Chasing His Rejected Wife
Chapter 48 -

Jessica

Friday morning, I went to the hospital for my scheduled prenatal appointment with my ob/gyn. I was nervous for a number of reasons but mainly because I knew Aiden would be present. I didn't know what to expect, especially coming on the heels of that phone call yesterday.

I was still in doubt as to the sincerity of his words. Did he really mean to just let me go like that? What had happened to wanting us to try and work things out for the baby?

The complete one-eighty he'd pulled left me feeling unsettled and confused and coupled with my mom's cryptic words, I felt like I was missing something vital...something everyone else knew but weren't telling me. The receptionist gave me a welcoming smile as I approached. "Good morning Mrs. Brown."

For the first time, it struck me that I wouldn't be Mrs. Brown for much longer. I'd probably switch back to my maiden name once the divorce was finalized and that would be a hell of a lot of paperwork. "Please, call me Jessica," I said lightly. "Mrs. Brown makes me feel ancient."

The receptionist's eyes sparkled with mirth and understanding. "Of course, Jessica. Dr. Strand is currently with another patient, but she'll be with you in..." She paused to check the screen, "fifteen minutes." I nodded, knowing that I had arrived earlier than my appointment. "That's fine."

A nurse showed up to direct me towards an examination room, handed me a hospital gown and a bottle of water. I changed out of my clothes and feeling too keyed up to sit on the bed, I settled for pacing around.

The Ob/Gyn department was housed in one of the newer wings of White Memorial hospital, which had been funded by Skylark Corp. As a result, it boasted modern and new equipment and the examination rooms had been specially designed with high grade furniture, all carefully selected in soothing greens, blues and cream, all in a bid to ensure maximum comfort and ease for the expectant mothers who came for checkups.

The wide, generous windows looked out on a well tended garden, lush with colorful flowers and healthy green grass and I ceased pacing to stare at the gardens, my thoughts in a riot.

Movement on the other side of the door drew my attention and seconds later, the door opened and Aiden stepped in.

His presence seemed to shrink the spacious room, which I knew to be ridiculous, but felt like it did nonetheless. His gaze was fixed on me from the moment he entered, unwavering even as my nurse slipped in after him and came towards me, carrying a tray of medical items.

"Morning," Aiden said quietly, not moving from his spot by the door.

"You're here." I replied and winced inwardly. Real smart, Jess, stating the obvious.

I stood rooted to the spot, watching him just as intently as he watched me.

He looked...worn out, a bit less than his usual implacable demeanor and I remembered thinking something similar when we talked yesterday. He was dressed casually even for a Friday in dark wash jeans and blue button down shirt sleeves rolled up to his elbows. His hair was ruffled and his chin sported a light scruff that gave him a rugged, lumberjack look.

He looked unfairly gorgeous. And made me all too aware of how frumpy I looked in the shapeless gown.

"Umm...Mrs. Brown?" The nurse sounded hesitant and I realized I'd been so absorbed with staring at Aiden that I'd completely missed what she had said to me.

My cheeks heated and I turned away from Aiden. "Sorry, what did you say?"

"Please, drink the water now." The nurse repeated, holding out the water bottle. "One of the tests we'll run today requires a full bladder, it's best if you drink as much as possible."

"Oh...okay." I took the offered bottle and uncapped it to take a drink, still conscious of Aiden's eyes on me, but I carefully avoided looking at him, feeling overwhelmingly self conscious. Instead, I sat on the bed and got busy drinking.

The nurse bustled about for a while, then left, leaving us alone. My anxiety levels ratcheted up, and I fidgeted for a bit then picked up my phone and pretended to be engrossed with it. "How've you been?" Aiden's question had me looking up so fast, I almost got whiplash. I swallowed nervously and nodded.

"Good." I said and after a beat, I felt the need to ask. "How about you?"

He was silent for so long, I thought he wasn't going to respond. Then he sighed and leaned against the wall, arms crossed on his chest. "Good."

An awkward silence descended on the room. Aiden unexpectedly didn't seem ready or willing to initiate a conversation, even one related to the divorce and it left me even more confused.

