After she hung up the telephone, she sat there in stunned silence, the tears flowing. Images flickered on the TV, the sound muted and silent. She stared at the screen, blurry through her tears, unable to comprehend what she’d been told.
Pregnant. Christina put a hand to her stomach and felt it flutter. She knew it wasn’t the baby—just nerves—but she laughed anyway. Pregnant!
She really shouldn’t have eaten that whole jar of frosting.
Pregnant. She was having a baby.
Christina grabbed her purse. She had to deliver this kind of news to Gary in person. Would he be happy? He’d come a long way, but she still didn’t know what to expect.
She walked into the law office thirty minutes later.
“Hello, Mrs. Vincent,” the receptionist said. “I absolutely love that shirt on you. You’re positively glowing.”
The pregnancy glow. It was already happening. To Christina. She had the pregnancy glow.
“Thank you.” Butterflies of excitement and nerves swarmed in her stomach. “I’m heading up to Mr. Vincent’s office.”
The receptionist nodded and picked up the phone. “I’ll let him know you are on your way.”
“No need. I want to surprise him.”
The receptionist paused, then set the phone in its cradle. “Okay. Go right on up.”
Did she just wink at Christina? What did it matter? They were having a baby! Christina hoped Gary would be happy. She hoped this moment wouldn’t be ruined.
She waited impatiently for the elevator, forcing herself not to bounce from foot to foot. As she rode up to the fifth floor, she prayed she wouldn’t run into Gary’s father. Christina hadn’t seen him since that last disastrous dinner. Did Alexander and Elauna even know they’d done IVF? Would they accept and love Gary and Christina’s child?
Alexander was nowhere to be seen. Luck was on Christina’s side—again. Was this really happening to her, or was it a fantastic dream?
Gary’s office door stood open. His back was toward the door, head bent and phone pressed to his ear as he sat on the edge of his desk. Christina slipped into his office, closing the door quietly. His eyebrow lifted when he saw her. He knew. He had to.
And he was going to be as excited as she was.
“Daniel, something has come up. Can I call you later? Yeah. Okay. Mmm hmm. Thank you.” He hung up. “Well?” Christina heard the hope, fear, and worry wrapped in that one simple word.
“You’re going to be a daddy. We’re having a baby.”
Gary let out a whoop, grabbing her up in a bear hug. She laughed.
“We’re pregnant?” he asked, as though he couldn’t believe it either.
“We’re pregnant.”
Gary buried his head in her neck. Christina clung to him, tears streaking down her face. After all their marriage had suffered the last five months, they were finally having a baby.
“I’m taking you out to celebrate.” Gary’s voice was gruff, working to hide his emotion.
Christina laughed, wiping her eyes. “Right now? It’s only three o’clock.”
He shrugged and pulled his suit coat off the back of his chair, then slipped it on. Typical Gary. Even in ninety-degree weather, he was always the professional. “I think I can take off early for this.”
They went to dinner at their favorite restaurant. They laughed and talked as they hadn’t since their dating days. “I can’t believe it,” they kept saying. “I can’t believe this is happening.”
They were on their way home when Christina got the text from Megan. Well?
Christina showed it to Gary. “Can we go over there and tell them?” she asked as they pulled into their driveway. “Looks like they’re home.”
Gary grinned. “If you want to tell them first, before our parents or anyone else, be my guest.”
Christina hadn’t thought about it like that. Did she want Megan to know before her own mother? If Megan wasn’t pregnant, would their friendship survive? “We’ve been through this together. And she’s still waiting to find out. I think I owe it to her to let her know.”
Megan threw open the door before Christina even knocked. She took one look at Christina and shrieked. “You’re pregnant!” Megan hollered over her shoulder. “Trent, get your butt in here.”
Relief coursed through Christina. She should’ve known Megan would react like this. Christina feared her grin would split her cheeks. Megan pulled Gary and Christina inside, hugging them both. Trent appeared and offered his congratulations as well. They laughed and talked, and the excitement swelled around Christina, filling the whole house.
It was almost an hour before they got home.
