Page 32 of Power Move

“He is making an effort and it’s his baby.”

“You came all this way?—”

“And I don’t regret it. I’m still here if you need me to debrief. He’s the dad. You gotta let him be there, Eva.”

I sighed, knowing she was right.

“I will be right here,” Ellie reiterated as the nurse brought me back.

I joined Davey in an exam room where he nervously stood to greet me.

“Sit,” I groaned. “They are only letting one person back. Ellie graciously ceded her place to you. I’m sorry this is embarrassing?—”

“It’s not,” Davey said. “I didn’t ask to come back here because I was embarrassed, Eva. I came back here to protectyourprivacy since I stick out like a sore thumb when in a suit.”

I calmed and sat by him. “Okay, fair.”

“I’m not embarrassed, but Iamprotective. So, I will follow your lead. You asked we keep this under wraps and I am.”

“You’re doing it, Davey. You’re getting defensive.”

Davey breathed deeply. “That is not my intent. Look, I just want to be here to support you. I swear to God, that is all I am trying to do.”

A woman in a cheery hot pink and orange pair of floral scrubs greeted us after knocking.

“Evangeline?” she asked.

“Eva is good, thanks,” I said.

“Evangeline is a beautiful name,” she remarked.

“It is,” Davey agreed.

I glared.

“Follow me and we’ll get started. The doctor will meet with you after.”

I ended up on a sonogram table slowly inserting a hypersonic dildo into my vagina. I forgot how awkward this was no matter what—but doubly so when the father of the baby you weren’t with was sittingright there.

I looked at the wall while she zoomed around. Not finding a heartbeat would hurt less if I couldn’t see the carnage. Davey furrowed his brow, confused, but said nothing. He knew better.

“Oh, look, a nice little heartbeat. We’re measuring about eight weeks and one day. Does that seem correct?”

I turned back to see the familiar flicker of a fetal heartbeat on the monitor.

“It seems right,” I murmured.

“That is wild,” Davey whispered.

I turned, seeing him transfixed. It was awe, not concern or confusion, that hit him. I smiled. Maybe hewastrying? Maybe Daveycouldbe trusted? It was that or he was a dynamite actor.

Davey

Blub-blub, blub-blub.

The sound of our baby’s heart filled the room. Yes,ourbaby. No matter what the circumstances were, Eva and I did this together. The baby’s heart chugged along. I sensed Eva’s relief above all. She smiled, letting out the breath I sensed she’d been holding for weeks. I knew miscarriages were hard, so I hoped we’d get good news.

The tech printed photos and sent us to meet a smiley woman named Dr. Howard.