Chapter 0418
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After Valerie broke the news to Marcus about their unexpected blessing, the couple decided to keep it to themselves until they were completely sure. By the time they went downstairs for dinner, Ethan had already gone home. Fabian, their driver, had picked him up promptly at 2:00 PM.
After a family meal, Valerie and Marcus headed to the study to research gynecologists in Valentia who could handle her pregnancy. Valerie was a bundle of nerves, overwhelmed by the strong emotions coursing through her. Marcus took charge, scrolling through his laptop to find options. Based on credentials, they settled on a gynecologist who specialized in pregnancies for women over 40–Dr. Beatrice Baker.
The next morning, Marcos and Valerie left early for their appointment with Dr. Baker. Despite having a packed schedule, Marcus had rearranged all his meetings to be with Valerie, knowing how anxious she was about the visit.
Sitting in the waiting room, Valerie was a wreck, her eyes glued to the clock on the wall. A few minutes later, Dr. Baker appeared and greeted the couple warmly.
“Mr. and Mrs. Bartz,” the doctor said with a slight nod. “Please, come in. I can see those worried faces–am I right?”
“A little, yes,” Marcus admitted, his nerves evident.
This would be their third baby. The first had tragically been lost, and John had been a blessing. This new pregnancy had been completely unplanned. It wasn’t that they didn’t want the baby; it was just that Valerie was right Marcus was older, and it weighed on him.
“There’s no need to worry just yet. Let’s take this step by step,” Dr. Baker said patiently. “First, tell me how did you find out you’re pregnant?”
—
“Well,” Valerie began, “I’ve been feeling unwell, so yesterday I took three home tests. The first one didn’t show anything I think it was defective. The second had two pink lines immediately, and the third said, ‘Pregnant +3.‘ That was enough for us to figure it out.”
H
“That sounds clear, Mrs. Bartz,” the doctor said with a smile. “But before jumping to conclusions, we’ll do two things. First, I’ll perform an ultrasound here to see if we can spot anything, even if it’s just a tiny dot. Second, we’ll do a blood test to check your hCG levels. I’ll write you a prescription for the test, and you’ll need to take it on an empty stomach.”
“Actually, Doctor, I’m fasting already,” Valerie said, relieved that she’d anticipated this.
“Perfect! That makes things easier. I can take the sample right now and send it to the lab. This will help us confirm the due date alongside the ultrasound results.”
Marcus held Valerie’s hand in silent support. He knew she was putting on a brave face–she hated needles, and even the thought of the blood test was torture for her. After the sample was taken, the doctor said:
“All right, now let’s take a look at your little one. Mrs. Bartz, please carefully get on the exam table and uncover your stomach.”
Marcus gently lifted Valerie and helped her onto the table. She wore thin black leggings and a loose beige chiffon blouse, which draped over her well–proportioned figure, concealing her belly. But as she stretched out on the table and uncovered her stomach, Marcus noticed something, he’d dismissed before as adorable weight gain.
“You’re going to feel a bit of cold,” Dr. Baker warned as she applied the gel. “It’s clear you’re pregnant–look at that lovely bump. I can’t believe you didn’t notice it earlier
“To be honest, I’m irregular, and it took us so long to conceive our second baby. John was a complete surprise. That was five years ago, and I’d even started to think I was entering menopause,” Valerie admitted sheepishly.
Chapter0410
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“My dear, I don’t think you’re at that stage yet,” Dr. Baker said kindly. “Your husband mentioned in the email that you
u’re 43, but you look much younger. Let’s get started. I’ll just spread some gel and see if we can find this little one.”
Valerie flinched slightly at the gel’s chill, then lay still as the doctor placed the ultrasound wand on her stomach.
“All right, let’s take a look. Where are you, little one? Where…?”
Dr. Baker paused mid–sentence, pressing the probe a bit more firmly against Valerie’s belly. She glanced at the couple, who were staring intently at the screen, and asked:
“Did you see what I just saw?”
“Um, no… I can’t quite make out the image,” Marcus said, adjusting his glasses to get a better look.
“Okay, okay,” the doctor began, taking a deep breath. “I have three pieces of news for you. First, yes, you are definitely pregnant. Second, you’re about two to three months along, which leaves me baffled–how did you not notice sooner? And third… this isn’t a normal pregnancy.”
“What do you mean?” Valerie’s voice was trembling, her face pale. “Is something wrong with my baby?”
“Don’t panic, Valerie,” Dr. Baker reassured her with a smile. “When I say it’s not a normal pregnancy, I mean it’s not one baby–it’s two.”
“What?” Marcus exclaimed loudly, leaning forward.
“Yes! Two. Look, let me adjust the focus so you can see the two sacs. Each one measures 13 mm, which makes me estimate you’re between two and three months pregnant. But the blood test results will confirm it. I say this because, in cases like these, my calculations might be off slightly, given that it’s twins.”
“Are my babies okay?” Marcus asked nervously, gripping Valerie’s hand tightly.
“From what I can see, everything looks absolutely fine,” Dr. Baker replied. “Now we just need to review the bloodwork and talk about the care we’ll need to take. That little belly of yours was definitely a pregnancy bump. Your little cupcakes are already making themselves known
“Dr. Baker, are my babies healthy?” Valerie asked hesitantly, finally finding her voice.
“Mr. and Mrs. Bartz, based on the ultrasound, your little ones are within normal parameters.”
“Doctor, will you give me all the steps I need to follow to take care of them?” Valerie asked earnestly.
“Of course, Mrs. Bartz. But for now, your life will mostly stay the same–unless we encounter complications, which I don’t foresee based on what I’ve seen so far. And now that we have the bloodwork results, we can confirm you’re nearly three months along. Your babies are tiny but strong. Here’s a list of medications to get and care tips to follow. Our next appointment will be in a month. Congratulations to you both, Mr. and Mrs. Bartz!”
The couple left the office in a daze. Not only were they expecting, but the babies were already three months along
and there were two of them. Based on the timing, it could only be traced back to their vacation in Santorini.
Marcus chuckled to himself as they got in the car. “You know, Val, I should’ve guessed Santorini wasn’t just relaxing it was productive too.”
Valerie laughed, her hand instinctively going to her stomach. “Two little souvenirs from paradise.”
Their world was about to get a whole lot busier, but they couldn’t be happier.
Chapter 0119
