I'm in Hate With You

I tapped my foot nervously. Tap... Tap... Tap...

Daniel put a hand on my thigh, silencing my persistent tapping. His touch seared my leg. I didn't want him to touch me. Every time he did, I felt sick, like someone was ripping my stomach out of my chest. "Summer. Just chill, okay ? You're going to be fine," he assured me. He then (thankfully) removed his hand from my thigh.

We were in the waiting room of the doctor's office. As I mentioned before, I'm terrified of doctors; I am and always will be. This day was no exception. I was now about four months pregnant, and it was about the middle of March. Spring was upon us; and it was a beautiful day.

And I was wasting my time in the doctor's office.

"Can't we just go home ?" I asked.

"No. We have to see how Baby's doing," he replied.

I sighed. At least Daniel had come with me this time. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad.

"Lacy Peters ?" a woman in hospital scrubs called from the doorway.

I looked up at her. Peters was no longer my name. I had yet to change all of my information. "It's Peterson," I told her.

Daniel's mouth gaped open. He looked shocked that I would actually correct her, since I really didn't want to marry him in the first place.

I had learned to accept it. There was nothing I was going to do about it now. I'd learn to deal.

I stepped forward unwillingly. I didn't want to go, and even though I knew the weren't going to hurt me, I was scared. I took a deep breath.

Daniel took my hand from beside me. Once again, I looked at our clasped hands. They fit. They just... fit.

I couldn't help but smiling at him. He was comforting me, and I really felt safe with him.

He smiled back. He always did have such a beautiful smile.

I turned my head to look back at the nurse, who had an 'Aw-that's-so-cute' look on her face. I cleared my throat and walked with Daniel into the room.

* * * *

I lied on the the reclined chair, waiting for the ultrasound tech to put that jelly crap on my stomach. She lifted up my shirt. I was only four months pregnant, so I really only had a little bump, and it really wasn't noticeable unless you were looking, and then you'd probably just think I was getting fat. She squirted the blue liquid on my stomach and rubbed it around. I watched as my baby appeared on the screen.

Last time I saw it, it looked like a sea monkey. And it still did. Except it looked like a more human sea monkey. Does that make any sense ?

I could see the baby was curled up. I could see the head and the legs... It was so amazing to me. That baby was growing inside me. It made me so happy. I was bringing a baby into the world in five months. I almost cried. I was bringing life into the world, and that made me feel good.

I could hear the heart beat. Thump... thump... thump... thump... It was amazing. Now it felt real. Official.

"And that is your baby," the technician said.

Daniel squeezed my hand. "We make a cute little monkey," he said jokingly.

"Heck ya. And it has your big head," I told him.

"Ha ha. You're so funny," he replied sarcastically.

"How old are you two ?" the tech questioned.

"Twenty-one," we answered in unison.

"Wow. So young. And married and expecting a baby too," she observed.

"Ya. But Daniel just couldn't resist," I said.

"No, you came up to me," he argued.

"Ya, so ? You still couldn't resist," I teased.

"How long have you been married ?" she asked.

I sighed. "Three and a half months."

"A not-so-one-night stand," Daniel answered.

The lady gave us a weird look. "Okay..." she trailed off, obviously at a loss for words.

"Yep. Cool right ? We have one thing that a lot of married couples don't have," I informed her.

Daniel frowned. "What's that ?"

"Charisma," I answered like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

The lady took the magic stick baby-looking thingy off my stomach and handed me a rag. I wiped the jelly off my belly (HAHA !) and pulled my t-shirt down. "Ready to go home ?" I asked Daniel.

"Yep."

The technician handed me the ultrasound photo. "There you go. Sixteen weeks."

I smiled at the picture. It was our baby.

Daniel took it from my hands and examined it. He smiled as well. He looked genuinely happy.

I rested my head on his shoulder. "Are you excited ?"

He looked down at me. "Ya. Really excited."

I looped my arm in his. "Good."