Alexis Miller [Editing]

Chapter twenty seven: This Is Goodbye

So it's been about four months since Ryder proposed. I told my mother, the girls and my brother about it.  They all reacted in the same way except for Tristan. Lately he has been fitting the fatherly role in my life by being a little too overprotective. Things between him and Ryder aren't exactly worked out yet but they are getting there. I hope.

He thinks that Ryder isn't good enough for me and that he will just break my heart like all the other times he has but I disagree with him. Yes Ryder has hurt me before but I've hurt him too so we are basically even. Tristan says Ryder is a major prick for getting me pregnant a second time. But of course, I stood up for him lying that I want this baby just as much as he does.

“Louis?"  Ryder looks over at me from his seat, “You ready?"  I give him an assuring smile before he grabs my hand in his, intertwining our fingers, then leads me into the next room.

“Hello Mr and Mrs Harrison, I'm Dr Hill and I'll be doing your ultrasound today. Take a seat." She gestures to the bed next to a really big computer. I do as told, taking a seat on the bed. Ryder sits in the chair beside the bed without letting go of my hand.

After a while it takes me time to realize what she has previously said, “It's Miller."  She looks at me confused and then I change my sentence, “I'm Alex Miller and he is Ryder Harrison."

“Oh, my apologies. I just saw the ring and thought..." She trails off in her sentence.

“We're are engaged," Ryder informs her.

She smiles at him then at me, “Oh okay, congratulations!" She claps her hands once, “Alright let's get this started." She tells me to lay down and that she is going to put a cold, smooth gel on top of my belly.

Dr Hill holds a small machine in her hand with a ball being the centre towards the tip. “Will we be able to see what gender?" Ryder asks with an eager expression.

“Well, we might just be able to but if we don't get to see it this time then by the next month, for sure." She replies.

I lay flat on the bed and then roll up my shirt just above my belly. She puts the cold gel on top and spreads it around using the small machine in her hand. She gestures her free hand towards the screen in front of me.“Okay so that's your baby."  My heart fills up with love and excitement as I see my baby for the first time. a huge grin is on my face.

It takes me back to the year of when I had Cora. The very first ultrasound I had with her is when I instantly fell in love. And I'm afraid to say, this ultrasound is having the same effect on me. Dr Hill moves the machine cross my belly, spreading the gel further. “So would you like to know the gender?"

Ryder nods his head with a wide toothy grin evident, “Okay, you are going to have..."  She spreads the gel again then continues, “a baby boy."

“Ah! Yes!" Ryder celebrates. We are having a boy. Never in my life would I have thought I was going to have children, let alone a boy. My head fills up with so many possible names to call my boy but then I remember my plan.

My mood instantly drops and Ryder sees my expressionless face, “Aren't you excited, babe?" I fake a smile but he sees through it.

“So that's it for today, here are two copies of your child, one for you,"  she hands over a printed black and white picture to Ryder, “And one for you." She puts the second picture in my hand and I just stare down at it, with a poker face. “We'll see you next month, yes?"

It is silent for a few moments before Ryder answers for me, “Yeah, see you next month." He grabs my hand, leading me out.

*****