My Apocalypse

It had been months since I last talked to Ronnie. We tried to be civil with each other, for the baby's sake, but every conversation ended in a nasty argument. I finally gave up on him. I think some how in the back of his mind, he knew that Max and I would get closer.

I invited Ronnie to come to my next appointment. This would be the gender reveal. I'm over sixteen weeks, but Peanut wasn't really participating in the ultrasound. I'm twenty weeks pregnant now, and according to a phone app I've been using to keep track of Peanut, he/she is the size of a coconut. I'm at the mid-way point. Twenty down, twenty to go!

I was scared. Not only for the labor, how Ronnie would react, or the horror stories of how awful contractions are. No, I was scared about my parenting skills. Would I be a good enough mom? How would Peanut react if she grew up calling Ronnie or Max daddy, and then one of them just leaves? I don't regret getting pregnant, I regret the people I had sex with. I mean, don't get me wrong, Max is going to be a great father (if he is), and I'm sure once we find out, Ronnie is gonna be a great dad, too. But I can't handle all the constant bickering.

"You ready?" Ronnie called from the front door. I realized I was sitting in the kitchen, staring off into space. I grabbed my purse, slinging it over my shoulder before meeting Ronnie at the door.

"I'm ready."

I followed him out to his black Audi R8 Spyder, hopping in the front seat as quickly as possible. He took off, speeding the whole way to the OB/GYN office. I couldn't tell if he was speeding because he was excited, trying to kill me, or get me home sooner.

We made our way into the office. I checked myself in while Ronnie made himself comfortable in one of the huge sofas situated in the back of the waiting room. We waited for my name to be called by a nurse before we were lead to a private examination room. I sat on the medical bed, adorned with a paper sheet. Paper. How comfortable.

Ronnie slouched in the chair next to the bed, flipping through a parenting magazine. I dangled my legs over the edge of the bed, letting them swing in the air. I sighed, waiting awkwardly.

"So..." I started. "Are you excited?"

He just shrugged, never bringing his eyes up from the magazine.

I sighed, praying for the doctor to come in soon. Like... now.

"When can we find out if it's mine or not?" Ronnie asked, rudely.

"After I deliver."

"So... why am I here?"

I scoffed, "Are you serious, Ronnie? There's a fifty percent chance this baby is yours. You're here because I asked you to come because is the baby is yours, you're going to be in his or her life!"

"And what if it's not?" He put the magazine down, slouching even more in his chair. "Then I've wasted all this time trying to make it work for nothing."

"You would feel like absolute shit if (s)he did come out as yours and you never once came to a baby appointment with me."

Ronnie rolled his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest childishly. "So what are we finding out today, then?"

"If it's a boy or a girl." I rested my hand on my bump. The baby was low, so my stomach kind of drooped. I could feel the baby kick, and sometimes I could feel the baby move, too. It started about a week or so ago.

There was a knock at the door. It opened and my doctor walked in. Ronnie straightened up in his chair. She greeted us with a smile, holding my charts. She set them down on the counter. "How we feeling, Miss Mabbitt?"

"Good so far. I started feeling movement around last week."

"Good!" She turned to see Ronnie. "Now who is this? Daddy?"

"Possibly," He shook her hand. "I'm Ronnie."

"Shall we get started?" She clapped her hands together excitedly.

She got the ultrasound machine turned on, put on a pair of gloves. She asked me to pull my shirt up, and pull my pants down over my hips. The doctor spread cold jelly all over my bump, and pressed the probe into my stomach. A picture came up on the small screen.

The doctor wiggled the probe around, trying to get the right angle.

"Do you want to know the gender? Babe seems to be working with us today."

"I'd like to know the gender," I took a deep breath, staring at the screen for any type of clues. I noticed Ronnie was sitting on the edge of his seat. He held my hand while staring at the screen as well.

"Congratulations, it's a girl!" Dr Lancaster squealed.

A girl. I'm having a girl. I'm not gonna lie, I'm a little depressed it wasn't a boy, but this is good, too. I couldn't help but to smile like a mad man as the doctor took pictures of the proof that my baby was a girl. She also took pictures of her heart. She was perfectly healthy.

"Have you come up with any names yet?"

"Willow." I said, smiling.

"You know, I like that, actually." Ronnie grinned.

"Willow Maye," I added.

"It's a beautiful name," the doctor commented.

She gave us copies of the ultrasound pictures, one each for Ronnie and I. I had her print off one more for Max. The whole drive home was silent. Ronnie didn't speed this time. I glanced down at my picture, grinning.

Ronnie dropped me off at Max's. He said a quick goodbye for taking off.

I literally ran into the house. I was met by Craig at the door. I made a mental note to bring him with my next appointment. Craig and I got into a routine. He would meet me at the door, I would hand him the pictures and he would coo for an hour over how excited he is. I handed him my copies of the pictures with a huge smile.

"So?" He asked, nearly bouncing up and down.

"Where's Max?" I didn't want to say anything without Max here.

"Right here!" He came over, giving me a hug.

"You ready for this?" I grinned. They both nodded eagerly.

"Her name is Willow Maye Mabbitt," I announced. The boys' eyes lit up, and Craig cheered so loud I'm sure the next block over could hear him. Max looked hurt at her last name. So I continued, "For now, until I get the eternity test. Then she'll either be a Green or a Radke."

I hugged Max tightly, he kisses the top of my head. "Even if she isn't mine, I'm gonna be one hell of an Uncle. No boy is gonna come within ten feet of her."

"She can't date until she's married." Craig added.

I rolled my eyes, leaving the boys to discuss how my child is going to be raised. I decided to take a quick nap before I started dinner. I trudged upstairs into my room. I collapsed in my bed, laying on my back. I placed a hand over my navel. Willow kicked. I smiled.

"I can't wait to meet you, Willow."