Felix's knee bounces nervously as they wait to be called back. Tamora's sitting calmly cross-legged beside him, but her arms are wrapped across her chest, the only indicating that she is having an internal struggle as well.
They're at the doctor's office and this is the first time they'll see their baby.
Neither had ever witnessed an ultrasound, or seen photos from one besides on tv. From what Tamora has heard, usually the baby looks like a blob or an alien and she wonders what the point of getting this thing done. But the doctor expressed it's a normal procedure to check the baby, and she wants to do the right thing for this child.
Tamora isn't a baby person. She's never held a baby; never been one of those people to oogle over a chubby drool machine. She's still not sure how she feels about her own, but she knows it's now her duty to be a mother and she will accept this duty no matter how she feels about it.
"Mrs. Calhoun," her name is called and both her and Felix's heads snap up to stare at the nurse waiting for them. The young brunette smiles at them as they approach. She shows them to the ultrasound room and instructs Tamora with what to do.
Tamora slides off her jeans and panties, covering her bottom half with what appears to be a giant napkin. Felix's gaze is elsewhere as she's changing, his cheeks visibly redder as he tries not to glance at her.
He's uncharacteristically quiet during all this. He's so nervous, Tamora can tell. There's a lot riding on his shoulders. She's informed him more than once that he has no obligation; that she can take care of this all. They're not married, only dated a couple months before the baby was conceived. She doesn't expect him to stay. But he wants to. More than anything, he's told her over and over again.
Tamora sits awkwardly on the examine table, the paper around her waist crinkling as she shifts. It feels as if an eternity goes by before the untrasound tech finally walks in. She informs Tamora to ly back, making sure she's comfortable. Exposing her still flat belly (Tamora wonders how anything is living in that small space), the tech squirts some gel-like substance on her belly and it's surprisingly warm. The tech begins sliding a device over Tamora's belly until she finally slows and a thumping noise starts to sound from the machine.
"There's your baby," the tech says and Tamora gazes up at the monitor hanging on the wall in front of her. Her breath catches. It's not a blob and it doesn't really look like an alien. It's the silhouette of a little tiny person– her and Felix's baby. She can see perfectly clear a nose and hands and feet and it really is a baby.
Tamora almost forgets her boyfriend beside her until he shifts to the edge of his seats, grasping her hand lying beside her on the table. She glances at Felix and blinks twice at his reaction. Tamora's never seen such pure wonder. He's completely riveted. He's watching the baby's every move, every little twitch, and Tamora can see the love already rising up inside him for this unborn being.
Felix raises her hand to his lips, placing a kiss to her knuckles. "That's our baby, Tammy," he whispers in reverance, as if speaking any louder would spoil the moment.
"Wanna know what it is?" the tech asks with a smile.
Tamora blinks in surprise. She's only 18 weeks along. "You can tell already?"
"Of course!" The tech swirls the device around, stopping toward Tamora's left side. "Would you like to know?"
Tamora turns to Felix who is looking at her. They both appear unsure. "I am if you are," he squeaks out, so Tamora gives her okay to the tech.
"See this," the tech points a mouse arrow to a spot that looks like a laid out thanksgiving turkey. "It's a girl!"
Felix titters a happy little laugh. He squeezes Tamora's hand. "Tammy, we're having a girl!"
A girl? What was she going to do with a girl? Tamora hadn't thought of what the child would be, but now that she knew, reality was suddenly crashing own on her shoulders. She breathed in deep, not wishing to spoil Felix's excitement with her uncertainty. "Yeah," she said with more gusto than she felt.
The tech printed a sheet of pictures of the ultrasound, and as she handed the pictures to Feli'x waiting hand, Tamora had a feeling he'd keep one in his wallet, already proud of the little person they won't meet for another 5 months.