we go into labor at the same time?” I asked.
“Sure.”
“Even with the due dates different?”
Steph nodded. “Two weeks isn’t all that much time. You could go over your due date a little bit and Olivia could go a little early. Either way, I think it’ll be a busy few weeks.”
“So… that’s…”
“Yeah. That’s a baby. Want to hear the heartbeat?”
“Of course I do,” I said.
I lifted my head and stared at the screen.
Steph touched some buttons and then there was the sound of static.
After a few seconds, my heart started to race.
Then I heard the sound.
The whoosh-whoosh-whoosh sound of the heart.
I put my left hand over my mouth and my eyes filled with tears.
“Strong heartbeat,” Steph said. “Everything looks perfect.”
“Okay,” I managed to whisper.
Steph looked at me.
There was a moment where I felt like she wanted to tell me I was going to be okay.
So I blurted out, “He’s on the road. He’s a musician. Silas. Rhodes.”
“I know that name,” Steph said. “That’s who…”
“Yeah,” I said. “I got knocked up by a rock star.”
“Wow. Good for you. I think.”
“Yes,” I said. “It’s great. It’s amazing. It’s…”
My chin quivered.
Steph finished up and printed a few ultrasound pictures for me.
I stared down at that little white dot in the black circle and couldn’t make sense of it.
That… was inside me…
That was going to become a baby.
My baby.
“You okay, Mila?” Steph asked.
I blinked a few times. “Holy crap, I’m going to be a mother.”
I kind of just wandered into the waiting area, holding the ultrasound pictures.
“Let me see my new niece or nephew,” Olivia said as she hurried toward me.
I held out the ultrasound pictures and she teared up again.
Tyler touched my shoulder. “Hey. Congrats.”
“Thanks,” I said. “I’m just… wow. This is really real now.”
“You didn’t think it was real?” Tyler asked.
“I mean, yeah, I took a few tests.”
“You told me you bought ten at one time,” Olivia said.
“Shh,” I said to her.
“Oh, Mila,” Tyler said. “This is amazing. Two babies. Ma is going to be out of her mind for the next nine months.”
“We’re only two weeks apart too,” I said.
“Can you imagine if we have the babies at the same time?” Olivia asked.
“I know.”
“Let’s make it happen.”
I laughed. “I don’t think it’s in our control.”
“Right now,” Olivia said. “Let’s make a pact. Here…” She took my hand and placed it on her stomach. She placed her hand on my stomach. “We’re making a pact. We’re having these babies at the exact same time. Got it?”
“Got it,” I said.
“It’s going to be amazing.”
I nodded. Then my eyes filled with tears.
“Hey, Mila,” Tyler said.
“Am I… going to be a single mother?”
“Oh, Mila,” Olivia said.
“You have to tell him,” Tyler said. “You can’t think that right now. He doesn’t even know.”
“That’s right,” Olivia said. “Silas doesn’t even know. Everything was such a mess before. This will ease all tension.”
“Goddamn, I’m so sorry, Mila,” Tyler said.
I looked at him. “For what?”
“For everything. I chased him away from you. I judged him. I saw him as someone else. You loved that guy and I…”
“Tyler, it’s okay,” I said.
“It’s not okay. The way I acted, no. I accused him.”
“We all did,” Olivia said.
“I just stood there and left him hang out to dry,” I said.
“He’s not going to be mad at you for this,” Olivia said. “If that’s what you think.”
“I don’t know what to think right now.”
“He has to know,” Tyler said. “No matter the reaction…”
“I know,” I said. “I feel guilty that he’s not here. I feel like I’m hurting him. The first ultrasound and I’m alone.”
“You wanted to find out for sure,” Olivia said. “And you did. You know you’re pregnant for sure. So now you have to call him.”
“Yeah,” I said.
“No matter what happens, you have us,” Tyler said. “Crosby and I will be there for you and the baby. Plus Ma. Edith. Zeke. Thomas. I mean, you’re not going to be short on help and support.”
“It’s more than that, Tyler,” I said.
“I know it is,” he said. “I did the single dad thing for a long time. Remember?”
I nodded. “Yeah. You did. I’ll figure it out. I’ll… I’ll call him…”
Lucy appeared next to Tyler. She pointed to the ultrasound picture. “Is that your baby, Aunt Mila?”
“Yes it is,” I said.
“Wow,” Lucy said. “Silas must have stuck it really hard in you just like Daddy did to Olivia!”
Chapter Six
SILAS
I stood on the stage and took my guitar off.
I held it with my right hand.
The people just kept clapping.
Whistling.
Cheering.
I gave a wave and nodded.
It felt