Let me love you. ✔

You owe me

Nova

Flashback

I leave Dallas's apartment early in the morning. He stayed so calm and understanding. I can't believe he isn't mad at me for putting him through this. I would have been.

We talked until late and he helped me with my decision. I think it's a decision that is good for both of us. I slept on his couch when he wouldn't let me take a cab in the middle of the night and he even offered to bring me back to my house in the morning.

I declined. He has done enough for me and starting from today, I want him to live his life without feeling the need to take care of me. A thing that can only happen if I won't let him.

We are good, though. Of course, he is hurt and maybe even more than I will ever know. But we're good and I'm sure he finds his happy ever after.

***
Present.

My legs won't stop bouncing and my hands are clammy. I keep on rubbing them down my pants until Hannah takes both of them and tells me to calm down.

I'll remember you about this day when it's your turn, Hannah.

"Miss da Silva?" A young man looks through the waiting room and I'm ready to make a run.

What the heck. My obstetrician-gynecologist is a guy! Why didn't I do my research better? Hannah pulls me up by my arm and pushes me toward him.

He extends his hand and smiles warmly. "I'm Nikki Albon. Nice to meet you."

Hannah follows me and we both take place at his desk. We go over regular things and he makes me a clinic card before he asks me to take place in another room for my first sonogram.

While preparing me, he explained that a sonogram reflects sound waves to produce a picture of the fetus. The picture will be displayed on the tv screen in black and white. He'll take pictures to be saved as part of my medical record and for me to take home.

He smiles and says. "You're ready?"

No. "Yes." I reach out for Hannah's hand and squeeze it tight. I watch the screen impatiently. Not that I have a clue what I'm looking at. He frowns and replaces the device.

What was that? Don't tell me I'm not pregnant.

He keeps on replacing the device, making me more worried. I glance at Hannah and she gives me a reassuring smile.

"There it is!" He suddenly says and the faint sound of a heartbeat reaches my ears.

My eyes shoot back at the screen and tears run down my face seeing and hearing my baby for the first time. It's much bigger than I expected.

Hannah hugs me from the side, admiring the screen like me. "Can you believe that! It's already a real little human."

"I know." Staring at it in awe.

Doctor Albon explains that I'm approximately fifteen weeks into my pregnancy. That's not news, though.

Thank goodness, everything looks normal but he wants to combine this appointment with blood tests and screens for the most frequent congenital anomalies such as Down syndrome, Hepatitis, HIV, Syphilis, Iron levels, and certain congenital heart and skeletal malformations.