CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: The Heartbeat44Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF8XjNkEQSW
(Her POV)
They didn’t go to a big hospital.44Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKs82KtCBJh
No fancy clinic.44Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡooqP733cdy
No white walls or high-end machines.
Just a local maternity center tucked in a sleepy town.44Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ59JqJWsBi7
Walls painted pale yellow.44Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRNd4Y5CMhb
Posters of smiling babies.44Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6BhyOYg6Nj
A midwife who greeted them like they were old friends.
“First time, Miss?”
She nodded, clutching Matteo’s hand.
“First heartbeat?”44Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7PTjCheXSU
“Yes.”
The midwife smiled.
“Then this will be your favorite sound in the world.”
She lay on the small exam bed.44Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJpjQhHXBNU
Matteo sat beside her, his hand gripping hers so tightly their knuckles matched in color.
The gel was cold.44Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOBAmrd4Lif
The probe gentle.44Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRgpUjLDtiA
Her nerves, chaotic.
Then—
A sound.
Thump-thump.44Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKRxcnTZV0f
Thump-thump.44Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPMLysm7rJq
Thump-thump.
Fast.44Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpjkQE3IFZo
Strong.44Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9OFhznoW3M
Alive.
She gasped.44Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1d7njEH2uL
Eyes instantly watering.
Matteo didn’t move at first.44Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuOmgo3tuhJ
Just stared at the screen.44Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlnumqvuaet
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.44Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6q0sKLmCr1
Then her temple.44Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyP97CO6fIX
Then, without thinking, pressed his forehead to her belly again.
“You hear that?” he said softly.44Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMfphUFy5il
“You’re not alone anymore.”
Later, they went to the market.
She picked out tiny mittens.44Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcCWmLKUdQf
A white beanie.44Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnzvNuggtD6
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.44Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWMTxcg2pX3
Not running.44Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1sx6iJWgKY
Not hiding.44Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLcZXPkV0p4
Just being.
That night, back in their motel room—
He held her belly as they lay in bed.44Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA7wrPD3Sd3
Whispering stories.44Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4SxAs1cyf8
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.44Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA5HZCR9NLz
Just turned and kissed his chest.
“No,” she said.
ns216.73.216.238da2“I know you will be.”
