Page 22 of Book Bae

At that moment, a torrential rainstorm of tears raced down my face. Dr. Cotton set the transducer aside and grabbed a handful of tissues that she used to wipe my belly free of gel. When she was finished, I sat up, and Symone wrapped her arms around me as I leaned against her chest.

“There. All done. You can get cleaned up and dressed, and I will meet you in my office across the hall when you’re done. Just come on over,” she stated and smiled.

I glanced at Symone who smiled again. She took a seat as I swung my legs over the exam table and climbed off.

I proceeded to wash up, moving as if I were in a dream.

“How are you feeling, Myr-Myr?”

“I don’t know. It’s bittersweet. I have what I want, but—how did I not know, Symone? How could I have been so freaking careless?”

“It’s not your fault, friend. Your cycle has always been unpredictable, and you haven’t had any morning sickness or other signs.”

“I mean, just breast tenderness, but I didn’t think anything about it.”

“Just breathe. We’ll get through this together. Almighty God has a strange way of answering our prayers. Be thankful.”

I smiled tightly at her and replied, “I am.”

My thoughts immediately went to Micaiah, and if I should tell him, how he would react, and if he would want to know. That caused a little tightness in my belly and a headache to come on. It took me a little over five minutes to get cleaned up, dressed, and back in her office.

“Myraj, are you okay, honey?”

“Yes. I’m happy, Dr. Cotton, just so confused, . . . stunned, . . . elated. There are so many emotions running through me right now.”

“I can imagine there are. The pictures that I took are going to be available online. I’ll send a link to you via text.”

“Thank you.”

“What if any indications have you had that something about your body was changing?”

“I haven’t had any symptoms. No weight gain or anything, just breast tenderness as I was telling Symone a while ago.”

“Your cycle is infrequent. In your medical history, I read that your cycle usually skips two or three months before it returns again. That is usually the sign most women use as an indicator that they might be pregnant, but you didn’t have that. What about any sicknesses, cramping, unusual hunger pains?”

I shook my head, but then Symone tapped me on the hand. “What about when you were sick last week and the week before that? You thought it was food poisoning because you couldn’t keep anything down. I’d forgotten about that.”

I nodded. “Yeah, me too. Yesterday was the first day that I could keep things down again.”

“Do you have an OBGYN in mind? If not, I can refer you to one.”

“My gynecologist is an OBGYN.” I pressed my hands to my stomach as my head twirled in circles. Excitement also filled me that I was about to bring life into the world and be someone’s mommy. I felt so blessed and yet conflicted because of Micaiah.

I finished listening to the reproductive endocrinologist, got some paperwork, and we left to grab lunch.

“So, is this book conference bae’s baby?”

I looked at Symone, sucked my teeth, and rolled my eyes. “Symone, what do you think?”

“I mean, I was shocked that you had sex with a complete stranger. My best friend who had the coochie on lock for over three decades finally gave it up to some random dick⁠—”

“Great dick. Excellent dick. Mind-boggling dick!” I emphasized, waving a finger at her.

“Baby making dick.”

“Whew! That part. I cannot believe this shit.”

“Exactly. So I’m not putting anything past your fast ass these days. I don’t know if you’ve had another dick or not.” She laughed uproariously at my expense.