Chapter 4: Hearing the Heartbeat
Bold Italics-Gabriella's Thoughts
It had been a few weeks since Gabriella heard from her parents. She's only talked to her sisters and Emerald, occasionally. Gabriella tried to call her parent's house but they blocked her number.
Damn, they really don't want to talk to me.
Gabriella went downstairs and saw Ryan sitting on the couch watching TV.
"Hey, where's everybody?"
"Taylor and Sharpay went to go buy your stuff."
"I don't even know what I'm having yet." Gabriella giggled
"Oh, what are you watching?"
"Project Runway." Gabriella raised her eyebrow at Ryan.
"I can't find the remote and I'm too lazy to get up and change the channel." Gabriella shook her head at Ryan.
"Well, one the remote is right here," Gabriella said walking up to the coffee table and grabbing the remote. "two, how long have you been looking at that?" Gabriella sat down next to Ryan.
"For about two hours, it's a pretty interesting show."
"Can I change the channel?"
"Sure." Gabriella changed the channel until it landed on Sex and the City.
"Oh, can we please watch this," Gabriella asked smiling at Ryan.
"Out of all the shows you pick Sex and the City."
"I'm sorry but I love my Carrie and Big."
"Fine." Gabriella clapped her hands together and then laid her head on Ryan's shoulder.
"Have you been thinking of baby names?" Ryan asked
"Yeah, so far I only have one for a boy and a girl."
"What is it?"
"Aria and Matthew,"
"Are you gonna give the baby Troy's name?"
"I don't know, Troy and I haven't talked about it, it might be a Montez-Bolton baby." Gabriella didn't see Ryan's look of irritation as he quickly changed the subject.
"So, have you heard from your parents?"
"Nope, my father can't even look at me right now."
"I'm sorry-"
"Can we not talk about this right now?" Gabriella said interrupting Ryan.
"Yeah sure," There was a brief silence between the two before Ryan spoke up, "let's go somewhere."
"What?"
"Let's just go."
"Go where?"
"I don't know anywhere."
"Ryan, you're crazy."
"I'm bored and you're sad, let's just do something."
"Ok fine," Gabriella said smiling
"Alright go get dressed." Gabriella stood up and went to go get dressed.
Gabriella came back downstairs in ripped skinny jeans, a white cami, and Ryan's plaid shirt tied around her waist and black pumps.
"Wow! You look amazing."
"Thanks, Ry, I figure I should try to look decent before I start to look like a balloon. So where are we going?" Gabriella asked grabbing her purse. Before Ryan could respond, the doorbell rang. Ryan walked up to the door and answered it. Ryan rolled his eyes when he saw Troy, yet again
"What's up, man?" Ryan asked, Troy raised an eyebrow at the tone but shrugged it off.
"I'm here for Gabriella." Gabriella walked up to the door and stood beside Ryan.
"Troy, why are you here?"
"I'm here to take you to your appointment."
"Oh shit, I completely forgot." Gabriella looked at Ryan.
"We can go after you come back."
"Thanks, Ry, we won't be long." Gabriella and Troy quickly got in his car and drove off.
"Why didn't you call me earlier, I wouldn't have agreed to go out with Ryan."
"Is Ryan your boyfriend?"
"Ryan? Please, he is just a friend."
"Well, the way he was looking at me I think he likes you."
"Ryan and I have been friends since pre-school."
"Okay, whatever you say." Troy teased, Gabriella scoffed
"Have you been taking your prenatal vitamins?"
"I don't swallow pills. So, I'm going to buy the gummy kind."
"Really? It seemed like you were a natural at swallowing about two months ago."
"I didn't hear you complaining." Gabriella easily shot back
"Neither did I, in fact, you were begging for it," Troy smirked
"Fuck off Troy you're such a fucking asshole." Troy laughed and Gabriella rolled her eyes, she knew it was playful banter, but something about this situation felt so natural.
"You know you shouldn't use foul language. The baby can hear you."
"Troy stop being such a smart ass, and when did you get so inserted in this baby?"
"Since you told me you were pregnant." Troy then turned off the car and unbuckled his seatbelt. Gabriella got out of the car and slammed the car door shut which earned a glare from Troy.
