Page 21 of Tiny Precious Secrets (The Brothers of Calloway Creek The Montanas #4)

Asher

Over breakfast, she tells me about Jason.

About how she didn’t want anyone to know about the baby—not because she was ashamed, but because she didn’t want people’s misplaced well-wishes when they saw her pregnant belly.

Or their sympathy when they eventually heard how it turned out.

She tells me how she went out west to her aunt’s house.

Alone, afraid, and abandoned by the man she loved.

I’m doing everything I can to assure her that is not going to happen this time. No matter what the test results say, I’m going to stick by her side.

Which is why when we enter the doctor’s office, I grab her hand and don’t let go.

She was going to make me sit across the room. She said the only reason men accompany women to a gynecologist’s office is if they’re pregnant. She didn’t want rumors starting.

Screw that. I don’t care about rumors. All I care about is being here for her and getting her through whatever we’re about to find out.

I’m scared shitless, however, even as I’m putting on a brave face for her.

I researched Trisomy 18 when she was in the shower.

It breaks my heart thinking about what she must have gone through.

Knowing for months and months that she was carrying a baby who was surely going to die, either in the womb or shortly after birth.

That has to permanently mess with a person’s psyche.

And although I’m still upset she didn’t tell me, I do understand it.

And a part of me kind of admires her for wanting to protect me from the sheer devastation she experienced.

There are three other women in the waiting area. The older lady pays no attention to us. The other two look at Allie. Allie is completely unaware as she’s sitting here with closed eyes as if it somehow makes her invisible.

One of the lookers leans over and whispers to the other looker. They both stare at me now, smiling.

“Allie?” someone calls.

I can feel the tension through her fingers. She doesn’t move. She’s cemented to the seat. I stand, pull her up then lean in. “Whatever happens, I’m here. You will not go through this alone.”

Slowly, her glassy eyes open and she gives me a small nod.

I’m escorted back to an exam room while her vitals are taken. As I sit in the chair next to the patient table, I examine the posters on the wall. Pregnant women looking happy. A list of what to avoid during pregnancy. A month-by-month fetal growth chart.

I try not to get too excited, but I am. She’s pregnant.

I’m going to finally have another child.

It’s something I’ve craved for a decade but thought would never happen.

Stella and I tried for years. We went through five miscarriages.

Rounds of fertility treatments. It was a constant roller coaster of ups and downs.

I know we still have to get through these test results, but if Allie really is thirteen weeks, she’s in the second trimester, where odds of miscarriage go way down. Stella never made it past nine weeks. And no matter what, I’m going to love this baby as much as I love Bug.

Bug . I wonder what she’ll think about becoming a big sister. Will this be the thing that finally gets her to accept Allie?

I’m getting ahead of myself. First, we need to get through the next fifteen minutes.

Then we can start planning the future—whatever that may be.

But one thing’s for sure, it’s a future where we’ll be together.

Me. Allie. Bug. And hopefully a happy, healthy baby.

A son maybe, one who looks like me? Or a daughter who has Allie’s beautiful hair and who also gets hiccups after she eats?

The door swings open and Allie walks in, followed by a nurse who announces, “Dr. McQuaid will be in shortly.”

“Thank you,” I reply when Allie remains quiet.

I can see the fear in her eyes. She’s trying to keep it together after her breakdown. And I’m not really sure what to say. I’ve assured her fifty times already that I’m going to be here for her. At this point, I think all I can do is hold her hand.

Luckily, we don’t have to wait long. I’m not sure if that pleases me or bothers me.

He said he’d work her in, but it seems like he’s taking her before anyone else.

That could mean there’s a reason he needed to see her first. Or it could just mean she’s a friend of a friend and she’s getting preferential treatment.

When he sees me, he stops and takes me in. Though I’ve been to Calloway Creek several times since Marti and Charlie moved here, I don’t know many residents. The Montanas of course, some of the Calloways, and a few other random people.

I stand and offer my hand. “Asher Anderson.”

His eyes flit amusingly between Allie and me when he shakes my hand. “Hudson McQuaid. I’ve heard your name once or twice. Nice to put a face to it.”

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. Now I 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 DNA in addition to 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 taking my hand.

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 fast thump thump thump fills 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.”

Another thump 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.”

I stand and lean over to kiss her. “It’s the best news.”

She swats Hudson’s arm. “Jesus Christ, Hudson. Why didn’t you just tell me I was having twins last night? I had a freaking panic attack. I could kill you.”

He laughs. “Oh, and you think knowing you were having twins but that one of them might have died would have settled you?”

She opens her mouth to argue, but rolls her eyes instead. Then she looks up at me. “Asher, oh my god.” She turns back to Hudson. “And you’re sure they’re okay. Like one hundred percent?”

“Allie, they’re fine. While nothing in life is guaranteed, I feel confident telling you to enjoy this pregnancy. Lord knows after what you’ve gone through you have every right to.”

My smile is a mile wide. Only in my dreams have I imagined having a child with her. And now I get two. With the woman I’m in love with.

And she loves me.

And— holy shit. Twins . I sit back down, almost needing to put my head between my legs.

Hudson chuckles. I imagine he sees this a lot.

He types on the ultrasound keyboard and then prints out some black-and-white photos and hands them to Allie. She stares at them, disbelieving, as I look over her shoulder. One of the photos shows both babies, labeled Twin A and Twin B. The others show them individually.

“So they’re not identical?” I ask.

“Actually, di-di twins can be identical, but yours are not. They’re fraternal.”

I squint at the photo. “Can you tell the sex?”

“Not based off the ultrasound, but the blood test showed it.” He turns to Allie. “Do you want to know?”

I can tell she’s experiencing a thousand emotions right now.

Trying to process the fact that this baby—these babies —aren’t like Christopher.

And that there are two. And that since she’s in the second trimester, she’s already gotten past a few hurdles.

And that, most likely, in six months, we’ll have two healthy children.

If she’s feeling the same way I am, she doesn’t know whether to laugh, cry, or lose her breakfast.

“What do you think?” she asks me.

“Whatever you want, sweetheart.”

Her face-splitting grin lets me know she likes the endearment. And, damn, I can’t wait to get her home. I can’t wait to kiss her like I want to kiss her. Touch her beautiful growing body. Put my hands on her belly.

“I want to know,” she says, her eyes locked with mine.

Hudson taps the iPad. “You’re having a boy and a girl.”

It’s an incredible sight, watching her eyes pool with happy tears as she absorbs the news that we’re having a son and a daughter. I swear all the fear has drained right out of her body, leaving her filled to the brim with happiness.

I lean down and touch my forehead to hers. “You’ve never looked more beautiful than you do right now.”

Hudson clears his throat as if he thinks we’ve forgotten he’s here.

“Um… so when can we expect the big arrival?” I ask.

“Technically the due date is December fifth. But with twins, we consider full term to be thirty-seven weeks. That would put it at November fourteenth.”

November fourteenth. I’ll be forty-one years old then. Forty-one with three children.

I fucking love my life.