Page 62 of Through the Storm

She pauses for a second, and then smiles.

“Well. There’s no question this time.”

Katy swallows. “What…what is it?”

Dr. Meier turns the screen just a bit more toward us. “Congratulations. You’re having a boy.”

For half a second, no one speaks.

Then Katy laughs, a breathless, disbelieving sound, and presses her hand to her mouth. “A boy.”

Declan exhales hard, eyes shining. “Holy shit.”

Ella wipes at her eyes and mutters, “I knew it. Absolutely feral energy.”

I just stare at the screen.

A boy.

Something in my chest caves in and rebuilds itself at the same time.

Dr. Meier continues, voice calm and reassuring. “Everything looks healthy. We’ll keep monitoring closely, but today is a very good day.”

She finishes up, wipes Katy’s stomach clean, and starts noting things in the chart.

As she does, she glances at me again, gentler this time.

“He’s a lucky boy. Lots of people already love him.”

Katy finally looks at me then.

And for a moment, everything else fades.

Declan waits until Ella and Katy are distracted, Ella asking Dr. Meier a question and Katy staring at the ultrasound screen like she’s trying to memorize it.

Then Declan nods toward the hallway.

“Ben. Walk with me.”

My shoulders tense, but I follow him.

The hallway is quiet, fluorescent lights humming overhead. Declan stops near a window, hands in his pockets, posture relaxed in that way that means he’s very much not.

He doesn’t look at me right away.

“You know,” he says calmly, “I was a little surprised when she invited you to come today.”

I nod. “Yeah. I get that.”

He glances at me now, eyes sharp but not hostile. Curious. Measuring.

“You’ve been showing up a lot lately.”

He tilts his head. Not an accusation. An observation.

“I have.”

Declan studies my face. “Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s great. But why?”