"What did I do?"
"What did I do?" Troy mocked "You slammed my fucking car door shut."
"But did you die? No, so let's go ahead and get inside it's hotter than hell out here." Gabriella stormed inside with troy sorely following behind her.
Gabriella and Troy were sitting in the maternity ward of the hospital waiting to be called back for their appointment.
"Montez?" The nurse called out from the back. Gabriella stood up and then looked at Troy who was still sitting down.
"Aren't you coming with me?"
"Oh, you want me to come with you?"
"Uh, yeah." Troy stood up and the two followed the nurse to the back and the nurse led them to an examination room.
"Good morning, Ms. Montez I'm Nurse Jackson."
"Hi."
"So how far along are you?"
"I'm almost twelve weeks."
"You're almost done with your first trimester, Mrs. Montez."
"Yeah." Nurse Jackson looked over at Troy who seemed to look like he was nervous.
"I'm guessing this is yours and Mr. Montez's first baby.'
"Oh no, we're not married." Nurse Jackson smiled apologetically
"Oh, I'm sorry, that's so rude of me to assume, then you're engaged?"
"No."
"Are you guys dating?" Nurse Jackson asked, her cheeks full-on red from embarrassment.
"More like two people who had a one-night stand and the condom broke." Gabriella glared at Troy who in returned shrugged his shoulders "What?"
"I didn't know, I just thought that…I shouldn't have said anything."
"No, it's not your fault, maybe some people are just too stupid to use common sense and shut up." Gabriella slapped Troy in the back of the head.
"Do you two need a moment?"
"Don't worry, that's just her way of saying she loves me and she's jealous." Gabriella slapped Troy in the back of the head again but this time harder.
"Ow! The hell?" Gabriella gave Troy the same look she gives her students when they're doing something they were not supposed to do and Troy let his head fall in defeat, Gabriella won this round.
"Ok, well then Mr.…?"
"Bolton, but you can call me Troy," Troy smirked Gabriella rolled her eyes.
"Ok, Troy." Nurse Jackson blushed
"What's your name?"
"Mariah."
"Um excuse me, I'm the one with the appointment."
"Oh yes, Troy may you step outside for a few minutes while I perform a few tests on Ms. Montez here."
"Of course." Troy walked outside the room and closed the door behind him.
Back in the room Nurse Jackson was now asking Gabriella simple questions
"Ok, so you drink or smoke?"
"Nope."
"Are living in an abuse free environment."
"Yes."
"Are you considering putting your child up for adoption?"
"No."
"Do you have a stable job or career?"
"Yes."
"OK, and last question do you have a doctor that will deliver your baby?"
"No, not yet."
"Alright we're all done here, the doctor will be with you." Nurse Jackson then opened the door
"Troy, you can come back in the room now. The doctor will be in shortly."
"Thank you, Mariah." Troy smiled Nurse Jackson blushed before room closing the door shut behind her leaving Troy and Gabriella alone.
"You're such an asshole you do know that right?"
"How am I an asshole?"
"Who flirts with the mother of their child's nurse?"
"This guy, I bet you fifteen dollars I can get her number by the end of this appointment."
"No, I'm not doing that."
"Why? Afraid you're gonna lose?"
"No, it's stupid and immature."
"Twenty dollars take it or leave it."
"Deal." Then there was a knock at the door
"Hello, hello, hello, my name's Dr. Bailey." Said a short African American female. "You must be Mr. and Mrs. Montez."
"Oh no, we're not a couple we're just two people having a baby."
"Ok, so you're?" Dr. Bailey asked Gabriella.
"Montez, and he's Bolton."
"Ms. Montez and Mr. Bolton?"
"Yes."
"Alrighty, I have a few quick questions for you Ms. Montez. On a scale of one to ten what's your stress level?"
"Three." I lied and apparently Dr. Bailey knew it
"Don't lie it only makes it worse."
"Ok, it' probably an eight."
"That is not good Ms. Montez. I don't want to scare you but stress is a leading cause behind miscarriages."
