really am."
"I have no idea what you're talking about," J.J. said.
Dr. Stubens shook her head at him but focused on me once again. "Well, you've had quite a bit of upheaval in your personal life this year, haven't you? I didn't even realize the two of you were dating."
My face heated but I forced myself not to look at J.J. Dr. Stubens might be fun and hilarious, but she was smart and sharp. She would see right through that exchange of eye contact.
Though she probably already had a very good idea that we'd gotten married because I'd gotten pregnant.
"So based on the timing you've listed, you believe you're approximately twelve weeks along, correct?" she asked.
"Yes."
"Have you been taking prenatal vitamins?" she asked.
I nodded. "I'm not sure how many stayed down the last month or so, though. The morning sickness was more like all-day sickness and I had trouble eating."
"That happens more often than people realize. How's the nausea now?" she asked.
"A lot better. I'm still queasy in the mornings but I usually feel fine once I have some toast and tea."
"Are you limiting your caffeine intake?" she asked.
I sighed and nodded. "Yes. Believe me, everyone in the family is keeping a close eye on how much caffeine I consume." I shot J.J. the side-eye. "My brothers and this one tried to talk me into giving it up completely, which I will do if it's necessary, but everything I've read indicates that a small amount of caffeine a day is okay for the...the baby."
I still wasn't used to saying those words. The baby. As if he or she were real. You'd think after all the throwing up I'd done over the past month or so that it would seem real already, but it didn't.
Dr. Stubens nodded and gave J.J. a reproving look. "A cup of tea or even one cup of coffee per day should be fine. Once I give her a more thorough examination today, I should have a better idea if she needs to avoid it."
J.J.'s fingers squeezed mine gently and I glanced up at him. He wasn't looking at me but he was smiling slightly.
"Yes, ma'am."
"Oh, zip it," she groused. "Now, you're actively trying to make me feel old. Okay, Lee, lie back and assume the position."
I swallowed hard and leaned back on the table.
"Do you want me to leave the room?" J.J. asked me.
As I was shaking my head, Dr. Stubens said, "That won't be necessary. Stay right up there by Lee and hold her hand."
I scooted and wiggled until my butt was on the edge of the table and I put my feet in the stirrups that Dr. Stubens folded out.
"That looks uncomfortable," J.J. whispered to me.
"It's not exactly pleasant but it's not horrible either," I replied.
"And you'd better get used to it because you'll be in this position a lot over the next few months and for a couple of months after," Dr. Stubens muttered from the end of the table.
I had to laugh. She was right. I would be examined a lot over the next six to seven months.
After a thankfully quick exam, which J.J. didn't see much of due to the blanket over my upper thighs, Dr. Stubens scooted back on her rolling stool and went over to the sink.
"Help her sit up, J.J.," she commanded as she stripped off her latex gloves and began washing her hands.
When she was done, she faced us. "Everything appears to be developing well based on the exam but I would like to do an ultrasound today just to be sure. It will also give us a more definite due date. While we're in the ultrasound room, I'll also use the Doppler so you can hear the baby's heartbeat."
"You can hear it this early?" J.J. asked.
Dr. Stubens nodded. "Would you like to hear it?"
His smile was answer enough.
A few minutes later, we were in a dim room, surrounded by machines and screens.
Dr. Stubens was standing over me with a small box in her hand. A cord was attached to the box and there was a narrow contraption on the end of it that she was holding against my lower belly. Though she'd pulled my gown up, she carefully draped the blanket over my lower half.
I struggled not to make a face as she moved the little attachment against my skin, which she'd smeared with gel. The slimy feel of the gel was off-putting.
"Okay, here we go," she murmured.
The machine made a few weird noises, loud enough to