Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 103819 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 519(@200wpm)___ 415(@250wpm)___ 346(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103819 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 519(@200wpm)___ 415(@250wpm)___ 346(@300wpm)
Kane finally got it. He understood what everyone else in the room had already picked up.
"We have twins, babe," Avery whispered, hugging Kane, kissing him in the crook of his neck.
"There's two," Paulie's gruff voice sounded. Kane could feel Paulie at his back, giving him some sturdy pats. Kennedy was right there beside him, smiling up, and the four of them were enveloped into a tight family hug. Kane was on autopilot because his entire world had just suddenly stopped, only to jolt forward again at an amazing speed.
He finally took a deep breath, exhaling the pent-up tension. Two hearts and four feet did mean twins. Avery was right, they were having twins. Their family was growing by two, not one. Avery finally let him go and gathered his mom up in the huge bear hug. Paulie stayed right there beside him and all Kane could do was focus on the screen.
Somewhere in the back of his mind, he heard Sophia and Dr. Palmer talking with the technician, but his eyes were glued to the monitor willing himself to make out any of the shapes, other than just flat black static.
The moments of intense numbness faded seconds before overwhelming joy filled his heart. His body shook and tears threatened to fall. Twins! They were having twin babies.
"Can we tell their gender?" Kane thought to himself, and only realized he'd said the words aloud when every head in the room turned his way. Okay, so maybe he'd said the words rather loudly by the looks he got. Avery was right there, a concerned expression on his face.
"Are you all right?" Avery asked.
"I don't know. Are they healthy?" Kane asked. He could hear the desperation tainting the words, and he cocked his head past Avery, his gaze moving between the ultrasound technician and the doctor.
"We're going to see what we can see. The two heart rates sound strong. One is slower than the other but still strong," Dr. Palmer said. The room settled down, listening to everything said, and the tech began moving the wand back over Sophia's stomach with purpose.
"How did we miss this before?" Kane asked.
"Most likely the position the babies were in. Are you sure you want to know their sex if I can find it?" the technician asked, giving Kane a concerned look. He could feel the heat in his face. His voice was edgy, and he probably carried a corresponding expression on his face. He schooled his features, gathered himself, and rolled his shoulders as the tech angled the wand differently across Sophia's belly.
"Yes, we do. Right, babe?" Avery asked. For the first time since the announcement was made, Kane remembered Sophia. Avery stood right there, still clasping her hand. Knowing Avery and his constant encouragement, he'd probably never let her go through the happy shock of their discovery.
"Yes!" Kane said immediately. "Do you? Please say yes." That drew a laugh because Avery had clearly just affirmed they wanted to know.
"Of course I do," Avery agreed, and it took a few minutes more of the technician moving all around her belly. The electricity in the room was tangible. Everyone focused on the screen.
"Right here. Do you see it?" the technician asked the doctor. "The first baby looks like a boy."
"Do you see him?" Dr. Palmer asked, looking directly at Kane as he circled something on the screen. The room busted out in a cheer, that meant Avery was paying up. As much grief as he gave them about knowing he was having a little girl, they were all giving back to him now. Based on the screen, Kane just had to take the doctor's word on it; he saw nothing that looked like anything distinguishable, let alone boy parts.
"It's a boy? You're sure?" Avery questioned back loudly over the whooping and hollering. This Avery was the attorney, challenging the doctor's observation. He had been so certain he was having a little girl. There had never been an option of anything else.
"Pretty sure. He's hiding the other one… Protecting the other baby. He's facing the world," the technician said.
"Then he's got Avery's personality," Kane said, and Kennedy beamed up at him. That seemed to settle Avery down, he took pride in that and kissed Kane, clearly pleased Kane thought such a thing about him.
"Try on this side," Sophia suggested patting her left side, back around her hips. She tried to turn over, angle her oversized belly better, and Avery was right there, helping her turn.
"Hang on, grip onto my hand, I'll turn you," he said. The technician stayed on her, moving the wand, adding more gel.
"Wait, turn for me a bit… Right here. Do you see anything?" the technician asked, who knew who he spoke to. "Yes! Right there. Do you see?"
"I think we may have a girl," Sophia said, beaming back at Avery.
"I believe you're right," Dr. Palmer seconded.
"Yes!" Avery exclaimed, and Kane went numb again for the second time in a matter of a few minutes. They were having a boy and a girl. Avery was so excited, beaming from ear to ear as he drew Kane up and hugged him tight, actually lifting him off his feet.
"Two, babies. We're having two," Avery said. Kennedy and Paulie were gathered in the hug. Hugs were again shared by everyone. Avery couldn't hide his enthusiasm as he made sure everyone knew his little girl was in there too. The small, confined exam room overflowed with joy and laughter. It seemed their family had just grown to include everyone in that room.
"Are they healthy?" Kane quietly asked Dr. Palmer as they stood in the center of all the commotion.
"From what I'm seeing right now, I'd say yes. We need to run some tests. They're small, but that's expected with twins and explains a lot. Let me get my hands on these reports, but they seem good, Kane. Celebrate this, Son. It's a good day for you," Dr. Palmer said, breaking out of his normal stone-face to give him a grin and handshake across Sophia's belly.