CHAPTER 53
"Look at those little legs … they're kicking ..." Beth was so excited as they stared at the monitor
and saw the baby for the first time. She clutched Adam's hand as he sat beside her, having to
admit to himself this was pretty amazing to see. It was so tiny, and yet formed so completely.
"Do you want to know the sex of the baby?" the ultra-sound technician asked as she moved the
paddle to a different position on Beth's abdomen.
Beth was so overcome as she stared at her baby's tiny features, that when she tried to answer …
she couldn't form the words.
"I think that would be a yes." Adam offered, standing to put his arm around Beth's shoulders and
giving her an easier way to support her head as she watched.
The technician waited for Beth to nod her head and then pointed to the monitor. "I think Daddy's
going to have a tough time keeping the boys away from this little beauty." The woman said as she
looked from Beth to Adam.
"It's a girl?" Beth asked, her voice not much more than a whisper.
"It's a girl."
"I knew she would be … I felt it …" Beth replied as she looked up at Adam.
The technician wiped the gel away and then told Beth she could get dressed.
"I'll be back with some forms you need to fill out. It's information we want to have in the computer
so you won't have to worry about it when you come in for the delivery." She explained. "And we
have a schedule of birthing classes. You will want to select a time to begin those soon."
Adam started to step out in the hall, but Beth asked him to stay. As close as they had become,
she wasn't embarrassed to dress in front of him.
"Adam … did what she say bother you? You were so quiet when she told us the baby was a girl."
"You mean when she assumed I was the father?" Adam asked and Beth nodded.
"No … but if it bothered you … I can make sure they are clear on the charts, so it won't happen
again." He offered.
"No … no … I didn't mind." She replied. "In fact … I wanted to ask you something that I should
have asked you at home."
Adam waited.
"After you fell asleep, I thought a lot about something you said last night. You said you would be
as much of a parent as I allowed you to be." She paused. "Did you mean that?"
Adam nodded. "She's your daughter Beth, and you know I am going to love her … but you will
set the limits … however you want me to help."
"I don't want limits Adam. If we're going to be together … I want us to be a family, a real family.
Craig and I may have created this life, but I think he would agree … you are the one who is going
to be there for her. And I don't want her to be confused … I want her to have a sense of security,
things could be confusing enough."
"Tell me what you want me to do." Adam asked.
"I want to put your name on the birth certificate and anywhere else the father is listed. We'll tell
her someday when she is old enough to understand about the miracle of her life, and if I ever see
my family … I'd want to tell them the truth. But as far as anyone else is concerned … would you
be her father?"
Adam took in a sharp breath … amazed at what she'd just asked him.
"You trust me that much?" he asked.
"And I love you more …" she replied, hoping he'd say yes.
"I don't know what to say … but yes Beth … I'd be honored …" he replied, wondering how he
could love her anymore than he did at that moment.
She threw her arms around him, squirming a little when his hands found the bare skin of her back
that the hospital gown didn't cover.
"Look at those little legs … they're kicking ..." Beth was so excited as they stared at the monitor
and saw the baby for the first time. She clutched Adam's hand as he sat beside her, having to
admit to himself this was pretty amazing to see. It was so tiny, and yet formed so completely.
"Do you want to know the sex of the baby?" the ultra-sound technician asked as she moved the
paddle to a different position on Beth's abdomen.
Beth was so overcome as she stared at her baby's tiny features, that when she tried to answer …
she couldn't form the words.
"I think that would be a yes." Adam offered, standing to put his arm around Beth's shoulders and
giving her an easier way to support her head as she watched.
The technician waited for Beth to nod her head and then pointed to the monitor. "I think Daddy's
going to have a tough time keeping the boys away from this little beauty." The woman said as she
looked from Beth to Adam.
"It's a girl?" Beth asked, her voice not much more than a whisper.
"It's a girl."
"I knew she would be … I felt it …" Beth replied as she looked up at Adam.
The technician wiped the gel away and then told Beth she could get dressed.
"I'll be back with some forms you need to fill out. It's information we want to have in the computer
so you won't have to worry about it when you come in for the delivery." She explained. "And we
have a schedule of birthing classes. You will want to select a time to begin those soon."
Adam started to step out in the hall, but Beth asked him to stay. As close as they had become,
she wasn't embarrassed to dress in front of him.
"Adam … did what she say bother you? You were so quiet when she told us the baby was a girl."
"You mean when she assumed I was the father?" Adam asked and Beth nodded.
"No … but if it bothered you … I can make sure they are clear on the charts, so it won't happen
again." He offered.
"No … no … I didn't mind." She replied. "In fact … I wanted to ask you something that I should
have asked you at home."
Adam waited.
"After you fell asleep, I thought a lot about something you said last night. You said you would be
as much of a parent as I allowed you to be." She paused. "Did you mean that?"
Adam nodded. "She's your daughter Beth, and you know I am going to love her … but you will
set the limits … however you want me to help."
"I don't want limits Adam. If we're going to be together … I want us to be a family, a real family.
Craig and I may have created this life, but I think he would agree … you are the one who is going
to be there for her. And I don't want her to be confused … I want her to have a sense of security,
things could be confusing enough."
"Tell me what you want me to do." Adam asked.
"I want to put your name on the birth certificate and anywhere else the father is listed. We'll tell
her someday when she is old enough to understand about the miracle of her life, and if I ever see
my family … I'd want to tell them the truth. But as far as anyone else is concerned … would you
be her father?"
Adam took in a sharp breath … amazed at what she'd just asked him.
"You trust me that much?" he asked.
"And I love you more …" she replied, hoping he'd say yes.
"I don't know what to say … but yes Beth … I'd be honored …" he replied, wondering how he
could love her anymore than he did at that moment.
She threw her arms around him, squirming a little when his hands found the bare skin of her back
that the hospital gown didn't cover.