CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: The Heartbeat18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJSukvt61Zv
(Her POV)
They didn’t go to a big hospital.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEnndRQe4TB
No fancy clinic.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnmn6v0QO9D
No white walls or high-end machines.
Just a local maternity center tucked in a sleepy town.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ88Uaf1XXAE
Walls painted pale yellow.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcN1WhDyggB
Posters of smiling babies.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡERToEIITqb
A midwife who greeted them like they were old friends.
“First time, Miss?”
She nodded, clutching Matteo’s hand.
“First heartbeat?”18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoDo6fVfOgO
“Yes.”
The midwife smiled.
“Then this will be your favorite sound in the world.”
She lay on the small exam bed.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ78jQCvGZeV
Matteo sat beside her, his hand gripping hers so tightly their knuckles matched in color.
The gel was cold.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXorXyAto3T
The probe gentle.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb3kgaBn518
Her nerves, chaotic.
Then—
A sound.
Thump-thump.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzfufOZYAbe
Thump-thump.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQhxqaTuoRz
Thump-thump.
Fast.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIcCDbYK3QG
Strong.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVZ1AzZXOc6
Alive.
She gasped.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvcvLafjmTc
Eyes instantly watering.
Matteo didn’t move at first.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXbeR7BF0Bb
Just stared at the screen.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOjJCVZ7hCq
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.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJFKyDN2XOt
Then her temple.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEu1VQ3SdEO
Then, without thinking, pressed his forehead to her belly again.
“You hear that?” he said softly.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4rB6HBPP38
“You’re not alone anymore.”
Later, they went to the market.
She picked out tiny mittens.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIZilT7XTvf
A white beanie.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIu67BHNwea
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.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPSBQAd3oUm
Not running.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT027myvHtK
Not hiding.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Cp2GTeCek
Just being.
That night, back in their motel room—
He held her belly as they lay in bed.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwghuINOsYG
Whispering stories.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHQsAiRSrYS
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.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNdvjc5ZIG2
Just turned and kissed his chest.
“No,” she said.
ns216.73.216.203da2“I know you will be.”
