Daniel looked like he might catapult himself across the room toward her, but he managed to keep himself seated. Marienne signed in at the desk with one of the sunflower-topped pens then took a seat beside him. No sooner had she settled herself and placed her purse on her lap than he slipped his hand into hers. Their fingers interlocked and he leaned over and kissed the side of her head. She felt calmer already.
“You waiting long?” she asked.
“No,” he said, too quickly.
She squinted at him. “How long?”
“A few minutes.” He played with her fingers.
“How many?”
“Ten….Maybe twenty…. Forty, tops.” He looked sheepish.
She sighed. “I told you it wasn’t even necessary for you to—” He silenced her with a kiss. The heat that surged through her made her think that if he didn’t stop they might wind up giving the waiting room guests an instant replay of how they wound up pregnant in the first place.
“Marienne Gardner.” The nurse in the doorway grinned at them. “Whenever you’re ready.” She winked.
Marienne flushed and threw Daniel a look. He shrugged his apology as he stood, his own cheeks colored.
Daniel sat in the tiny examining room waiting while Marienne went to give a urine sample and get weighed. He examined the medical diagrams on the wall. Babies at all different sizes in every possible position in their mother’s wombs. How on earth do women do this? He couldn’t help but think of his own mother. She’d gone through it all alone, no husband, no one to support her.
Marienne returned, wearing a pink polka-dotted gown. She did a quick curtsy before climbing up onto the examining table. She seemed much calmer than he felt, though he knew she was nervous too.
Before he could ask her anything the doctor entered the room. She was writing in a chart but looked up to smile at both Marienne and Daniel. “Well, you were right. Your urine sample confirmed it. You’re pregnant.” She turned to Daniel and extended her hand. “I’m Dr. Tyler. You must be Daniel.”
Her handshake was firm and reassuring. “Pleasure to meet you,” Daniel said.
“Why don’t you take a seat over here?” She pulled a chair closer to the head of the examining table. “Marienne, let’s get you in position.”
Daniel took a seat, facing Marienne. She reached out and took his hand as she maneuvered her feet into the odd-looking stirrups. He heard the snap of latex gloves.
“Okay, Marienne, knees apart, try to relax.”
Daniel felt her grip tighten at the word relax, and he knew she was doing anything but.
“Deep breath,” Dr. Tyler said. “You too, Daniel, no dads pass out on my watch.”
He chuckled, but kept his eyes on Marienne’s face. She grimaced and flinched which made him cringe. He rubbed his thumb along the back of her hand, hating that she was in discomfort. The sounds of metal clicking into place and instruments being placed on the small table filled the tiny room.
“Cervix looks great,” Dr. Tyler said.
“Can’t hear that often enough,” Marienne said.
“Okay, just going to use my fingers now. Relax your thighs….”
Again Marienne tensed at the word. Daniel kissed her hand. Her eyes were clamped shut. Her lips tightly pursed. She still looked beautiful.
“All good.” The snapping sound of gloves came again, and Daniel turned to see them being tossed into the nearby trash can.
Dr. Tyler picked up her chart and pen. “There’s no sign of any problem. As we’ve discussed you have a slightly increased risk of previa because of your history, but it’s still a small percentage. Only four percent of pregnancies will have previa issues again, and of those not all will become serious problems. For now, you’re all good. I would like to get an ultrasound just to have as a baseline. Do you have time for that today?”
“Yes.” Marienne nodded. The tension seemed to be easing in her body. Her hand loosened its grasp and felt warmer.
“Okay.” Doctor Tyler smiled. “We’ll be back in a moment to take care of that. I’ll have the nurse bring you some water.”
To find out what happens next, read Holding On.
"I love when I read a sequel and like it as much as the first one. I couldn't have asked for a better story for Marienne and Daniel to show what it's like after the Happily Ever After ending at the end of Meant to Be. Karen Stivali is a superb writer in contemporary romance."~Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews 5 of 5 stars; A True Gem
Meant To Be (The Destiny Series Book 1) Page 34
