Second Go

A low thumping filled the room and the largest smile spread across my face. I looked over at Austin who was staring mesmerized at the black and white computer screen.

“And that’s your baby’s heart beat!” The nurse said with a happy smile sliding the ultra sound tool across my stomach.

Austin’s hand gripped my shoulder, his eyes glazed over slightly and a smirk spread on his face.

“Can you tell what it is?” I asked.

“No yet…” The nurse said. “It’s too soon, probably another month. But if you look here you can see a hand and right there is the head.”

“How soon can we tell if I’ve passed on my condition?” Austin asked, his voice was thick and low and I could tell he was hoping against everything he hadn’t passed those genes.

“With Marfans it’s hard. Some children you can tell at birth, we call it infantile Marfan’s symdrome, and other children you have to wait until they’re older and symptoms are coming about.”

Austin slowly nodded his head lost deep in thought.

“Would you like to print some pictures of the ultrasound?”

“Yes, please!” I said excitedly.

Clicking things with the mouse, she started printing out a few pictures. “Now your due date looks as though it’s going to be early January, probably around the 11th.”

Austin and I left the doctor’s office hand-in-hand, smiles on our faces.

“What are you doing now?” He asked leaning on my open car door as I sat in the driver’s seat looking up at him.

“I don’t know…” I shrugged. “Oh! I have something for you!”

He chuckled as I leaned over and riffled through my purse. Finding the plane tickets, I handed them to him with a huge smile on my face.

“Costa Rica? We’re going to see my dad?”

“Yes!”

“Rae! I can’t believe you did this!” He laughed leaning into the car and placing a kiss on my lips.

“We head down in a week!”

&&&&&&&&&

“How are you feeling?”

I turned to look up at Austin who was seated next to me on the plane. “I’m fine…”

“Okay…I’m just checking…Should we tell him as soon as we get there?”

“Why are you so nervous?” I asked with a sigh.

He sighed heavily, wiping his palms on his jeans. “I don’t know…”

“We’ll tell him over dinner…okay?”

He nodded slowly, trying his best to put a smile on his face. I took his hand and gave it a squeeze.
A few hours later we touched down on a beautiful little strip of tarmac in the middle of the rain forest. It was already night time, a single car’s lights shown bright in the darkness a few hundred feet away.

We made our way over, Austin’s dad climbing out of the driver’s seat with a big smile on his face. Austin too was smiling as he embraced his dad and they exchanged greetings.

“Raegan!”

“Hi, Mr. Carlile…” I said as he pulled me in for a hug.

“How many times do I have to tell you to call me, Perry?” He laughed gesturing for us to climb in the car. “How was the flight?”

“It was fine!” Austin said smiling.

The house we pulled up to was unbelievably gorgeous and I couldn’t even believe this is where we would be staying the next few days.

“Dinner’s almost ready! I just have to finish a few things!” Perry called from the kitchen.

I was still standing in the living room looking in awe at the high ceilings and open living plan.

“What do you think?” Austin asked snaking an arm around my waist and kissing my forehead.

“It’s like a fucking magazine…” I mumbled making him laugh.

“Come on, let’s eat!” He said leading the way to the dining room.

The three of us sat down to a lavish meal that Perry had prepared for us. I ate quietly as the two caught up. What was the latest with Grandpa Ray? How’s Uncle Terry doing? Gary was diagnosed with Cancer? Is he going to be okay?

“Dad, we uh…we have some news for you too…” Austin said glancing over at me as I slowly placed my cup on the table.

“Oh yeah?” His dad asked as he slowly took a sip of his wine. “What is it?”

“You’re going to be a grandfather…” I said slowly watching his reaction to each syllable. He smiled wide, placing his glass on the table top and looked between the both of us.

“Are you kidding!”

“No,” Austin said smiling as well. “Raegan’s pregnant.”

“This is wonderful!” He said jumping up and coming around the table to hug me and then hugging Austin. “So is it a boy or a girl?”

“We don’t know yet…” I gushed as Austin went to get the ultra sound pictures. “It’s too soon to tell.
I’m due January 11.”

“Here, dad…” Austin said handing him the pictures to flip through.

“Well, I’m extremely happy for you two!” Perry said smiling at us.

“Can you just keep it on the downlow for a bit, Dad?” Austin asked. “We haven’t told anyone except
for you.”

“The band doesn’t even know.” I said with a chuckle.

“Your secret is safe with me.” Perry smiled lifting his wine glass. “To the new baby!”