Page 12

Chapter Twelve

Tristan

A ddy nervously bounced her leg up and down as we waited for Dr. Howard to come into the little room that we had been placed in. I knew that nothing that I could say would calm down her nerves right then, so I just sat behind her on the little cot with her between my legs as I kept my arms wrapped tight around her, pressing light kisses to her neck and shoulder in a silent reminder that I was still with her, that she wasn’t alone.

A light knock sounded on the door, and Dr. Howard stepped in with a warm smile on his face. Judging by the way Adelaide tensed in my arms though, it did nothing to soothe her. “Good to see you again, Tristan. How’s your collarbone?” he asked me.

About a year ago, I’d had a motorcycle accident that had broken my collarbone. But after months of physical therapy, I was perfectly fine. I didn’t even have a scar from the accident.

I shrugged. “Never been better,” I told him. “Able to function perfectly again.”

Addy shot me a questioning look, but I just shook my head at her. She sighed and turned her attention back to Dr. Howard. He smiled at her and held out his hand for her to shake. She slowly took his hand in hers. I pressed another light kiss to her shoulder, wishing I could help calm her in some kind of way, but I knew nothing was going to work right then.

“I’m Dr. Howard, Tristan’s only trusted doctor within a two-hundred-mile radius.” I rolled my eyes, though it was true. I didn’t trust anyone else. “You’re Adelaide Berkeley, correct?”

She nodded in answer, only bouncing her leg faster as she did so. I pressed a gentle kiss to her neck as I momentarily tightened my arms around her. Dr. Howard sat on his stool and looked up at her. “Well, you are pregnant, Adelaide,” he confirmed, not beating around the bush.

Her body went rigid in my arms. I pressed another kiss to the side of her neck as I tightened my arms around her again. “Breathe, Addy,” I coaxed. “I’m right here. It’s okay, baby.”

She drew in a shaky breath, her hands coming up to grip my forearms in a death grip, her nails digging into my skin. I didn’t even flinch. If it would make her feel better, I’d flay the skin from my bones for her. “Is Tristan the father?” Dr. Howard asked her.

Adelaide shook her head in answer. I could practically feel her struggling to hold in her tears as her nails dug further into my arm, almost drawing blood. I ignored the pain. “Do you know the family history of the father?” Dr. Howard asked her.

Adelaide nodded silently. I drew in a deep breath. She was on the verge of breaking. I could feel it.

“We need to write down any history of diseases on the father’s side. Can you do that for me?” he asked her gently, sensing her sadness.

“If you’re not ready, just say so,” I told her before she could answer him. “You need time to heal. There’s nothing wrong with that.”

She audibly swallowed before she whispered, “I can do this.”

My brave girl .

I pressed another kiss to her shoulder as Dr. Howard began asking her questions about Joey’s family history. Fuck, she was so goddamn brave. I didn’t know anyone who could do this so soon after losing someone so close to them. “Is he going to be in the picture?” Dr. Howard asked her after a few minutes of asking her questions about Joey’s family history.

That was all it took. She fell apart. Dr. Howard swung his alarmed gaze to me. I just shook my head at him wordlessly, and he nodded, stepping out of the room to give us some privacy. I wrapped my arms around Addy tightly, dragging her tight against me. “Hey, calm down,” I told her gently. “Stressing yourself out isn’t good for the baby.” I hated seeing her so fucking upset, though I knew it was inevitable.

“S-sorry.” She hiccupped. “It’s—it’s just…”

I pressed my lips to her forehead. “I know, baby girl.” She whimpered, her fingers clenching my cut in her fists. “It’s okay to cry, but I don’t want you to work yourself up too much. You have a little one to take care of,” I reminded her, grabbing her hand and placing it over her still flat belly, pressing my hand on top of hers as she looked up at me.

She sobbed, and the sound was so fucking broken that it tore at my soul.

She leaned up and kissed me softly. I knew she was using it as a distraction, but I took full advantage of the kiss. I groaned, instantly moving to deepen it. It was the first time she’d kissed me on her own, and it fucking drove me insane that she was finally moving forward me with that tiny bit, even if every part of me was telling me that she was just looking for something in that moment to make her feel better.

“Promise me that you’re going to help me get through this?” she softly requested.

“I promise, Adelaide,” I swore, letting my eyes meet hers. “I’m not leaving your side.”

A few minutes later, Dr. Howard stepped into the room, acting as if nothing had ever happened, and for that, I was grateful. “Alright, Adelaide, we’re going to do an ultrasound to check on your little one, okay? Based on the date of your last period, you’re almost six weeks along, so you should be able to hear your little one’s heartbeat if you’d like.” She nodded at him. “Alright. You two follow me,” he instructed.

Addy stood, and I did as well, instantly lacing my fingers through hers as we followed Dr. Howard down a couple of halls to a dark room. A huge TV screen was on the wall, and beside the little cot in the room was a machine with a couple of wands attached to it with a small screen and a tiny printer. He told us that he would see us back in the room we had just come out of once we were finished here before he dipped.

A lady came out from behind a curtain, a smile lighting up her face. “Hi!” she exclaimed, overly chipper. “My name is Alyssa, and I’ll be doing your ultrasound today,” she explained to Addy. “I just need you to lay back on the cot and pull your shirt up and unbutton your jeans. Just slide them down for me a tiny bit, okay?”

