Page 68 of Dissonance

“That’s good?” I ask, voice lower than I expected.

She glances between us. “Very good. Nice and strong for twelve weeks.”

Thea exhales, the last of the tension in her shoulders releasing. That wee heartbeat continues for another few seconds before the monitor switches off, the room far too quiet without it.

The tech wipes the gel from her stomach, says she’ll grab the doctor as she leaves the room. Thea readjusts her clothes, fingers moving slowly in a daze as a knock sounds at the door and a doctor walks in. I offer Thea my hand, helping her down from the table, even though she doesn’t seem to need it.

“Hello, Thea, I’m Dr. Bryan.” She smiles, looking over at the monitor, then at the tablet in her hands. “Everything looks great. You’re measuring right where we’d expect.” She pauses, lips pursing a little. “I am concerned about your blood pressure, though. It’s slightly higher than we’d like. Nothing alarming right now, but worth keeping an eye on. Is work particularly stressful at the moment?”

“You could say that,” I mutter.

“It’s fine,” Thea corrects, scowling at me.

Dr. Bryan smiles. “We’ll monitor it closely. Just try to take it easy where you can.”

She hands over a sonogram, confirms the next appointment, and walks out into the hallway. Thea takes it, finger tracing lightly around the small ghost-like shape in the middle before sliding it carefully into her bag.

Outside, the early afternoon sun blasts down, and Thea stops on the pavement beside the parking lot, face tilted upward, eyes closed.

“You okay?”

She lets out a soft, breathy sound, somewhere between disbelief and wonder.

“Yeah.” She shakes her head. “Actually, I…don’t know.” Her palm presses flat across her stomach. “That was…”

When she trails off, I step closer, wrapping my arms around her. She folds into me easily, hands clutching my sides, face hidden in my chest, warm breath seeping through the cotton. I rest my chin on the top of her head and stay there, giving her as much time as she needs.

“Did you hear how fast it was?” she murmurs. “Their heartbeat?”

“Aye,” I say, the sound etched into my brain, playing on a loop I’ll never forget. My hand moves to the back of her neck, thumb working slowly into the muscles. “Wee fighter already.”

She huffs quietly. “Just like their daddy, huh?”

My arms tighten around her. I don’t think she notices as she leans back, her eyes bright and glassy with pure wonder at what we just witnessed. I press my lips to her forehead, then her temple, pinching her chin between my thumb and finger, tilting it up to brush my mouth against hers.

It’s gentle, nothing like in the bath. This one lingers, emotions I can’t name passing through it. When I pull back, her expression is still caught between overwhelmed and awe, like she’s searching for something to say but can’t.

“Ready?” I ask, linking our fingers together again, unable to stop touching her.

“Yeah.”

She lets me lead her to the car, her free hand resting over her stomach.

Over our baby.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Thea

Cars line both sides of the street as we pull up outside Ed’s house. Through the front windows, I can already see movement. People shift around the living room, shadows of balloons bobbing deeper inside.

“Shit,” I mutter and clutch the pink-wrapped box tighter. “It was supposed to be a quiet family dinner.”

Beside me, Lockie reaches into the back seat and pulls out the gift bag he’d appeared with from his apartment, along with a gorgeous bouquet, easy and unhurried, the way he does everything.

“You really didn’t have to come,” I say, watching him step out onto the curb.

He shuts the door, leaving me alone for a second. Inhaling, I hold my breath and count to three before letting it out slowly. Lockie walks around the car, opening my door, hand stretched out with that same calm on his face that never seems to go anywhere.