Page 66 of Ruin The Friendship
“I wouldn’t be who I am without the people who raised me.” The sentiment sinks home because it’s so true. My parents taught me to be a good man, and I’m proud to be their son, proud of who I am.
“I love you. I’m so happy for you two.”
“Thanks, Mom. I love you, too. It’s still pretty new, and it’s not even official yet, but I thought you should know.”
“Well, I can’t wait to see where it goes,” she whispers, her voice full of emotion.
“Me too.”
30
DOING THINGS BACKWARD
FLETCHER
EIGHTEEN WEEKS PREGNANT
“Alright, are you ready to see your baby?” the tech asks, holding the wand over Lydia’s stomach.
I glance down at her with a smile. Her brows are knit together, showing her nerves, but her eyes are round and bright.
“Ready,” Lydia replies confidently.
The tech smiles and starts the ultrasound, moving the wand a bit before positioning it to find the baby’s heartbeat. When the whooshing sound plays over the monitor, I swear my own heart stops. It’s such a beautiful sound. I wish I could bottle this feeling of pure contentment and keep it forever. The baby wiggles on the screen as the tech moves and shows us the baby’s brain and other parts of its body.
“And we aren’t finding out the sex today, right?” she asks.
Lydia and I shake our heads, and I reply, “No, I’m taking the envelope home with it, though.”
“Perfect.”
Lydia watches closely as the tech takes her time taking pictures of the baby for the doctor to review, but everything seems fine. Lydia’s beauty is incredible. Her eyes are glassy, but the soft look in her expression and the smile gracing her lips are adorable. I secretly take a photo of her, knowing I’ll want to remember this moment for so many reasons. Once the ultrasound is done, the tech prints off several pictures for us, and I snap a few photos for my phone, even taking some of Lydia beaming at the strip of photos.
Smiling lazily, I change my background from a photo of Lydia and me from this summer to the photo of her holding the ultrasound photos.
We head upstairs to her appointment, and once the doctor does her exam and confirms the ultrasound looks great, we’re on our way home. The envelope with the baby’s sex is heavy in my back pocket, but I have to wait until I get home from the trip before I open it. There’s no way I can play a game with that knowledge hanging over me and not accidentally tell her when I call her tomorrow before the game.
I got something at the store and made sure to get one for a boy and one for a girl. The rest of my plan will be a surprise to her, one of many. I’m not worried about it.
I have to get over to the airport soon, so instead of taking Lydia out for more shopping, we head back to her work.
“Thanks for coming today,” Lydia says when we’re a few minutes away.
“I wouldn’t have missed it for the world.”
“It means a lot to me.” She rests her hand on my thigh, and the unexpected contact sends a zing through my body.
I never want to let this feeling go.
“Do you think I should reach out to my parents?” Lydia blurts.
I rest my palm over hers, hesitating. “Do youwantto reach out to them?”
She sighs heavily. “I’m not sure. After seeing the baby today, I wonder if I should at least send a photo of the ultrasound. It's their grandchild. I don't want to leave any room for them to say I shut them out when it was the other way around.”
I want to tell her to reach out, to hope that her parents have changed, but, in all honesty, I’m not sure they have. “I think that’s up to you, Lydi-bug. I have no idea what you’re going through. Pregnancy is a big journey, so I feel like it’s only natural to want the support of your mother.”
Lydia nods and says nothing for several moments.