Addy nodded and did as she was instructed. I stood beside the cot, holding one of her hands in mine as I slowly ran my fingers through her hair. Alyssa squeezed some gel on Addy’s belly and then pressed one of the wands against her skin. Instantly, a gritty image popped up on the screen. Everything around it was gray, and there was a black-looking… hole? I had no idea how to describe it.

Addy squeezed my hand tightly, and I could feel her rapidly beating pulse through her hand. I gave her hand a gentle squeeze in return, a silent reminder that I was still there with her.

Suddenly, two tiny balls popped up on the screen. Alyssa stopped the screen, taking what seemed to be measurements. “This is your baby,” she said, pointing an arrow to it on the screen and typing the word ‘baby’, “and this is the yolk sac.”

Alyssa smiled over at Addy, who was rendered speechless. “Would you like to hear the heartbeat?”

Addy nodded. There was a couple of taps on the keyboard, and then suddenly, I heard it.

Whoosh-whoosh. Whoosh-whoosh. Whoosh-whoosh.

It wasn’t even my kid, but at that moment, I fell in love with Addy’s baby, and I was jealous as fuck of Joey, even if he was no longer with us.

Tears streamed down Addy’s cheeks. She looked up at me, a small, breathy laugh falling past her lips. The beautiful sound warmed the darkest, coldest parts of my soul. “She’s real,” Addy breathed.

“She?” I asked, unable to stop the smile that spread across my lips.

Addy nodded. “I have a damn good feeling that I’m going to have a girl, and she’s going to have Joey’s eyes and attitude.”

My mood soured at the thought of Joey, but I knew Adelaide needed this. And if it made her happy, then so be it. I would suck it up.

Alyssa smiled and handed Addy three pictures. “You can go through that curtain there,” she said, pointing to a small curtain, “and clean the gel off of your belly.”

Addy handed me the pictures as she got off of the bed, disappearing behind the curtain. “You two are very lucky parents. The baby seems very strong and seems to be on track for how far along she is. Congratulations on being parents,” she said warmly as Addy appeared from behind the curtain.

I looked to Addy, smiling at her, so happy to see a small smile on her face after looking so sad ever since Joey passed. “Thank you. I’m just happy to be having a baby with a woman as incredible as her,” I told Alyssa, though my words were solely for the beautiful woman in front of me. Addy’s smile widened at me as she allowed me to grab her hand and link our fingers together. “Should we just head back to Dr. Howard’s room?”

Alyssa nodded. Once we were back in Dr. Howard’s room, Addy leaned up to kiss me again. Fuck, she was finally loosening up with me, and I was loving every second of it. I needed my Addy baby back. “Did you mean what you said in there?” Addy asked me softly.

Looking down at her, I nodded. “Of course, I did. Addy, this baby may not be mine, but the moment I heard that heartbeat, I fell in love with it.” Her beautiful eyes welled with tears. “I want to be here for you every step of the way. Through the mood swings, through the morning sickness, even the labor and delivery. I want to help you raise this baby, Addy.”

Tears slipped down her cheeks at my words. “You’re too damn amazing, Tristan,” she whispered, her voice hoarse.

Reaching up, I wiped the tears from her cheeks, giving her a warm, soft smile. “Only for you, Addy baby,” I told her, and it was true. For anyone else, I would have booted them to the curb.

For Addy? I would fucking do anything to keep her by my side.

Dr. Howard stepped into the room., breaking our heartfelt moment. “Alright. Well, your baby appears to be healthy and developing right on track, Adelaide.” He handed Addy a thick folder. “This is everything you can expect every week while you’re pregnant, with your body as well as how the baby is developing. I’ve also added in a list of over-the-counter medications that are safe to take while you’re pregnant, and there’s some information on some prenatal yoga classes, some parenting classes, etc., if you’re interested.” He looked at me. “If something is happening, and it’s worrying you, you know how to reach me after hours.”

I nodded. I had Dr. Howard’s private number, and if something were happening with Adelaide, he could bet on a phone call. I wouldn’t take any chances—not with her or her baby.

He looked back at Adelaide. “Here’s a prescription for some prenatal vitamins that you need to begin taking tomorrow morning,” he told her as he handed her a prescription paper. She put it in the folder. “You look as if you already exercise. What do you do?” Dr. Howard asked her.

“I normally fight,” Addy told him. I sighed. That was going to have to stop.

He shook his head at her. “I wouldn’t do that anymore if I were you.” Adelaide pursed her lips in distaste. “Some boxing with a punching bag probably won’t hurt, but no more actual fights. Light walking and jogging are good, but the moment you begin to feel tired, call it quits. You’re pregnant, and you don’t need to overdo yourself.”

She nodded in understanding, though she looked as if the idea of no longer fighting left a sour taste in her mouth. I knew it was how she burned off all her toxic energy, but she was going to have to find another outlet. “Three meals a day is extremely important with some light snacks in-between. No more caffeine and drink plenty of water. I want you to come back in a month for a follow-up appointment.”

“Anything else?” she asked him, looking a bit overwhelmed with all of the information he had just crammed into her brain.

He shook his head and gave her a warm smile. “I’m pretty sure Tristan will make sure you take care of yourself. I look forward to seeing you in a month, Adelaide,” he told her before he left the room.

It was real. My Addy was becoming a mother.