“I have something for you,” Gary said, tugging her upstairs.
In their bedroom he ducked into the closet, reappearing with a box in his hand. Christina took the box from him, and he motioned for her to sit down on the bed.
“When did you get this?” she asked.
He shrugged. “I guess it was right after your surgery. I saw it at a boutique while I was out with a client. Open it.”
Christina eagerly unwrapped the gift. She lifted the lid to find a porcelain statue of a mother in a rocking chair, holding a baby. She let out a gasp. “Gary, it’s beautiful.”
He turned the figurine over to reveal a turnkey. He twisted it, and the statue started playing a lullaby—“All Through the Night.” He placed it back in Christina’s hand. “I saw it and knew it had to be yours.”
The tears gushed, and she leaned forward to hug him. In that moment, everything was absolutely perfect.
The bonfire with Megan and Christina left Kyra freer and more optimistic than she had been since the first IUI. When Christina called a few days later with the news she was pregnant, Kyra was thrilled. An infertility survivor. It gave her hope she’d have her own happy ending.
Taking Clomid for the fourth time wasn’t as challenging as the others. Maybe it was because Kyra knew what to anticipate and was therefore better prepared to handle the side effects.
Today would be their fourth IUI. She could hardly believe they were to this point again. If this didn’t work, they’d have to take out another loan to continue. But should they? Maybe all the failed attempts were the Lord’s way of telling them they weren’t supposed to have more children. Did she want to keep putting her body through this?
“I’m sorry I can’t be there today,” David apologized as he got ready for work. “I have to attend this meeting.”
“It’s okay,” Kyra lied. “It’s not like we haven’t done this before.” Wouldn’t it be ironic if she ended up getting pregnant on the one IUI David wasn’t present for? It did hurt that he wouldn’t be there, but she knew it couldn’t be helped.
After dropping David’s sample at the clinic, Kyra left David at work.
“Where are we going now?” Sophie asked from the back seat.
“Mrs. Burke’s. Remember, she’s going to babysit you.” It had felt so good to be honest about why Kyra needed a sitter.
“Are you going to the doctor again?”
Kyra glanced in the rear view mirror at Sophie. “Yes.”
“Is my baby brother coming soon?”
Kyra pulled into the Burke’s driveway. “I hope so.”
She got Sophie out of the van, and they walked up the front steps to Megan’s. She opened the door before Kyra even had a chance to knock.
“I saw you pull up,” Megan said. “Come in.”
“Thanks for watching her,” Kyra told Megan as they stepped inside.
“No problem. I’ve got crayons and movies and all sorts of fun things. We’ll be fine.”
“Mommy says you play the piano,” Sophie said. “I want to learn.”
Megan laughed. “We can do that too, although it might be hard with your cast.” Her voice turned serious. “Good luck, Kyra. I’ve been praying every night it will work this time.”
“Thanks.” Kyra swallowed back her emotion. They needed it.
At the doctor’s o
ffice, Kyra flipped through a magazine until a nurse called her back. The procedure went just as the others—flawlessly. It was another textbook perfect cycle, with three follicles and a sperm count of ninety million. The only difference was David’s absence. After the procedure, Kyra lay on the exam table for the required thirty minutes, her eyes squeezed shut as she prayed.
We spent all this money, and took out that loan, Kyra reminded the Lord. We’ve put all our trust in You. We’re doing our part, but we need a miracle to make this happen.
The door opened. “You can get dressed now, Kyra,” the nurse told her. Kyra nodded, and soon left the clinic to begin her two-week wait.
She pulled up to Megan’s at the same time as a red Suburban. A teenage girl climbed out of the driver’s side, her stomach poking out. Sienna. It must be her.
Should Kyra wait until Sienna went inside, then go herself? No, that would be awkward. Should Kyra walk beside Sienna but not say anything? No, that would be weird too.
Kyra got out of the car. They both headed toward the front door. Sienna smiled uncomfortably.
“Hi,” Kyra said. “I’m Kyra.”
“Sienna,” she replied.
