Pandora's Box

8 - White picket fence

8 - WHITE PICKET FENCE

"Ms. Williams, your next." The slightly chubby nurse said.

I nudged Stephen at his side and he looked up from his phone. He's been playing 4 pics 1 word ever since we arrived here.

"It's our turn." I said.

I stood up and Stephen followed suit, closing his phone in the process. He placed his hand at the small of my back and we walked towards the room.

"Are you excited?" Stephen asked. This is the first time he went with me to the doctor and this is also the first time we will see the baby.

"Of course I am. I mean, who wouldn't, right?"

He just gave me a little smile before we continued to walk in silence. We arrived at our destination and the nurse opened the door for us. We went inside and closed the door.

"It's good to see you again, Ms. Williams." My doctor, Doctor Carlos said with a smile.

"And I presume this is the father of your child?" She asked with curiousity.

"Yes, I am. I'm Stephen Portman." They shook hands and after that we sat down on the cushioned seats.

"So you're here for you first ultrasound?"

We both nodded.

"Good. Follow me." She stood up and we followed her into a room connected to her office. The place has a sort of a bed in the middle and there's a monitor beside it. There are other equipments I can't identify scattered around the room.

"Ms. Williams you can lie here. Oh and if you don't mind, can you please remove your pants?"

"Why?" I asked, feeling shy.

"It's necessary to remove your pants so it won't get gel on it and also so I will be able to move the wand more freely." She said with a patient smile.

"Stephen, turn around." I ordered.

"What? Why? I already saw all of it."

I'm sure I must look like a tomato right now.

"That's not the freaking point!"

"Fine, fine." He said before turning around. I quickly shimmied out of my pants before rushing towards the bed and pulling the covers up until it reached just below my tummy.

"You can turn now."

Stephen turned around and went to sit on the chair placed beside the bed.

"Are you ready now Ms. Williams?"

"Yeah."

The doctor raised my blouse and said, "This might be a little cold."

Dr. Carlos applied a cold gel on my now bulging stomach. I need to buy new clothes to fit my body. Then she placed the wand on my tummy and started moving it around. At first, we saw nothing.

After a few more seconds Dr. Carlos said, "There it is!"

I looked harder and true enough, we saw it. Sunshine already has hands and limbs. I can outline his body in the monitor. I felt tears prick my eyes.  I looked at Stephen only to find him with an expression of awe on his face.

"Do you want to hear the heartbeat?" Dr. Carlos asked and we said yes. She presed something on a machine and then we heard a soft thumping in the room. My eyes immediately turned towards the monitor and this time, I can't help it. Tears started sliding down my cheeks. I felt Stephen's hand searching for mine and when he found it he gave it a squeeze and gave me a smile so bright, it outshined the sun.