Page 101 of Finding Fate

She shuts off the fluorescent light, making it a little more relaxing and intimate with just the light on at her station and the ultrasound table. “Hop on the table and we’ll get a look.”

I set my purse on the chair inside the door and do as instructed, trying to take a deep breath as she taps keys on the keyboard. She turns and pushes up my shirt to my bra, leaving my swollen belly exposed, and then she takes the disposable paper blanket and tucks it over the waistband of my pants. I’m so nervous. Konnor leans down and kisses me again, as if he knows, and then he smiles. “It’s time to find out the winner.”

The pretty brunette smiles at us. “Are we taking bets on the sex?” the X-ray technician asks as she grabs a tube from its holder before coming to my direct side. “This is going to be warm.”

I watch her squirt the jelly on my stomach in a glob. “I think it’s a boy. He says it’s a girl.”

“Interesting. More times than not I hear the opposite.” She rolls the wand around in the jelly, spreading it over my flesh as she looks at her computer screen. “I like these ultrasounds. They’re more fun. Do we have names picked out yet?”

I glance at Konnor on my other side with a grin. We’ve been back and forth over this for months before finally deciding last night. The names have changed umpteen dozen times. He’s always supportive of my crazy indecisive mind, giving his opinion but mostly leaving it up to me. It’s harder than I thought. Our name sticks with us forever. I’m trying not to take it lightly, but I was set on having it picked out by the time we found out what the baby is. I wanted to leave from here knowing our baby’s name. “Speak now or forever hold your peace,” I tell him.

He grabs my hand and leans down next to me, propping his weight on his forearms now taking a sliver of the table beside me. “I’m good. I think these are the right ones.”

She glances at me when I turn to her. “Kade Aston Baker if it’s a boy to share his dad’s middle name and initials. Kylar Anne Baker if it’s a girl to take my middle name and her dad’s initials.”

“Excellent choices! Both are super fun and pretty too. Let’s meet this special little one. It’ll be the boring stuff first and then we’ll get to the goods.”

I turn my head to the opposite side. He’s so close. “The defining moment,” he says. “Team pink or team blue.”

My heart swells. I’m so overwhelmed. “I’m glad I get to do this with you.”

“Me too.”

A swishing sounds fills the room. “Here’s your little cub.”

We both glance at the overhead television. My heart somersaults as I stare at the little profile of a baby. You can see it all clearly; a torso and head with perfect little lips and a nose. It’s hard to believe at just halfway it looks so developed. I tear up. “And that’s its heart beating?”

“Sure is. Nice and strong.”

Relief washes over me. She moves the wand and I jump when the baby starts moving unexpectedly from the still image I was just looking at. Little nub-like parts are moving around. “What is that?”

She presses a knob every few seconds and stretches out a line here and there on the screen like she’s measuring body parts. “Knees. Looks like we have a little wiggle worm. Give me a second and I’ll get a foot or hand. I just have to check all the organs and take measurements.”

I glance at Konnor, who is staring at the screen as if he can’t look away. My heart soars. It’s a beautiful view. He smiles. “Five fingers.”

I look back at the screen, but she’s already moved to something else, the wand lower on my abdomen, and suddenly I see the bottom of a small foot. Before I can say anything, I start laughing. “It has your feet.”

“What? All feet look the same. How can you even tell?”

“All feet do not look the same,” I argue. “How can you not tell? They look just like your feet?”

“How do you even know what my feet look like?”

I squint at him. “Because I’ve seen them for twenty years.”

He shakes his head at me like I’m nuts. Do guys not pay attention to detail? It’s obvious. They’re shaped exactly like his from top to bottom. Mine are narrower all the way down. His are wider at the top. “Hi, Mom. Hi, Dad.”

When she moves the wand this time it’s a frontal. Large eye sockets are staring at us. “It kind of looks like an alien,” Konnor comments. “Will the eyes go to normal?”

“Yep. All perfectly normal. In the beginning of a pregnancy they’re actually on the side. As it develops and progresses, they draw in to the front and get more proportionate.”

“Okay.”

“Ready for the fun part?”

“I’m so ready,” I tell her as I squeeze Konnor’s hand. My heart is palpitating and my nerves are on edge.”

“Final answer. What do you think it is?”