“You must be one of Megan’s piano students.”
Sienna nodded, but said nothing.
“I live a few blocks away. She’s babysitting my daughter.”
“Oh.”
Kyra forced herself to keep smiling, and Sienna rang the doorbell. A moment later the door opened.
“Mommy!” Sophie launched herself at Kyra’s legs.
“Hey, baby girl.” Kyra leaned down and hugged Sophie, then looked up at Megan. “Was she good?”
“A perfect angel,” Megan said. “Hey, Sienna. Go start on your scales. I’ll be there in a minute.”
“I learned a scale. And I did it with only one hand.” Sophie turned to Sienna. “Do you know scales?”
Sienna smiled, showing signs of loosening up for the first time. “I do.”
“Can I play you my scale?” Sophie asked. “I worked really hard.”
“Sophie, Mrs. Burke needs us to leave so she can teach Sienna,” Kyra said.
“It’s fine.” Sienna smiled at Sophie. “I would love to hear a scale.”
“I did promise her she could play it for you,” Megan said.
“If you’re sure.” Kyra stepped inside, and Megan shut the door.
Sophie pranced over to the piano bench, climbing up on it and placing her one good hand on the keyboard. She started playing a scale, hitting a few wrong notes but mostly getting them right.
If they weren’t paying for fertility treatments, Sophie could take piano lessons. The thought came unbidden, and Kyra quickly pushed it away. Sophie played the last note, and Kyra clapped loudly.
“Great job, sweetie.” Kyra leaned down and kissed her head.
“You’re a natural,” Sienna said.
Sophie turned on the bench to face them, beaming. “I can’t play with this arm cuz it’s broke.”
“I can see that,” Sienna said. “How did you break it?”
“I flied like Superman.” Sophie thrust her arms out, flapping them like wings. “But I felled.”
“Ouch.” Sienna scrunched up her nose.
“That was really good, Soph, but we need to go now,” Kyra said. “Go put on your shoes.”
“Okay. Bye.” Sophie waved at Sienna and ran to the front door.
“Start working on your scales,” Megan told Sienna. “I’ll be back.”
Kyra followed Megan to the entryway and bent down to help Sophie with her shoes. Music swelled, filling the house with its rich notes, which radiated emotion. “Those are scales?” Kyra asked.
Megan laughed. “Hard to believe, huh? That girl is going to do amazing things. Juilliard wants her.”
“Impressive.” Kyra’s eyes flicked to Sienna. Her back curved as she bent over the piano keys, coaxing the scales into a beautiful crescendo. What would she do at Juilliard with a child? “Thanks again for watching Sophie.”
“Anytime.” Megan smiled at Sophie. “We’re good buds.”
“Megan’s my friend,” Sophie said.
Kyra laughed. “We’ll let you get back to Sienna.” She sobered. “Have you heard anything yet?”
“Friday.”
“You’ll let me know?”
Megan smiled. “Only if you let me know.”
“It’s a deal.” Hopefully they would both have good news.
A fifty percent chance of success. That was all Megan could think about as she paced the house, waiting for the call telling her whether their twenty thousand dollars had been worth it. The thought of that much money made her ill.
Christina was on the positive side of that statistic. Did that mean Megan would be on the negative?
A fifty-fifty shot. A fifty percent chance her dreams would come true. A fifty percent chance they’d be shattered.
Trent wrapped his arms around her. “How are you doing?” he asked. He’d taken the day off work so they could be together.
Megan opened her mouth to respond, but the phone rang. She looked down at the cell, buzzing in her hands. Trent released her, and she answered with a shaking finger, putting it on speaker. “Hello?”
“Congratulations.” The word was barely out of the nurse’s mouth before Trent and Megan screamed and hugged each other, jumping up and down.
The nurse laughed. “You’re pregnant!”
“Oh, thank you.” Megan sank onto the couch and began to cry. “Thank you so much for calling.”
Trent took the phone from Megan and finished the call, then wrapped his arms around her as she bawled.
“Two thousand seventy-two days,” Megan choked. “Almost six years. That’s how long it took us to get here.”
