Page 12 of Eternal Pieces (The Violet Delights Duet #2)

VIOLET

M y ass is sore from sitting on the hard plastic chair in the hospital waiting room for so long. Both my hands are also going numb from being held so tightly by Max and Maddox. The pressure, albeit a little uncomfortable, is reassuring, and it’s helping to calm the nausea swirling in my stomach.

Maddox seems relaxed yet a little nervous. His knee keeps bouncing up and down, knocking into mine every few seconds.

To my right, I can feel the tension radiating off Max. He’s not moved since we sat down fifteen minutes ago. His jaw keeps clicking where he’s grinding it so hard as he stares blankly at the sitcom playing on the screen in the corner.

I give both of their hands a squeeze. This is a happy day, we get to see our baby for the first time.

But being in a hospital stirs up a lot of dark memories for us all.

Max’s life was completely changed when he woke up in one after the accident.

Maddox had to watch as his twin suffered, not knowing how to help.

And I left them alone to deal with it all by themselves.

“Violet Cassidy?” The nurse finally calls us in.

Hand in hand, we follow her through to the ultrasound room.

She closes the door behind us, and I see her attention flick to our joined hands for a brief second.

There’s a lack of disgust or surprise on her face, like we usually get from strangers.

I’m sure she’s seen all sorts of different relationship dynamics while working here.

“I’m Dawn,” she introduces herself. “If you can lie back on the table, please. I have a few routine questions we need to go through first before we start the scan. Is that okay?”

I nod and get comfortable on the table, smoothing my dress down on my lap. Max and Maddox stand at my side while Dawn sits at her computer on the other side. She has me confirm my details before firing off a few questions about my health and lifestyle.

When she asks, “What sort of exercise are you doing?” Maddox snorts out a laugh and answers for me.

“Plenty of cardio.”

I poke him in the ribs and he gives me a cheeky grin. Dawn blushes a little, but remains professional.

After a few more questions, she says, “That’s the boring bit over with.

If you can lift your dress and pull your leggings down under your tummy, I’ll apply some gel and we can have a look.

It’s a little cold.” She squeezes it onto my stomach, and butterflies kick up when she presses the device to my pelvis and starts moving it around.

I give Max and Maddox an excited grin. They both give me a gentle smile in return, trying to shield me from their nerves.

We all watch the screen as the nurse searches for our baby.

“We think I’m at least three months along now, but it could be later,” I tell her to fill the awkward lack of conversation.

She nods, but doesn’t say anything. I should let her concentrate, but my brain and mouth have opposing ideas.

“My boobs have been pretty sore, and I’ve been kinda nauseous.

Those are all good signs, right? We did a lot of tests and they all came out positive?—”

A firm hand grips my wrist.

“It’s alright, sweetheart.” Max stops me from getting too worked up.

The nurse keeps her eye on the screen, a slight pinch to her brow. “I’ll be able to tell you a clearer estimate of how far along you are in a moment.”

How far along? That means…I’m definitely pregnant! Which is a very good thing, so why does she have such a tense expression?

The longer she takes, the more worried I get. Did I make a mistake? Is there nothing there? Or is there something wrong with the baby? I tried not to think of worst-case scenarios before coming here, but what if?—

“Is that the baby?” Maddox leans forward, squinting at the screen.

“That’s a baby. See over here?” She points to a second grayish circle on the screen. “This is baby number two and tucked behind them...” She pushes the device a little firmer into my stomach, and another gray blob comes into view. “Is baby number three’s head.”

“Three?” Maddox and I gasp at the same time.

She chuckles and presses a few buttons. “Yep, definitely three. You’re having triplets. Would you like to hear the heartbeats?”

“Yes! Yes, please!” I sob.

Tearing my eyes away from the screen is difficult, but I want to see how Max and Maddox are handling everything.

Maddox’s eyes are brimming with tears, his chin wobbling, and Max looks frozen in time.

His lips are slightly parted, and his eyes have a rare shine to them.

I catch him letting go of a shaky breath, his fear being pushed out along with it, leaving pride in its place.

He doesn’t look at me, but he squeezes my hand tighter, his smile growing.

We’re having triplets.

It’s going to take a while for that to sink in. What are the chances of my identical twin fiancés knocking me up with triplets? I’m sure Max will find out. I’ve caught him researching all sorts of baby and pregnancy-related things on his phone.

Will they be identical as well? Oh god, what if I end up with three mini Max and Maddoxes running around and causing chaos?

The nurse presses another button, and little, rapid whooshing beats push away every worry I have.

I break into full-out sobs as she lets us listen to each baby’s heart. Max and Maddox hold my hands the whole time. I’ve never felt so deeply connected to them before.