Was he mad at me because of the divorce? I risked a peek at him, trying to discern his emotions, but gave up when he caught me looking. Our eyes locked briefly before I blushed and looked away, discomfited at the depth of my feelings for him.

I couldn't say that I still loved him with the same intensity as before, not after everything that has happened. I was still angry at him, a part of me resented how he'd destroyed our marriage.

And I resented how a part of me was still affected by his presence.

I breathed a sigh of relief as Dr Strand bustled in then. She was a cheerful looking woman who didn't look a day over thirty, even though she'd told me she was actually a grandmother to two kids.

She beamed at me, her smile growing wider when she spotted Aiden. "Hello! Hope I didn't keep you waiting long?"

"Not at all," I replied, smiling back since Aiden didn't look like he was going to say anything. I wondered about his strange mood - even though he usually wasn't the most talkative of men, at least he managed to be polite when needed. "Great." Dr Strand apparently failed to notice Aiden's lack of response. She pulled on surgical gloves and a nurse brought a stool to the side of the bed so she could sit. Knowing what came next, I took a deep breath and lay back on the bed. Without wasting time, the doctor started asking questions related to my well-being, my diet and daily routine.

As we conversed, Aiden came to stand on the other side of my bed. I stumbled my words a few times, hyper aware of his proximity. He still didn't say a word, but I could tell he was paying attention to our conversation.

I answered as best as I could, flushing when she gave me a disapproving frown as I admitted to not sleeping well lately.

She 'mmphed' and made a note on the tablet, then handed it to a waiting nurse. "We'll need to do something about the lack of sleep. Your body needs to enter REM sleep as often as possible to replenish fluids and nutrients that the fetus takes from your body, and since you're not sleeping long enough, it can't do that, which in turn affects the state of the fetus. I'm sure you feel exhausted more often as well?"

"Yes," I admitted, a pang of guilt hitting me for putting my baby at risk.

"Can you give her something to help her sleep better?" For the first time, Aiden spoke a full sentence and I stared at him, surprised, but he was fixed on the doctor, almost as if I wasn't right there.

"I'm afraid not." She replied. "I try to avoid prescribing drugs other than vitamins for my patients unless necessary. I'll recommend some alternative methods that have worked for several patients of mine."

He nodded and fell silent again while the doctor continued the examination.

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The tests went by quickly and soon, I was lying on my back, belly exposed for another ultrasound. I stared at the image on the screen, while the sound of rapid heartbeats filled the room. A lump rose in my throat as the doctor pointed out the little white mass that was my baby.

My baby, mine. In that moment, it was all too real, hearing my baby's heart beat out a steady rhythm, and seeing it, even though it was a barely recognisable blob at this stage. I felt an overwhelming surge of incredulous wonder at the tiny life that was growing inside of me and my eyes filled with tears. Beside me, Aiden made a sound, and when I looked at him, I saw the same wonder mirrored in his expression.

He leaned close in an effort to get a better look, his eyes narrowed on the screen. He mouthed a word, barely audible but I read his lips.

"My child." He looked down at me then, I shivered at the fierce light of determination that shone in his eyes. "Our child."

I nodded, unable to do or say anything else.

Then Dr. Strand made a noise of surprise and we both whipped around to stare at her, alarmed.

"What? What is it?" I asked, struggling to sit up so I could get a better look at her. My gaze darted between her and the image of my baby, panicked rising in my throat. "Is something wrong? What?"

The doctor cleared her throat and leaned forward to turn up the sound, "At first I thought it was an anomaly with the fetus' heartbeat, but...then I saw this." She pointed at the screen and even though I squinted, I couldn't make out anything. I stared back at her helplessly, waiting for her to explain.

"If it's not an anomaly," Aiden asked, "Then what is it?"

The doctor's smile widened. "It's an extra heartbeat."

I'm sure Aiden was as stunned as I was because for a heartbeat, neither of us said anything and just stared at Dr. Strand.

"Congratulations, you're having twins."

I said out loud the first thought that popped into my head.

"Oh fuck!"