Trent kissed her deeply. “And it was worth every day to get to this point.”
She cradled her stomach with her hands. “Yes, it was.”
They went shopping for baby clothes. They didn’t buy anything, but it felt amazing to look, knowing they’d buy these items soon. They went to dinner and discussed baby names and which room they would convert into the nursery. Then they stopped at the Vincents to tell them they’d been successful too.
Christina hugged Megan tight. “We’re pregnant,” she said. “Both of us. Can you believe it?”
Megan shook her head, laughing. “No. I really can’t.”
Two thousand seventy-two days. Two thousand seventy-two times she’d woken up without being a mother. But never again.
It had been two weeks since the positive pregnancy test, and today Megan would finally see her baby. After nearly six years of waiting, hoping, and praying, it was happening.
Trent squeezed Megan’s hand as Dr. Mendoza inserted the ultrasound probe. An image of Megan’s uterus popped up on the screen, all fuzzy lines and unclear images.
“Where is it?” Megan asked anxiously. “Where’s my baby?”
Dr. Mendoza pointed to a dot on the screen. “Here. There’s the yolk sack.” She outlined it with her finger.
Trent and Megan stared in awe. “There it is,” Trent said. “We did it, Meg.”
“Can we hear the heartbeat?” Megan asked.
“No heartbeat yet.” Dr. Mendoza drew lines on the screen, measuring the baby. “You’re right on target, though. Baby’s measuring at six weeks four days.”
No heartbeat. Megan’s chest tightened. That didn’t sound good. “Why isn’t there a heartbeat?”
“Don’t worry. It’s common not to hear one this early.” She withdrew the probe and Megan sat up. Dr. Mendoza cleared her throat. “I don’t want you to get your hopes up, but there might be another yolk sack.”
Another yolk sack. Another . . .
“Twins?” Megan’s heart skipped a beat. Two babies. Twins.
“What do you mean ‘might’?” Trent asked.
“It’s too early to tell for sure. Come back in two weeks, and we’ll know. We’ll hear the heartbeat then, too. Everything look
s great. Congratulations, you two.”
“Twins,” Megan said as soon as they were in the car. “Can you believe it? We might have two babies.”
Trent had a huge smile on his face. “Isn’t it great? I really hope it’s two, but I’m happy either way.”
Megan laughed, then frowned. “But Trent, what if it is two?” Double the diapers. Double the feedings. Double the everything. She was only one person. How would she take care of both of them? She’d seen how harried Sienna’s mother always was. “What if it’s not two?” How was it possible she’d already latched onto the idea of twins? Already longed for there to be two children? She’d learn to do things in doubles quickly enough. After all the pain and anguish of their years of infertility, Megan loved the idea, despite the added hardships she knew it would bring.
She had met Sienna’s brothers, after all.
Trent squeezed Megan’s hand. “We’ll take things as they come. For now, let’s be happy we’re pregnant. We will love those babies, no matter if there’s one or twelve.”
“Twelve!”
Trent laughed. “Relax. Dr. Mendoza only mentioned two babies. I think we’re in the clear.”
The next two weeks were incredibly long, in more ways than one. Megan got sicker. And sicker. And sicker. She cut back her hours at work to practically nothing. Puking during house showings wasn’t a great selling point. Christina was sick as well, and they spent a lot of time together, watching TV and being blissfully miserable.
The thought of twins nagged at the back of Megan’s mind, but by the time their second doctor’s appointment rolled around, she had convinced herself it wasn’t happening. She was thrilled to have one. No matter the number, they were blessed.
Trent took off work to go to the appointment with her. In the exam room Megan hopped onto the table.
“Are you ready to hear that heartbeat?” Dr. Mendoza asked.
“You have no idea how ready.” Megan watched the screen anxiously, and soon her uterus appeared. The white blob was bigger than last time. “Wow, baby’s really grown. How does she look?”
“She?” Trent asked. “That could be our son you’re talking about.”
Dr. Mendoza peered at the screen intently.
Chasing Someday Page 22
