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It’s strange, but the way he seems to be amused at my presence puts me at ease. If he had horrible news to share, he wouldn’t be quite so entertained by Allie bringing me here.
He pulls over a rolling stool and taps around on his iPad.
Allie visibly tenses. I take a seat and grab her hand. Instinctively, she tries to pull away, but I don’t let her. I hold on. I hold on tightly.
“Just say it,” Allie belts out. “I know it’s bad news or you’d have told me yesterday.”
“There’s nothing to freak out about. I just saw something in the blood test that didn’t make sense based on what you told me. You said you had an ultrasound at eleven weeks?”
“Yes,” she says, clearly scared and frustrated by his hesitation. “God, Hudson, just spit it out.”
“I’m getting to it, Allie.” He sets his iPad down and looks her in the eyes. He has something to say.NowI get concerned. “While the test didn’t show any chromosomal abnormalities, it did show two sets of DNA.”
Allie’s eyes narrow. “Okay, right. Mine and the baby’s.”
My heartbeat suddenly increases by about a million beats per second. Because while Allie hasn’t quite caught on to what he’s saying, I have.Holy mother of God.
“Two sets of DNAin additionto yours,” Hudson explains.
“I’m…” She looks between us. “I’m confused.”
“Allie,” I say, cracking a huge smile. “It’s twins. We’re having twins.”
Before she can even react, Hudson holds up a hand. “Hold on a second. My concern lies in the fact that you had an ultrasound a few weeks ago and twins weren’t detected.”
My excitement, surprise, and sheer elation abate immediately. “You think something’s wrong?”
His lips form a thin line. “Here’s the thing. The NIPT can’t tell if fetal DNA is from a viable or non-viable fetus.”
I swallow hard. “Oh, Jesus. You think one of them died?”
Allie’s hand rips away from mine and she protectively grips her belly.
“That’s what we’re here to find out,” Hudson says.
Tears stream down her face. “I could have a dead baby inside me? But also a live one?”
Hudson stands but doesn’t answer. He gets the ultrasound machine and rolls it over. “Lie back, lift your shirt and lower your waistband. Let’s see what’s going on in there.”
This time, Allie is the one takingmyhand.
My thoughts are all over the place. We could be having a baby. But there could be another one who died? What would happen? Will we lose the other one?
Hudson glides the transducer over the lower part of her stomach, studying the screen. It doesn’t take long before he says, “Here we go.” He presses a button on the machine and a fastthump thump thumpfills the room.
All the breath in my lungs escapes in a relieved sigh, but then I hold it once more as Hudson’s eyes become laser focused on the screen.
“Okay, yup.” He smiles. “And there’s Twin B.”
Anotherthump thump thump.
He’s smiling.
Allie covers her mouth in astonishment, her eyes filling with tears. “There are two of them? And they’re both… alive?”
He points to the screen. “You’re having what we call di-di twins. Otherwise known as dichorionic-diamniotic twins. That means each twin has their own placenta and amniotic sac. Compared to other types of twins, di-di twins have the lowest risk of complications.” He puts a hand on Allie’s arm. “Breathe, Allie. This is good news. The blood test shows everything is normal and their measurements are perfect.” His head shakes as if he’s pissed. “Whoever you went to for the ultrasound should be fired. Twins are pretty hard to miss at this stage.”
She shrugs. “Free clinic. I doubt anyone’s getting fired.”