One Heart (One Kiss Book 2)

20. Heartbeat

Drew

We are seven weeks and a half into the pregnancy and I am accompanying Haley to the doctor for an ultrasound. I skipped classes to be able to make it to the doctor with Haley but I know I will catch up eventually. Haley has started her final exams but she does not seem too stressed about them. She seems more relaxed now than before she told me about the baby.

Ashley took the day off to drive us to the clinic but she wants to wait for us in the car to give us privacy. I appreciate that but I also want her to be part of this big moment.

"Come in with us," Haley urges her.

"No," my mother insists. "This moment is just for the two of you. You can show me the ultrasound photo afterwards."

"But you're the baby's grandmother," I tell her.

"I know but I would like to give you some privacy."

I drop the argument because I know I cannot win against her.

Haley and I enter the clinic and we wait for fifteen minutes before the nurse calls us in. Haley holds my hand throughout the entire process as the doctor spills some cold – judging by Haley's wince – liquid on Haley's small baby bump. The doctor uses a device to spread the liquid over the bump and looks at the monitor connected to the device. He adjusts it accordingly to show us the little bean.

"It's so small," Haley says in astonishment.

I smile at our little bean.

"Everything looks right," the doctor tells us. He presses something and we hear a heartbeat. "The heart is beating strong. Excellent."

At the sound of the baby's heartbeat, Haley gasps and puts her free hand to her mouth as tears form in her eyes.

"Amazing," I whisper. Tears also form in my eyes.

This moment is everything. Now I understand why my mother wanted to give us privacy. It is an intimate moment between the parents when they see their baby for the first time together and when they hear the heartbeat for the first time.

Haley looks at me with happy tears running down her cheeks. "That's our baby," she whispers.

"Yeah, it is."

"I will see you in five weeks for another checkup," the doctor tells us. He hands us a copy of a snapshot of the ultrasound.

That was fast. I did not even realize he was printing it.

"We should frame it," I tell Haley.

"Yeah," she agrees with a happy smile, taking the photo in her hand.

The doctor wipes the liquid away from her baby bump and we thank him before we make our way out.

When we show the photo to my mother in the car, she fights her tears away. The ultrasound got to our emotional sides.

I know Haley was uncertain about skipping a year or two to take care of her and the baby's health but she is very excited about the baby now. I just hope she does not give up on her dreams to continue her studies because of the baby. I believe she can do it all – she can be a mother and continue studying.