Mistake or malice?
Enrico
I was still shaking, and my heart felt like it was about to jump out of my chest due to the tension generated by the doctor's words about Rachel's baby. I mentally corrected myself to call it "our baby". It was my reluctance to fully accept Rachel's situation that led us to that hospital room, with the agonizing possibility that something terrible had happened.
"I'm scared," Rachel confessed in a low voice.
She lay on a stretcher while the doctor applied gel to her belly to perform an ultrasound that would reveal the precise condition of our baby. It filled me with fear and guilt, especially given my earlier insistence.
"We have to have faith, my love," I said, trying to convey strength I didn't feel myself. "Nothing bad has happened."
Soon, the doctor began to explain, "As I mentioned before, small bleedings can occur during pregnancy, especially in situations of conflict or stress, like what Ms. Mitchell experienced."
We had informed the doctor about the hectic day and Rachel's recovery after losing one of the babies. The doctor decided to perform a new ultrasound to ensure everything was okay with our child.
Despite not experiencing physical pain, Rachel noticed when the bleeding occurred, prompting us to rush to the hospital, especially after what happened last time, an event I'd rather not recall.
"Now, let's check on your baby," the doctor said.
Rachel and I fixed our gaze on the monitor in front of us, our hands tightly intertwined, setting aside all our troubles, because the most crucial thing was right there before us, even if we couldn't fully comprehend it.
"I can't make sense of anything, doctor," Rachel expressed, voicing exactly what I was thinking.
However, instead of promptly addressing Rachel's concern, Dr. Learns frowned and remained silent, as if he too was struggling to interpret what he saw on the black and white screen.
"Dr. Learns?" I asked, feeling a lump in my throat.
"I think there might be a mistake..." the doctor began, interrupting my question.
"What kind of mistake, doctor?" I asked, horrified.
"Is my child okay, doctor? Tell me!" Rachel pleaded, her body visibly trembling now.
"Please calm down, Ms. Mitchell," the doctor requested, trying to convey calmness and even displaying a timid smile. "Let me just confirm something."
Although I tried to reassure Rachel with a comforting squeeze of her hand, I felt no trace of calm or tranquility. On the contrary, the tension was mounting. Yet, I wasn't the one "pregnant," and I needed to be a source of strength for her. So, I nervously smiled as we waited for the doctor to move the device repeatedly over her prominent belly.
However, as I witnessed the images on the monitor, I struggled to comprehend or believe what I was seeing. I tried to convince myself that I was just confused by the images on the screen, refusing to accept the truth.
"Doctor... those on the screen are..." Rachel began, expressing nervousness, and I realized I wasn't the only one bewildered by the images on the screen.
"That's right, Ms. Mitchell, what you're seeing," confirmed the doctor, voicing aloud what neither of us dared to articulate. "There are two babies on the screen."
"But how is that possible!?" I questioned, still feeling deceived by my senses.
"I can't explain what happened in the previous scan, but here it's evident that there are two fetuses developing fully in your uterus," Dr. Learns said with a broader smile now. "You're having twins. Would you like to know the genders of your babies?"
Amid emotional tears and heartfelt sobs, Rachel looked at me with a clear question, and I responded with a nod, though I attempted to correct myself immediately.
"Do you want to?" I asked with difficulty, feeling a lump in my throat.
"Yes," Rachel confirmed, repeating the same to Dr. Learns. "We want to know the genders of our babies, Dr. Learns."
"You'll have a handsome boy and a beautiful girl."
The emotion was overwhelming, and though I wanted to kiss my wife, the presence of the doctor and nurse in the room demanded respect. I opted to touch her forehead in a kiss full of meaning.
"I love you, Rachel," I declared emotionally. "And I love our children too. I'm sure they're mine. I trust you, my love."
"We love you too. Very much."
**********
After the completion of the comprehensive examination that definitively confirmed our babies were well, Rachel was moved to a room where the doctor decided to keep her under observation until the next day when we were finally cleared to go home.
During that period, I didn't leave Rachel's side for a single minute, especially after the mistaken diagnosis of the baby's loss. I planned to thoroughly investigate what had happened once Rachel was fully recovered and secure in our room at Joseph's house.
In the days that followed, I stayed by Rachel's side as much as possible. She seemed more beautiful and radiant each day as things gradually resolved and we had our two babies developing in her belly.
The situation with Thompson was resolved as he was arrested, and Dorothy disappeared after I made it clear that I had no intention of getting closer to her and that I didn't consider her my mother, but merely a biological parent. Sadly, I couldn't unravel the mysterious reason that brought her to Seattle after so many years of complete absence from my life.
Sarah visited us daily, showing increasing happiness. Now that she was back on her feet, she seemed more self-assured, not letting others' opinions sway her, but following her convictions.
Even my father displayed renewed joy and greater enthusiasm after reconnecting with his youthful girlfriend, who, by an incredible coincidence, is also Kael's mother. This circumstance only strengthened the bonds between our families.
"There's just one thing missing to make me completely happy and satisfied," Rachel said a few days later.
I had just won another race on the world circuit, which left me over the moon, poised to win the championship with a considerable lead over the second-place contender, Lorenzo Fiori, who is now a great friend. The last leg had been in Mexico, allowing me to return home the same day and be with my fiancée, the future mother of my children.
Now, we were in bed, embraced and discussing our future together, making plans for the family we were building.
"What can I do to make you completely happy then?" I asked, holding her tighter in my arms. "I'll do anything you want."
"I want you to take a DNA test for our children," Rachel said, surprising me and even causing a bit of irritation. "I don't want there to be any doubts between us."
"I have no doubt about the paternity of our children," I replied, a bit agitated. "You said they're mine, and I believe you! That's enough for me."
"I want a paternity test, Enrico," Rachel asserted firmly. "I don't want to hear 'you said they're mine' again. They are yours, and I want to rub this test in your face."
Rachel's bold declaration caught me off guard, but I couldn't help but laugh at how she expressed it.
"Rub it in my face?" I repeated, incredulous. "I thought we were good and happy."
I was teasing, but Rachel didn't let herself be distracted, pressing on with the matter.
"Are you going to take this test or not, Enrico?"
"Alright," I agreed, not seeing any issue in indulging my bold fiancée's mischievous request. "You can rub that test in my face. But take it easy, or I might have to charge you for it somehow..."
Instead of getting annoyed by my teasing, Rachel threw herself into my arms and showered me with sensual kisses, leading us into something much less contentious and much more delightful.
Everything was falling into place, and I couldn't be happier than I already felt.
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