Total pages in book: 54
Estimated words: 50872 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 254(@200wpm)___ 203(@250wpm)___ 170(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 50872 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 254(@200wpm)___ 203(@250wpm)___ 170(@300wpm)
My voice trails off, and he cups my face in his hands. “It’s perfect. You’re perfect. I’m honored that you would pick my name, Ally.”
He looks so unsure. Almost as if he doesn’t think he’s deserving or something. I bring my hand up and press it to his chest, right over his heart. The steady thud against my palm calms me. “Austin, you’ve been a huge part of my life forever. You’ve taken care of me.” I grab his hand and put it over my belly. “And my daughter. No matter what happens in the future, I want her to always have a piece of you.”
He sucks in a breath and opens his mouth to say something but closes it when there’s a knock on the door. Austin straightens and moves to my side, wrapping his hand around mine again. “Come in,” he says huskily.
The door opens, and both Dr. Parks and Dr. Reynolds come in. We’ve been coming every week, and I had assumed this appointment would be like the others, but they both have worried looks on their faces. “How are you feeling?” Dr. Parks asks.
At the same time, I see Dr. Reynolds give Austin an apologetic look.
I sit up straighter. “What is it? What’s going on?”
Dr. Parks doesn’t make me wait. “There is protein in your urine, and your blood pressure is elevated.” I open my mouth, but he stops me. “It’s going to be okay. The last thing we need is for you to stress out. This is what’s going to happen. We’re going to examine you and check the baby, and then we’re going to make a decision on what happens next. Okay?”
The older doctor is patient and pats me on the shoulder.
Austin helps me lie back, and I put my feet in the stirrups. With my eyes closed, I try not to worry, but it’s a waste of time because every scenario is running through my head.
“Have you been having any contractions?”
“No,” Austin answers at the same time as I say, “Yeah, but I thought for sure they were Braxton-Hicks.”
Austin gives me a look, and I grab his shirt, just wanting to touch him. “I didn’t want to bother you—”
He leans over and kisses me on the lips and then presses his forehead to mine. “What am I going to do with you?”
The doctor finishes the examination and then gets out the wand.
Austin and I both stare at the screen, waiting to see little Kennedy.
When the baby appears and her heartbeat fills the room, I let out a breath of relief. She’s moving around, and it looks as if she’s sucking on her thumb.
Dr. Reynolds takes a few pictures and then hands me some tissues.
Austin and I both clean me up and then he helps me sit up.
Dr. Parks says, “We’re going to let you get dressed and let’s meet in my office, okay?”
“Okay,” I stutter out.
Austin is my rock. He helps me get dressed, even putting on my socks and tennis shoes. He helps me from the table and wraps his arm around me, tucking me against his side as we make our way to Dr. Parks’ office. Before we walk through the doors, Austin kisses my forehead again. “Everything’s going to be okay.”
I nod as he opens the door and we walk in. We take our seats, and Dr. Parks is sitting behind his desk, while Dr. Reynolds is leaning against another desk. Dr. Reynolds is the first to speak. “First of all, I want you to know that everything is okay. Things are going to happen fast, but I just want you to know that you and the baby are okay.”
I gulp and tighten my hand in Austin’s. “O-okay,” I stutter.
Dr. Parks leans back in his seat and brings his hands together. “So your blood pressure is elevated, and you're already dilated to three cm. Also, since there is protein in your urine, we would like to go ahead and induce labor.”
My mouth drops. “Now?”
He nods his head. “Yes.”
I shake my head. “But we have another month.”
“The baby is thirty-five weeks and is already measuring almost six and a half pounds.”
I look at Austin, who looks at Dr. Reynolds. “And you both agree that this—”
Brandon cuts him off. “Yes, it’s best for Ally and the baby.” He smiles. “You are going to be a mom and dad by the end of the day.”
To hear him say it like that, a shudder goes through me. I understand it has to happen, but all I can think and pray about is that my baby is going to be okay. She has to be. “Okay, whatever you think is best, let’s do that.”
As soon as I get the words out, things go pretty quickly. They bring in a wheelchair, and Austin wheels me through the corridors that connect to the hospital. We ride the elevator to the maternity floor, and I’m in a gown and on the hospital bed in no time at all.