and measuring before filing all the photos and going back to the monitor that showed their baby.
Elijah smiled, grinning ear to ear.
“What are you smiling about?” Charity asked him.
“Am I smiling?” He tried to stop, but the corners of his mouth twitched upward. “The baby is doing great. There are no abnormalities or issues to be concerned about. I’m excited.” He leaned down and kissed her. “Happy.”
Danielle rotated the monitor so they could both see it better. “I’m not supposed to say anything, but you are a doctor.” She moved the ultrasound around Charity’s belly. “Do you want to know what you are having?”
Charity nodded, suddenly too afraid to speak.
The screen focussed on the baby’s mid-section. “It looks like you are going to be painting the room—”
“Pink!” Elijah said loudly.
“It’s a girl?” Charity felt herself grinning. “And I was so sure it was a boy.” She looked excitedly at Elijah, who was all smiles. “A girl.”
“A girl.” He sounded as dorky as she did.
Charity loved it. The moment couldn’t get any better. It was right up there with their wedding.
“A very active one.” Danielle pointed to the midsection. “She’s proving to you she’s a girl. Congratulations.” She held the ultrasound on the baby and showed the baby’s femurs, feet, hands. “She likes sucking her thumb.”
“What’s that?” Charity pointed as the baby’s body suddenly began spasming. “Is she okay?”
“She’s got the hiccups. You may have already felt them a number of times.” Danielle moved to the baby’s head. “You are actually closer to twenty-two weeks than twenty. Your stomach is still pretty tiny, but this is your first baby and you have strong abdominal muscles. Don’t be surprised if you start popping out now.” She grinned. “And then pop back in again. You look like the exercising type.”
Charity giggled, on a high about seeing the baby. It made it all real now. “Haven’t been doing much exercising or dancing since I found out I was pregnant.”
“I’m sure you’re busier than you realize.” Danielle patted her own stomach. “It’s the fourth one that leaves all the baggage.”
“You have four?” Charity had figured Danielle was younger than she was. “You look fantastic!”
Danielle laughed. “Running after them, and loving every minute of it. Some people say kids make you old, but I believe they keep you young.”
“Words to live by,” Elijah said.
“Except at three in the morning when the baby is crying and doesn’t want to sleep.” Danielle winked. “Then you feel incredibly old and you wonder how you ever survived university with no sleep.” She handed Charity some paper towels. “I’m all done here. Dr. Govender will have the detailed results at your next appointment with him.” She gave Elijah a four by six sheet of paper. “Congratulations again.” She stood. “I’ll be outside so take your time.” She slipped quietly through the door.
Charity wiped the gel off her belly and sat up. “What did she hand you?”
Elijah held it up. “Our first baby picture.”
Charity squinted at the little picture, making out all her little features. “She’s gorgeous.”
“We did that.” He tapped the printed photo. “You and me. We made her.”
She thought back to earlier today and frowned. She didn’t want this moment ruined by anything or anyone. She put her hand over her belly feeling a new sense of protection. This little girl of theirs was innocent and utterly vulnerable. No one was going to touch or hurt her. Ever. Mama bear protecting her cub. She smiled. It was a line her mother used to say to her when she was little.
She hoped she could be half the mom her mother had been. Tears filled her eyes as she stood. She moved so Elijah wouldn’t see them. A painful lump formed in her throat and she tried unsuccessfully to swallow it down.
His warm arms encircled her and held her tight. “Crazy
Elijah smiled, grinning ear to ear.
“What are you smiling about?” Charity asked him.
“Am I smiling?” He tried to stop, but the corners of his mouth twitched upward. “The baby is doing great. There are no abnormalities or issues to be concerned about. I’m excited.” He leaned down and kissed her. “Happy.”
Danielle rotated the monitor so they could both see it better. “I’m not supposed to say anything, but you are a doctor.” She moved the ultrasound around Charity’s belly. “Do you want to know what you are having?”
Charity nodded, suddenly too afraid to speak.
The screen focussed on the baby’s mid-section. “It looks like you are going to be painting the room—”
“Pink!” Elijah said loudly.
“It’s a girl?” Charity felt herself grinning. “And I was so sure it was a boy.” She looked excitedly at Elijah, who was all smiles. “A girl.”
“A girl.” He sounded as dorky as she did.
Charity loved it. The moment couldn’t get any better. It was right up there with their wedding.
“A very active one.” Danielle pointed to the midsection. “She’s proving to you she’s a girl. Congratulations.” She held the ultrasound on the baby and showed the baby’s femurs, feet, hands. “She likes sucking her thumb.”
“What’s that?” Charity pointed as the baby’s body suddenly began spasming. “Is she okay?”
“She’s got the hiccups. You may have already felt them a number of times.” Danielle moved to the baby’s head. “You are actually closer to twenty-two weeks than twenty. Your stomach is still pretty tiny, but this is your first baby and you have strong abdominal muscles. Don’t be surprised if you start popping out now.” She grinned. “And then pop back in again. You look like the exercising type.”
Charity giggled, on a high about seeing the baby. It made it all real now. “Haven’t been doing much exercising or dancing since I found out I was pregnant.”
“I’m sure you’re busier than you realize.” Danielle patted her own stomach. “It’s the fourth one that leaves all the baggage.”
“You have four?” Charity had figured Danielle was younger than she was. “You look fantastic!”
Danielle laughed. “Running after them, and loving every minute of it. Some people say kids make you old, but I believe they keep you young.”
“Words to live by,” Elijah said.
“Except at three in the morning when the baby is crying and doesn’t want to sleep.” Danielle winked. “Then you feel incredibly old and you wonder how you ever survived university with no sleep.” She handed Charity some paper towels. “I’m all done here. Dr. Govender will have the detailed results at your next appointment with him.” She gave Elijah a four by six sheet of paper. “Congratulations again.” She stood. “I’ll be outside so take your time.” She slipped quietly through the door.
Charity wiped the gel off her belly and sat up. “What did she hand you?”
Elijah held it up. “Our first baby picture.”
Charity squinted at the little picture, making out all her little features. “She’s gorgeous.”
“We did that.” He tapped the printed photo. “You and me. We made her.”
She thought back to earlier today and frowned. She didn’t want this moment ruined by anything or anyone. She put her hand over her belly feeling a new sense of protection. This little girl of theirs was innocent and utterly vulnerable. No one was going to touch or hurt her. Ever. Mama bear protecting her cub. She smiled. It was a line her mother used to say to her when she was little.
She hoped she could be half the mom her mother had been. Tears filled her eyes as she stood. She moved so Elijah wouldn’t see them. A painful lump formed in her throat and she tried unsuccessfully to swallow it down.
His warm arms encircled her and held her tight. “Crazy
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