His Number Changed So I Changed My Life Chapter 15
I held the two plastic sticks, my hands trembling.
I made an OB-GYN appointment for the next day.
On the ultrasound, a tiny gestational sac appeared on the screen.
The doctor said I was seven weeks along and that everything looked normal.
She set the probe back on its tray and sat across from me.
“Do you want to continue the pregnancy?”
I opened my mouth, but I couldn’t give her an answer.
In the end, I told her I needed time to think.
She didn’t press me. She just explained which medications and foods to avoid and gave me an emergency number.
After leaving the clinic, I sat on a bench in a nearby park.
I pulled up my mother’s contact, my thumb hovering over the call button for a long time before I locked the screen.
Her heart had only recently stabilized. I couldn’t bear the thought of her worrying with me.
The sound of children’s laughter drifted over from the playground.
A few kids, maybe four or five years old, were playing on the slide. A little girl tumbled as she landed and scraped her palm.
She sat there in stunned silence for two seconds before her face crumpled and she burst into tears.
I stood up, ready to go see if she was okay.
But a tall man had already run over. He scooped her up and gently wiped her tears.
She stopped sobbing and held out her scraped hand for him to inspect.
He lowered his head and blew softly on her palm.
“Let me kiss it. It’ll feel better.”
She immediately broke into a smile, wrapped her arms around her father’s neck, and said she wanted her mom.
They left quickly, but I remained standing by the bench.
Years ago, Parker had rested his head in my lap, his cheek pressed against my stomach.
He’d said he wanted a daughter. He would attend every school play, he’d said, and pretend not to be nervous when she went on her first date.
He had even picked out a name.
Ruby Miller.
He said she would be the most precious jewel in our family.
I put a hand over my stomach. A sharp sting pricked the back of my nose.
This child had come at the worst possible time.