CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: The Heartbeat26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfqbQ8CFkPG
(Her POV)
They didn’t go to a big hospital.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡftQJZCkSpr
No fancy clinic.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa3bzP9SIUV
No white walls or high-end machines.
Just a local maternity center tucked in a sleepy town.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrMSexQaRoX
Walls painted pale yellow.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjeTVV0XW89
Posters of smiling babies.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAGKGsaNzv4
A midwife who greeted them like they were old friends.
“First time, Miss?”
She nodded, clutching Matteo’s hand.
“First heartbeat?”26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrrEZdnBALG
“Yes.”
The midwife smiled.
“Then this will be your favorite sound in the world.”
She lay on the small exam bed.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFUxJNFxBre
Matteo sat beside her, his hand gripping hers so tightly their knuckles matched in color.
The gel was cold.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwsxuwNwND2
The probe gentle.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ57TeNLoi6I
Her nerves, chaotic.
Then—
A sound.
Thump-thump.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl1moNeJdB7
Thump-thump.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb1jKLc9PyG
Thump-thump.
Fast.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ86zNrQZQRv
Strong.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡop4EHrGghw
Alive.
She gasped.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIamg1DGZa0
Eyes instantly watering.
Matteo didn’t move at first.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsgPM0V4FLP
Just stared at the screen.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF3Bz5fOVSl
At the flicker.
Then his shoulders shook.
And a tear slipped down his cheek.
“That’s them?” he whispered.
The midwife smiled again.
“That’s your baby.”
He kissed her hand.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9lnZlNHt5a
Then her temple.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmu0mBM479i
Then, without thinking, pressed his forehead to her belly again.
“You hear that?” he said softly.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeYbIZ3DhFU
“You’re not alone anymore.”
Later, they went to the market.
She picked out tiny mittens.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyhchTxHrYe
A white beanie.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8EHeDPflP8
One soft yellow onesie with a bear print.
Matteo picked a pacifier that said “heartbreaker.”
“Too soon?” he grinned.
“Way too soon,” she laughed, but kept it.
They walked hand in hand.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUrYqozPptN
Not running.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvd7HSBDKej
Not hiding.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRRM859K7ps
Just being.
That night, back in their motel room—
He held her belly as they lay in bed.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMY8shWdE2Z
Whispering stories.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF1a61o4bxs
Humming lullabies he barely remembered from childhood.
“Do you think I’ll be a good father?” he asked suddenly.
She didn’t answer right away.26Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeuzbopkvOS
Just turned and kissed his chest.
“No,” she said.
ns216.73.217.11da2“I know you will be.”
