Chapter 22: Checkup

For the remainder of the party, there was a tension that never fully left. Jared seemed happy that he had succeeded in upsetting his brother. It made me feel disgust towards him.

I couldn't even focus on the conversations around me. After Dax had left, my mind was being filled with concern for him.

How could anyone do that to their own sibling? Jared should not have brought that up so publicly. That matter should be between the two of them. This made me dislike Jared even more than I did after he made a move on me.

Dax never returned to the party after his brother's words to him. I hardly remembered anything about the party once he was gone. It was like everything had flipped upside down after seeing such drama.

The rest of the evening flew by, and it was time to go to sleep. I crawled into bed and hoped that Dax would be okay before going to sleep.

When I woke up, I decided to get ready quickly. After I got dressed, there was a knock on my door.

Dax stood outside and asked, “Are you ready to go to your two-month checkup?”

I remembered our agreement to have monthly checkups. I appreciated that he wanted to accompany me. He didn’t have to do that, but it was nice that he wanted to join.

“Yes, I’m ready,” I told him.

I definitely felt nervous at having this checkup compared to the first month. We were going to be able to see the sonogram. This was a big step in the pregnancy, especially since it was my first one.

Dax opened the car door for me, and I carefully got in. With my bump, I didn’t want to be careless; I wanted the baby to be the healthiest state possible.

I had also been taking other precautions during my pregnancy. I hadn’t touched a drop of alcohol in two months, and I knew what other things I should avoid.

As we were on the ride, I decided to try to have a conversation. “Are you as nervous as I am?”

He answered back, “No I don’t feel nervous at all. I’m confident that everything will be okay.”

“What makes you say that?”

Dax looked at me during a stoplight and said, “You’ve been doing all the right things and are healthy. There's nothing to worry about.

His words reassured me and were nice to hear. He thought I was doing a great job throughout this. Maybe I was more nervous, since I was the one carrying this baby. He had the easier position.

My nerves were still there when we got closer and closer to the hospital. I heard my heart thudding loudly, which only added to what I was already feeling.

It was surreal to think that I was two months pregnant. Sometimes it seemed like it was just yesterday that I started this pregnancy. Time went by quickly while I had been living with Dax.

When we went inside, Dax said, “We’re here for an appointment with Dr. Conners."

The woman said, “He’ll be right out. He’s almost done seeing another patient.” She added, “Please sit over there until I call for you.”

We waited for a few minutes before a doctor came out to the waiting room. He looked at us and said, “Follow me back to the exam room.”

Shortly after we got there, he motioned for me to lie down on the exam table. Then he lifted up my shirt enough to expose my stomach before smearing a clear gel on my skin. It was quite cold against my skin and caused me to shiver.

I watched as he grabbed a handheld device and moved it across my abdomen. I felt a gentle pressure as he did this.

Now there was a picture showing up on a monitor nearby. I looked over with a sense of anticipation coming over me. This was the big reveal.

I understood what my own mother must have felt when she was going through the same thing. It was nice to have that connection to her, almost as if she was still with me.

Quickly, I focused back on what was happening. I would finally see how the baby was starting to look. The monitor only showed a small and indistinguishable shape. This shape didn’t even look human but made me feel something deep inside.

I couldn’t explain the feeling, but I knew it was something triggered by a sense of maternal instincts. The baby wasn’t even born, and I was already getting affected.

Seeing the image made me have a realization. I had the responsibility of someone else’s life in my hands. This was a baby starting to form. My baby.

I had to correct myself, as I remembered that I’d receive no parental rights. This was the point where I shouldn’t get too attached. I’d probably never see the baby after the day of birth.

A hint of sadness came flooding into me. It was going to be harder than I had ever imagined. How would I be able to give up the baby so easily now?

When I looked over at Dax, he seemed in awe of the image. I was surprised that he seemed fascinated.

I knew that he never had intentions of being a parent. This child was only an heir to him. I hoped that over time he would want to be a parent. My heart would hurt if he didn’t change his mind.

Who knew, maybe he’d grow a fondness for the child? I didn’t want the baby to end up unloved after I left. The baby wasn’t even born, but I was already growing an attachment. It was hard not to.

After we were done, Dax opened the exit door for me.

He turned to me and said, “That was interesting to see. I’m glad I came along.”

“I’m glad you did too.”

Dax walked us towards his car and stopped.

What was he up to? I never knew what to expect with him.

Dax gazed into my eyes and asked, “Would you like to join me for lunch?”

I was a little surprised at his offer. He had never wanted to eat with me before. Had something changed his mind?

Part of me wanted to answer right away but another said to make him wait. I didn’t want to appear to be too excited either and thought it over for a few seconds.

“I’ll join you,” I told him.

Dax actually smiled at me and said, “I’m glad to hear that. It is a very nice place.”

“What restaurant is it?”

Dax gave a knowing look and didn’t answer. I had to remind myself that we were just having lunch, and it wasn’t an official date. We were just two people having lunch together and nothing more.