Hero asks.

"Yup. This black hole right here is the uterus, and the baby is sitting inside of it. Right now, your baby only has its eyes and face."