For the first time in four months, I woke on my own, bright and early. I was too excited to sleep, For once, it wasn't because my baby had shifted and put uncomfortable pressure on my bladder. In fact, today I was just too excited to sleep.
Today is the day.
The day we find out.
I'm sure, of course, that we're having a girl, but today we have the ultrasound that lets us know for sure.
I shake Ward gently, afraid that if I jerk him out of his sleep (by hitting him excitedly like I've done in the past), he'll overreact. It's an instinct born of so much combat experience, I suppose, because he wakes with a jolt if I move too quickly.
(Or maybe it's just the nightmares. He has those more often than he admits to me, I'm sure).
Grant wakes. "Good morning," he says sleepily, sitting up to plant a kiss on my growing stomach. "And good morning to you, too." He leans up to plant a kiss on my lips.
"Guess what day it is?" I say, smiling mischievously.
"Tuesday?" he says, cocking his head in confusion. "Am I missing something?"
"Yes, of course it's Tuesday, moron," I tease. "But what's happening today, Agent Ward?"
A grin spreads across his face. "It's the day we confirm your prediction that we're having a girl."
"Ding, ding, ding," I say laughingly. "You guessed today's question correctly. Now come on, get up. I'm ready for this ultrasound. I'm sure Jemma's already there."
He throws off the covers and pulls on his clothes. "Yes, ma'am."
I take off quickly, not waiting for him to follow.
He calls for me to stop, suddenly, and there is fear and warning in his voice, but it's too late for me because suddenly I miss the first step of the stairs and then I am falling, falling, falling...