Perfect Denial

“Bill!”

Dana waited a moment, her feet encased in a fluffy pair of slippers, her hand around the remote control of the television. There was no answer from her husband.

“Bill!”

She shouted again, this time louder and within seconds, Bill had bounded into the room, a frantic expression on his face. “What is it? Is something wrong?” he gasped.

Dana smiled and shook her head with a sheepish expression, “I’m hungry.”

Bill’s shoulders dropped from their tense position up by his ears, and a smile blessed his features. “You ate an hour ago.”

Dana laughed and allowed her hand to drop to her swollen stomach, “I know,” she murmured and then looked up at the love of her life through her long eyelashes, in the way he couldn’t resist. “But this time the baby’s hungry.”

Bill rolled his eyes, and walked around to Dana, dropping to his knees in front of her in a way he had gotten into a habit of doing. Placing one of his hands in hers, he dropped the side of his face to her pregnant belly where a million miles under the sea, his son or daughter could hear him.

“What do you want baby?” he whispered, his free hand stroking Dana’s stomach as he would the baby’s downy head. “What can daddy get you?”

Dana felt her baby move inside of her and she smiled at Bill, tears in her eyes at the tender scene. She squeezed her husband’s hand and then quietly spoke, “a grilled cheese sandwich please.”

Bill broke into laughter but nodded his head, and kissing Dana sweetly on the lips, walked into the kitchen to fulfil his baby’s orders. Dana continued to rub her hand along her stomach, talking silently to her child inside of her. She shifted her position on the couch, her back aching from the pressure of carrying the baby.

A shuffle made Dana turn around and she nodded at Tom who walked in sleepily to the living room. He had arrived back from another small trip to America the day before, and was still jet lagged. The band had gone without Bill, who had insisted on staying with Dana every moment of her pregnancy. He wasn’t taking any risks, not after last time.

But Dana’s body had responded well and she was to put it lightly, ‘glowing.’ Her athletic figure suited the new round look, and her eyes shone with happiness every time someone mentioned the new arrival. Bill and Dana had gone shopping last week to pick out the colours for the nursery walls, and couldn’t resist buying two or three baby-gros.

Tom sunk down into the couch beside Dana, and sniffed the air appreciatively, “Bill, make me one too!” Tom whined into his little brother. Bill grunted in reply.

Tom eyed Dana, “Dude, seriously, you look like you’re about to burst.”

Dana began to laugh, “Tom, I’m only five and half months gone. Plenty of time to go yet.”

Tom pointed a finger at her large stomach, “That is not one baby. I refuse to believe it.”

Dana chuckled, “It’s just the one.” She smiled at Bill as he came back into the room, passing her the plate with her grilled cheese sandwich and when Tom asked for his, Bill flipped him off. Tom grumbled, getting up to make his own, Bill quickly stealing his seat by Dana, and she got comfortable as he put his arm around her.

~

Dana shivered as the jelly was put on her stomach and the technician smiled at her, “I know, it’s cold. How long are you gone?”

Dana told her and the nurse raised her eyebrows, “you’re quite big already. This baby’s going to be something.”

Dana smiled and squeezed Bill’s hand who had come with her for their latest sonogram. They hadn’t been able to get a proper picture of their baby yet, due to technical difficulties at their last appointment but the only thing they needed to know was their baby was healthy. And by the regular movements he was making in Dana’s womb, he was alive and well.

The screen appeared and Dana looked excitedly at what appeared to be a haze to her. The nurse smiled at her, tracking the monitor over her stomach, finding her womb quickly and the baby. Dana watched as the nurse’s face grew into a frown, and then with a curt nod at Dana and Bill, murmured something about fetching the doctor.

Bill watched as Dana’s face melted into white shock, and she looked at Bill in panic. “What’s wrong?” she whispered and he couldn’t answer. He held her hand tightly as the doctor appeared and with a few quick words of hello to the new couple, looking at the sonogram and then down at Dana’s chart. Bill prayed in his head, nothing could go wrong again. This time he wouldn’t get Dana back.

The doctor looked at the couple and noticing their fright, smiled to reassure them. “Everything’s ok Mr and Mrs Kaulitz, I can assure you.” And they visibly relaxed.

The doctor continued, “However, it does appear that there was a mistake, a pretty large one at that at your last appointment.”

“The machine wasn’t working properly,” Dana muttered,her face still quite white and Bill worried about her.

The doctor smiled gently at the young woman, and patted her hand, “Yes, it’s written down her. Now this machine’s working top notch and well, there’s no other way to say this...but you’re expecting twins. Not just the one baby.”

Bill’s face dropped and then he looked at Dana who was also shocked but then at the same time, they smiled and Dana laughed as Bill kissed her. “I should have known,” she spoke to Bill.

Bill grinned, “Just wait till Tom hears about this!”