Page 118 of Break Me

It has to be wrong.

Samuel

The office smells faintly sweet. Something floral. Like someone plugged in an air freshener and forgot about it.

The walls are a soft, muted yellow. Framed photos of babies line the hallway outside with thank-you cards, birth announcements, and smiling newborns swaddled in pastel blankets.

Raven noticed them as soon as we walked in.

She smiled, and I told myself that was a good sign.

They drew blood yesterday to check her hCG levels. The nurse on the phone told her that sometimes home tests don’t pick them up in early pregnancy. I read that, too. False negatives happen.

And this morning, they did an ultrasound before the appointment. The tech didn’t say much, but I didn’t think anything of it. They’re not allowed to.

So now, we’re sitting in two cushioned chairs across from the doctor’s desk. Diplomas on the wall. A bookshelf. A ceramic mother-and-baby figurine near the window.

This is a place where people get good news. That’s what I keep telling myself.

Raven sits beside me, fingers woven together in her lap. Calm. Expectant. She still believes something is happening.

Honestly? So do I.

There’s a soft knock on the door. A second later, the doctor steps in with a laptop under his arm and shuts the door behind him.

He smiles. Measured. “Thanks for waiting,” he says as he sits.

Raven nods. “Of course.”

He glances at the screen. “I want to go over your bloodwork and the ultrasound.”

Bloodwork. Good.

“That was for the hormone level, right?” Raven asks. “Because sometimes the home tests miss it.”

The doctor looks up. "We checked your hCG level. It isn't elevated."

"But it can take time to rise," I say. "If we miscalculated..."

Raven looks at me, and I know she's thinking the same thing.

The doctor nods once. "That can happen in a very early pregnancy. But your hCG level isn't consistent with pregnancy."

My stomach sinks. Then why are we here?

“Before we talk about the ultrasound,” he says carefully, “I want to ask a few more questions.”

He looks at Raven. "You mentioned nausea."

"Yes."

"Have you noticed any bloating?"

"A little."

"Feeling full sooner than usual?"

She nods. "Yeah."