CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: The Heartbeat25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWgIavlboC7
(Her POV)
They didn’t go to a big hospital.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGArZSz5K2i
No fancy clinic.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC4hr6UwQjt
No white walls or high-end machines.
Just a local maternity center tucked in a sleepy town.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg0WIcJO25p
Walls painted pale yellow.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdinyKumeN8
Posters of smiling babies.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOr2KWk3b8f
A midwife who greeted them like they were old friends.
“First time, Miss?”
She nodded, clutching Matteo’s hand.
“First heartbeat?”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7e6NRFSvLf
“Yes.”
The midwife smiled.
“Then this will be your favorite sound in the world.”
She lay on the small exam bed.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRC3mEjH6YJ
Matteo sat beside her, his hand gripping hers so tightly their knuckles matched in color.
The gel was cold.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfNnIFu5BKR
The probe gentle.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7RNBEmyIqA
Her nerves, chaotic.
Then—
A sound.
Thump-thump.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ28HP1gC2rd
Thump-thump.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOz8v2bNzNr
Thump-thump.
Fast.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0iGPrb2U9t
Strong.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMxD6AELABT
Alive.
She gasped.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQH7ZsICG5w
Eyes instantly watering.
Matteo didn’t move at first.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7lmwA6It3F
Just stared at the screen.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡITy3EFbqVK
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.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyN7hPOjP21
Then her temple.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSxMhCDiEZ2
Then, without thinking, pressed his forehead to her belly again.
“You hear that?” he said softly.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdOyC9xHSd6
“You’re not alone anymore.”
Later, they went to the market.
She picked out tiny mittens.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjMkubhb2z9
A white beanie.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7CkEVyrxUv
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.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg4zjpjSTHv
Not running.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEda3GDJNQS
Not hiding.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoJ8rFidbUh
Just being.
That night, back in their motel room—
He held her belly as they lay in bed.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVrWUTyVY5Q
Whispering stories.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3XTawZelpr
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.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3npFDOWzez
Just turned and kissed his chest.
“No,” she said.
ns216.73.217.11da2“I know you will be.”
