CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: The Heartbeat20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQwlAPWCfpX
(Her POV)
They didn’t go to a big hospital.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOO7s3RfyYW
No fancy clinic.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiXN9jnhbvk
No white walls or high-end machines.
Just a local maternity center tucked in a sleepy town.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHWh2FZbD8I
Walls painted pale yellow.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKf0s9JdosZ
Posters of smiling babies.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ44uhvrl0Bl
A midwife who greeted them like they were old friends.
“First time, Miss?”
She nodded, clutching Matteo’s hand.
“First heartbeat?”20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf0CJd0X3Ob
“Yes.”
The midwife smiled.
“Then this will be your favorite sound in the world.”
She lay on the small exam bed.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdI6jumD8yT
Matteo sat beside her, his hand gripping hers so tightly their knuckles matched in color.
The gel was cold.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ84kc6863ZS
The probe gentle.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJf5zAD7Oy1
Her nerves, chaotic.
Then—
A sound.
Thump-thump.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8BYqIQ9qWv
Thump-thump.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0pyLrRQadN
Thump-thump.
Fast.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4tFvuarRsp
Strong.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoNIWz2rnuh
Alive.
She gasped.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjlRAtzMkbH
Eyes instantly watering.
Matteo didn’t move at first.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWePn73mbxM
Just stared at the screen.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjNzi1jGt1a
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.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡThbKyRfQ8L
Then her temple.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBgjREuzlne
Then, without thinking, pressed his forehead to her belly again.
“You hear that?” he said softly.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbf4MikrqAz
“You’re not alone anymore.”
Later, they went to the market.
She picked out tiny mittens.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ01mfY6RHEZ
A white beanie.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2EdGbBWyX6
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.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1c5DfWxjvS
Not running.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkIF81G6fpO
Not hiding.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfprR4Okp4C
Just being.
That night, back in their motel room—
He held her belly as they lay in bed.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwWfL23JkHq
Whispering stories.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhi1tkOXFcc
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.20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg1zOi23k3j
Just turned and kissed his chest.
“No,” she said.
ns216.73.216.239da2“I know you will be.”
