Chapter Fourteen

The following Friday Karli had another sonogram to go to, but this time she had someone to share the experience with.

Jordan came to Sarah’s as scheduled and just stopped himself from picking Karli up and carrying her like a china doll to the passenger seat.

“You sure you can get up in there okay?”

“I’m fine,” she chuckled. “May not be able to in another month or so, but right now, I’m good. Stop worrying.”

“Can’t help it,” he said earnestly, and received a kiss for his concern.

At Dr. Hollard’s office, Jordan held Karli’s hand as the tech, Tracy, raced to keep up with an increasingly active baby.

“Trying to get good pictures, but this little angel won’t cooperate,” Tracy commented with a grin.

Jordan leaned down close to Karli’s belly.

“Hey you in there,” he murmured. “Can you please hold still for just a little while? We’d like to get a good look at you.”

Karli gasped when she looked at the monitor, watching her baby slow its movements and turn its head in response to Jordan’s voice.

“How did you do that?”

“Honestly? No idea,” Jordan laughed. “I’m amazed that worked.”

“Well, figure it out for when the little one decides to dance on my kidneys some more,” Karli suggested.

“Do you want to know ahead of time if it’s going to be a boy or a girl, or did you want to be surprised?” Tracy asked Karli. “If you want to know today, I can tell you.”

Karli looked at Jordan, who said, “Totally your call, Karli.”

“Tell me,” Karli said mischievously.

“Okay…give me just a moment….and… looks like you’re having a girl, Karli.”

“And she will be beautiful, just like her momma,” Jordan chimed in as he squeezed Karli’s hand.

Dr. Hollard did a routine check-up once the sonogram ended, adjusted Karli’s due date to October the fifth, and set her next appointment for two weeks out.

“Where to now?” Jordan asked as they walked back out to the truck.

“I’m thinking ice cream first, then, would you like to come with me and look at baby clothes?” Karli mused. “Now that I know I’m having a girl I have this need to go pick out cute pink stuff.”

“You got it,” Jordan said as he helped her into the truck.

They ordered two scoops each - sea salt caramel swirl for her, mint chocolate chip for him - and settled into a booth to enjoy their afternoon treat.

“I was thinking, after the baby’s born,” he began, “how would you feel about a spa package?”

“A spa package?”

“Yeah, you know. Manicure, pedicure, massage, all that stuff. Just go get pampered one afternoon. I bet all that feels pretty good, right?”

“It does. What’s your point?”

“My point is, let me do that for you,” he said gently. “Let me give you that.”

“Why?”

“Because I love you,” he told her. “And because I think you deserve an afternoon of just relaxing and doing the girly stuff. The only reason I haven’t lined it up for you already is because I know you can’t lie down on your stomach these days.”

Karli laughed out loud.

“Nope, not even close. It’s like trying to lay on a medicine ball. Not to mention I am getting less graceful by the day. It’s all I can do to get out of bed some mornings when she’s over to one side.”

“Think about it, at least,” Jordan finished.

“Oh, there’s no need to think about it. That sounds fabulous, and I am so ready for all that,” Karli smiled. “But yeah, it’s probably smarter to hold off until I can tie my own shoes again.”

“Deal.”

After they finished their ice cream, they shopped for baby clothes. Karli found four tiny outfits she fell in love with and bought them. Before they left the shop, she excused herself to the ladies’ room.

“I’ll be outside,” Jordan told her, and she nodded.

She met him on the sidewalk and noticed his beaming smile.

“What?”

“Nothing,” he said. “Just happy to be with you, that’s all.”

When they got back to Sarah’s, he walked her to the door, kissed her, and said, “I’m on overnights the next three weeks, starting tonight. But I should still be able to do the childbirth classes. When do they start?”

“Two weeks from today,” she answered. “From two to four p.m.”

“That works well,” he confirmed, “because I don’t have to be on shift until ten.”

It wasn’t until after he had left that she noticed two extra items in the shopping bag. A three-pack of tiny pink and purple onesies, with ‘Little Miss Perfect’ inscribed across the front of each, and a velvety soft footed sleeper with ‘Princess’ embroidered on it.

Aww… he bought baby clothes, too…

Karli’s heart melted.

***

“Check out this bassinet I found,” Jordan said excitedly two weeks later. “It should fit nicely in your room.”

He pulled up the picture on his laptop, then scooted over to show her the screen.

“Yeah, space is kind of tight, so that should work pretty well. Nice catch!” Karli answered, then glanced at her watch.

“Oops. Better get going. The sonogram’s in forty minutes.”

“And after that, our first childbirth class,” he reminded her. “You excited?”

“Yes, and no,” she said. “I think it’s going to be good to learn some breathing and relaxation techniques, but I have no desire to watch a video. I’m already gonna feel it, I don’t need to see it.”

He laughed.

“Tell you what. When the time comes, I will have them cover the mirror in the birthing suite.”

“There’s mirrors? In a birthing suite? What sadistic lunatic came up with that?” she exclaimed, horrified. “I don’t want to watch myself go through this! Good Lord!”

“You are so damn cute when you make that face,” he rejoined, still chuckling.

“What face?”

“That…” he scrunched up his nose, “face like that. It’s adorable.”

She rolled her eyes and smiled.

“Okay, you ready to go?”

“Yep,” Jordan stood up, moved in front of her, and held out his hands to help her up off the couch.

“Ow…ouch,” Karli yelped.

“Settle down, kiddo,” she murmured, rubbing the sides of her belly.

“Is she tap-dancing again?”

“It sure feels like it,” Karli confirmed. “Feel.”

He placed his palms on either side where Karli had been rubbing.

“Wow. Our little angel is rocking right along today, isn’t she?”

“That, or she’s sideways again,” Karli grimaced. “Ow.”

“Hang on, I got this,” Jordan announced, and he sat on the coffee table, his face close to Karli’s belly, and began to talk in a low murmur to the baby.

Karli stood, running a hand through his soft, thick, dark hair, listening and smiling as he worked his magic. Her child was calming inside her.

She is probably as entranced as I am by that smooth baritone of his, Karli thought. It does a number on me too. Not to mention the way he says ‘our’ when he is talking about the baby. I don’t even think he’s aware of it when he says it. But I absolutely adore it – and him. I am so happy he’s in my life…

She sighed in contentment without even realizing it, and Jordan spoke to her and brought her out of her reverie.

“Honey?”

“I’m sorry. What were you saying?”

“I asked if it’s better now.”

“Yep, she calmed right down the moment you started talking. You have to tell me how you do it.”

“I still have no idea,” he chuckled, then kissed her.

“But I’m glad it works. Now, let’s get to the sonogram before she gets all wound up again.”

Their time with Tracy went smoothly, and Doctor Hollard nodded in approval as he quickly scanned the sonogram pictures and then Karli’s chart.

“About six more weeks, I’d say. You’re almost in the home stretch, and everything looks great, Karli. Bloodwork, weight, the baby’s size, all right where they should be. How is everything else going? Any problems sleeping?”

“Other than not being able to get comfortable for long, no,” she answered. “But I am starting to notice more frequent heartburn, even with mild foods.”

“Not uncommon,” Hollard assured her. “Fortunately, over the counter medications, such as Tums, are perfectly safe to take while you’re pregnant. But you may find the liquid versions of calcium carbonate are more effective.”