“They’re healthy? Growing normal?” Max fires off his questions that I know he’s been holding back for my sake.

“From this quick look today, yes, I can’t see any concerns.

We’ll run some routine blood tests anyway.

I put them at roughly thirteen and a half weeks.

The bloods will help tell us a more specific due date, but you’re looking at a September birth.

Bear in mind that multiple babies do tend to come early, so you should prepare for that. ”

Max nods, taking everything in for all three of us. I’m still crying happy tears, and the nurse hands me a box of tissues as she congratulates me.

Maddox is grinning from ear to ear. He grabs his brother and hugs him tight. “We’re actually going to be dads!”

“You can book in for your sixteen-week scan before you leave. You’ll be able to find out the sexes then if you want to know.

In the meantime…” She hands me printouts of the ultrasound scans and a stack of pamphlets.

“Keep a balanced diet, exercise regularly, and avoid stress. You want to keep your blood pressure down. There are a lot more possible complications with three babies. But I have a feeling you’ll be well taken care of.

” She smiles at Max and Maddox, who are currently engrossed in their own conversation about baby names.

“I think so, too.”

None of us can wipe the grins off our faces as we head to the car.

Maddox catches me by surprise and swings me around in his arms. “I’m so fucking proud of you, baby!”

“It was a team effort,” I laugh, holding onto his shoulders.

“Don’t do that,” Max scolds.

“What?” I question as Maddox sets me back on my feet.

“Belittle yourself. You’re the one growing three babies. All of this is thanks to you.”

“He’s right,” Maddox agrees.

I suppose he is. I need to stop selling myself short. I’m the proudest Mom to these little ones, and I want them to grow up with all the confidence in the world.

Maddox hops into the driver’s seat, and Max holds the rear door open for me so we can head home to celebrate.

I hesitate in front of him. Lacing my fingers together in front of me, I nervously tell him what I’ve been thinking about for a while now.

“There’s actually something I need to quickly do before we leave.

” He waits for me to say more, and I take a deep breath, holding my chin high.

“I’ve still not heard back from Mom since telling her our engagement news, but I’m hoping that if she hears her daughter is pregnant, she’ll respond. ”

Max gives me a sympathetic look and grips my shoulders. “Sweetheart, I hate seeing you get your hopes up every time you contact her. She’s made it obvious what she thinks. I can’t see this changing anything with her.”

His words sting, but they’re true, and ultimately, they’re what I need to hear. He knows that, too. But…

“I still want to try. Even though she hasn’t been there for me like she should have been, I’d like our children to get to know the good parts of her.”

“There are good parts?” Max mumbles.

“Yes…deep, deep down.”

The look on his face says he doesn’t believe that for a second.

I have enough self-awareness to know how much mental and emotional damage my mom did to me growing up.

Some people would say she did her best under the circumstances, others would say that she only did what was best for her.

But what would I say? All Max knows her as is a gold digger.

Maybe I should cut ties with her completely.

She’s still my mom, though. It’s not that easy.

I can’t simply erase the happy memories.

Even buried among the bleakest ones, they still manage to shine through.

Like the time she took one of her boyfriends’ credit cards and took me on a toy store shopping spree.

Or when I was sick when I was little, and she kept me off school to spend the whole day watching my favorite animated princess movies together.

We could make more of those memories with the triplets.

“Max, I need to do this.”

I can sense the turmoil in him. All he wants to do is protect me, but he can’t keep me bubble-wrapped and locked away at home forever, no matter how much he would love that.

In the end, he chooses to give me the space I need and goes to wait in the car with his brother.

I have to take a few deep breaths before I can hit call.

It’s hard not to be nervous waiting for Mom to answer.

I feel like this every time I try to contact her.

And every time I’m met with disappointment.

This time is no different. I debate whether to bother leaving a message when the call goes to her voicemail, but decide to since this might be the only way she’ll find out my good news.

“Hey, Mom. I was hoping to catch you this time. Umm, I don’t know how else to say this, but I’m pregnant!

Max, Maddox, and I are having triplets.” A sob escapes me, and I try to stifle any more.

My crying is the last thing I want her to hear.

“We just found out, and I wanted to tell you in person, but at least you know now. I lo…I hope you give me a call back.”

I hang up and wipe my tears away with the sleeve of my cardigan. My mom’s not even here, yet she’s still finding a way to make me feel bad about my own happiness. No, I shouldn’t dismiss her like that. She might call back later. She could just be busy.

Neither of the guys says anything when I get in the car. They probably heard everything I said, and they can always tell when I’ve been crying. Max unbuckles his seatbelt and climbs into the back with me, tucking me under his arm and kissing my temple. And just like that, my sadness starts to fade.