CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: The Heartbeat43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkom2gV0Ma4
(Her POV)
They didn’t go to a big hospital.43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUHuj7D26VD
No fancy clinic.43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnKh8G4XHn6
No white walls or high-end machines.
Just a local maternity center tucked in a sleepy town.43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrlCKEXREcT
Walls painted pale yellow.43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYs2KG6CATL
Posters of smiling babies.43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ53QVkOpSgN
A midwife who greeted them like they were old friends.
“First time, Miss?”
She nodded, clutching Matteo’s hand.
“First heartbeat?”43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwRXLdRHADM
“Yes.”
The midwife smiled.
“Then this will be your favorite sound in the world.”
She lay on the small exam bed.43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJqZpzAUDLB
Matteo sat beside her, his hand gripping hers so tightly their knuckles matched in color.
The gel was cold.43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXVxF9eXBe4
The probe gentle.43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzAaXet6lhc
Her nerves, chaotic.
Then—
A sound.
Thump-thump.43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFQCXgzvL9N
Thump-thump.43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFc0As25jFU
Thump-thump.
Fast.43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ778fYYsnsm
Strong.43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAmtiwlGkeP
Alive.
She gasped.43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5jsakDUGjb
Eyes instantly watering.
Matteo didn’t move at first.43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsJ59c63A9E
Just stared at the screen.43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYpjzJH5QvM
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.43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsW3gdsmlVH
Then her temple.43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiEgIOiTWQn
Then, without thinking, pressed his forehead to her belly again.
“You hear that?” he said softly.43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvNa86ETkw3
“You’re not alone anymore.”
Later, they went to the market.
She picked out tiny mittens.43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeK3DIcxiue
A white beanie.43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj86E3gM9Ae
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.43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcrRUixtLER
Not running.43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD5dHKOuDC9
Not hiding.43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNbQ1BjbvAM
Just being.
That night, back in their motel room—
He held her belly as they lay in bed.43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0MUvV5zuVu
Whispering stories.43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNarlsAm16J
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.43Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAA11MJEzSV
Just turned and kissed his chest.
“No,” she said.
ns216.73.216.238da2“I know you will be.”
