“Shut up. That’s my niece or nephew you’re talking about.” Lisa grinned as Walter kissed her hair and pulled her off of the couch. They left the apartment, driving to the doctor’s office in his car as Holly felt her hands shaking. She’d been without Aaron longer than with him at this point and it felt so sad to be doing this without him. Lisa opened her door for her once they were parked and hugged her as she slid onto the sidewalk. “I’m so excited. We get to plan a baby shower.”
There were enough female friends in her life now to do that, making Holly smile. Maybe her family could come out too. “Nothing big.”
The three sat in the waiting room together as Holly closed her eyes and took deep breaths. She was feeling great and the baby was healthy and everything was good. She could do this.
“Holly?” She jerked her head and looked at the familiar nurse, who was smiling at her. “Big day huh?” They were closer and her voice carried through the room.
“Yeah. It is.” Holly agreed as she walked into the hallway followed by her friends. She was led to a different room where she was told to lie down and pull her shirt up to reveal her belly. Holly lowered her pants to a respectable level and her shirt up as she grimaced from the pressure on her bladder. She was forced to drink epic amounts of water for this and she sighed as she hoped that it was worth it. Lisa moved beside her and Walter took up the back of the room as a young woman entered.
“Good morning. Ready to see your baby?” Her voice was bright and cheerful and Holly nodded as brown eyes surveyed the group in the room. “Are we finding out the sex today?”
“I am.” Holly replied, smiling as Lisa chimed in. She saw the girl look between Walter and Lisa and she laughed. “He’s not the dad. Just a friend like her.” She may have sounded amused by it but she was hurting inside as she missed Aaron all over again.
“Well, then. Let’s get started.” Everyone watched closely as she dumped the chilly gel on Holly’s stomach and started to rub the device over it. She told her measurements and information as Holly longed for the bathroom until the woman paused. “So…here is your baby’s legs and you are having a little girl.”
“Oh my God.” Everything stopped for Holly as she felt Lisa squeeze her hand in joy, feeling tears slide down her cheeks. She now knew what this being was and it was going to be her daughter in just a few short months. She looked at her best friend and they smiled at each other as the woman started to tell her more stuff.
Holly was told that she could use the restroom and she pulled her clothes back on before rushing out of the room and across the hall. She had never been so happy to pee and she focused on her baby as she released her pressure. A daughter. Would she look like Holly or Aaron…or both? Would they get along like she did with her mom?
Leaving the restroom, she stepped back into the room for the sonogram pictures and thanked the woman for the good news. Lisa and Walter were amped up and wanted to get lunch before Lisa took her shopping as Holly blinked. She stepped out onto the busy street and took a deep breath for a moment. Everything blurred together and Lisa grabbed her arm. “Are you okay?”
“I just need a sec,” Holly panted as she felt a cold bottle against her hand.
“Here. Drink this.” Walter told her and she knew that it was water since everybody was being so protective of her.
“I want to eat. I’m starving.” Holly admitted, blinking slowly as the world came back into focus. “I’ll decide after that about shopping. Okay?”
They decided on a place as they looked around to see what was close, and Holly bit into her cheeseburger with a happy smile. “Now I feel better.”
“What do you think we need?” Lisa asked as she bounced happily in her seat. They had a little crib and Holly was planning on using the chair in the living room for a makeshift rocker.
“I guess we can get some bedding and blankets now. Clothes. So many clothes.” Holly brightened as she thought about it and Walter chuckled. “Maybe a store or two?”
CHAPTER FOUR
They came home with a few bags of items and Holly put them all into the crib for the time being, adding them to the stuff her family had sent her. They weren’t thrilled that she was alone in this but respected her decision to keep the baby, believing that the father had left her and not the other way around. She heard Lisa call out that she was leaving and told her thanks as the door closed. Holly grabbed some yogurt from the fridge as she sat in front of her computer, warming it up as she took in the silence of the apartment. It wouldn’t be much longer and there would be the cries of her daughter needing her.