"I know, I know my parents and I are having some difficulties with my decisions about this baby."
"I understand but do whatever it takes to get that stress down. Are you thinking about a natural birth?"
"I'm considering it."
"Alright, I'll have Nurse Jackson give you a list of the doulas, along with their numbers, that work with this hospital. Now, do you have any questions for me before I continue with the appointment?"
"No."
"Nope."
"Alright, legs up." Dr. Bailey grabbed the probe and applied lube onto the tip
"You're gonna feel a little discomfort." Dr. Bailey said before placing the probe under Gabriella's gown. Dr. Bailey turned on the screen
"Ok, there's the placenta, the amniotic sac, and there's your baby." Dr. Bailey turned on the sound and a strong heartbeat filled the room.
"That's my baby?"
"Yes, and he or she has a very strong heartbeat." Dr. Bailey smiled
"Oh my God," Gabriella said tearfully
"I want you to set up another appointment Ms. Montez and it's also about time you look for a doctor to deliver your baby."
"Yes, Dr. Bailey."
"Ms. Montez, I also want you to make sure you're stress-free during these next few months. This is a very important stage in your pregnancy and I want to make sure everything is A-Okay with the little one." Dr. Bailey smiled, for some reason, Gabriella felt extremely comfortable with Dr. Bailey
"Yes, Dr. Bailey."
"Alright you can check out at the front and Nurse Jackson will have pictures for you two." Dr. Bailey grabbed the chart and stood up to leave the room
"Oh and Mr. Bolton I would appreciate it if you didn't flirt with my nurses. Thank you very much and have a good day." With that, Dr. Bailey left the room leaving Troy with a stunned look on his face. Troy then looked at Gabriella
"Don't look at me, that's what she said." Gabriella laughed
After Gabriella paid for the appointment, scheduled for another one with Dr. Bailey, and Troy got their pictures he drove her back to the house. The whole car ride Gabriella was looking at her sonogram pictures. She was so in awe that there was a life growing inside of her.
"We're here." Gabriella looked out the car window and saw that they were outside her home
"Thanks for taking me to my appointment."
"No problem, I'll be here again next month."
"You know I was thinking about going shopping next weekend for the baby and I was wondering if you wanted to come with me."
"Sure I'm not working so I'll be here." Gabriella then realized that she's about to have a baby with this man and she doesn't even know what he does for a living.
"What is it that you do?"
"Well, I'm one of the Drama teachers at my old high school, I coach the basketball team there with my dad, and I also coach the golf team. What about you?"
"I teach 4th grade and I own my own dance studio. I just opened it about two years ago."
"Wow, I would've never taken you for a teacher."
"I've always loved teaching, at first I thought I wanted to be a lawyer but I took an Education class as an elective and I fell in love with it. So, I changed my major to Elementary Education," Troy smirked as he listened to Gabriella talk about her job. He noticed the way her eyes light up when she talked about her passion for kids and how she loves it when her students get something right. Wait, why was he thinking about her like that? They were just two people co-parenting, he's not supposed to have romantic feelings for her.
"Troy?"
"Hm, what?"
"Nothing it just seemed like you were zoned out for a minute."
"No, I'm fine."
"Ok, so back to the topic we're going shopping next weekend."
"Sure, text me what time."
"It'll be in the afternoon, but I'll text you so you don't forget. You might be on a date with that Nurse." Gabriella teased
"You're not gonna let that down are you?"
"Never, you brought this on yourself." Gabriella laughed, Troy thought she had the best laugh, what the hell was wrong with him?
"Great, well I'll see Saturday."
"See you, Troy." Troy then touched Gabriella's stomach "see you later, baby."
"What are you doing?"
"They say if you talk to the baby it's good."
"Can you stop touching my stomach?" Troy quickly removed his hand
"Bye." Gabriella got out of the car and Troy made sure she was inside before driving off.
"Gabi!" Gabriella turned and saw Ryan sitting in the living room
"Hey, Ryan."
"You ready to go out?"
"What? Oh yeah sure." Gabriella couldn't help but feel butterflies after Troy talked to the baby. It was something about the sweet gesture that made her look at him a different way.