“Is there a reason I’m only showing now?” Asked Jade.

The nurse continued to move the wand around while she replied, “Well, considering your baby is healthy, and growing as expected, it could mean that you’re carrying closer to your spine. Baby will move around a bit more now, so your belly will likely grow bigger.”

When I found my voice, I managed to ask, “Can we find out the sex?”

“Let’s see if baby will show us,” she replied, still smiling at the screen. I felt Jade’s hand slide into mine, and she squeezed. I returned it, stepping closer until I could take a seat next to the bed.

“It looks like you are expecting a girl,” said the nurse. She wriggled the wand again, and laughed. “Yep, baby girl’s legs are wide open.”

Jade sniffled beside me, and instinctively I moved in to kiss her temple.

We’re having a girl.

“I’ll print these for you,” the nurse continued, cleaning up Jade’s wet stomach. “I want you to come back in four weeks, and keep taking those vitamins. You’ll start feeling her move now, and it might feel like butterflies, but she’s just letting you know she’s really in there.”

“I read that faintness, and dizziness were normal around this stage of the pregnancy, is that true?”

Jade looked surprised, as did the nurse.

“Yes, that’s all symptoms of the second trimester. You could also experience indigestion, and swelling of your feet and ankles. That’s all normal.”

“And iron,” I added. “Jade has to eat more iron, right?”

“Yes,” the nurse chuckled. “I’m impressed. You have to be the most knowledgeable father I’ve had walk through my doors.”

I shrugged. “I wanted to make sure I knew what to expect. I want to be there for Jade anyway I can.”

“I’m glad,” replied the nurse. “You won’t believe how many couples your age come in here, where the dad has no interest at all.”

“Oh,” said Jade, sitting up. “We’re not a couple.”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean - ”

“It’s fine,” I said a little too harshly. Jade’s words had stung, cementing the fear I’d been mulling over in the car on the drive here.

With one last awkward smile, the nurse left, and the elation I’d felt only moments ago was dampened.

“Reid.” Jade wrapped her hand around my forearm, and turned me to face her.

“What’s wrong? I thought you’d be happy.”

“I am,” I replied. “But I wish you’d give me some direction as to where we stand. When are you going to realize that I don’t want to be just the father of your baby?”

Her mouth dropped open, but she was cut off when my phone rang. I pulled it from my pocket with a sigh, and saw that it was my mother calling.

I turned away from Jade. “Hi Mom.”

“Hi, sweetheart. Are you kids still busy?”

“No,” I replied. “We just got done. We’re heading back to campus now.”

“Oh good, I caught you just in time. We’re having lunch with Erik and Raquel, and we’d all love to see you. Raquel and I are dying to hear how your appointment went.”

I pinched the bridge of my nose. “I don’t know, Mom. I really need to get Jade home.”

Jade appeared at my side. “It’s fine,” she said softly. “Let’s go.”

“Please honey,” my mom’s voice came through the phone. “You don’t have to stay long.”

Jade pleaded with her eyes, and my mother pleaded over the phone. I groaned because the women in my life had me wrapped around their fucking fingers.

“Alright, we’ll be there in about twenty or so minutes.”

“Great,” my mother replied with glee. “We’ll see you soon.”

WE STOPPED OUTSIDE OF Jade’s parents’ house, and Jade’s mother, Raquel, and my mother were already opening her car door. They both gushed, and ‘oohed’ and ‘aahed’, firing questions about the baby. I greeted both mom’s with a kiss on the cheek, and walked to the front door where our fathers were waiting. My father pulled me into a half hug, and patted me on the back. “Son. It’s good to see you.”

“You too,” I replied honestly.

I stuck my hand out for Jade’s father, Erik, to shake, and he did so without much hesitation. I knew he’d been angry when he found out Jade was pregnant, but he seemed better now. Either way, we needed to have a conversation.

“Erik,” I greeted.

“Reid.” His eyes remained cool, as did his demeanor, and I could tell he was sizing me up. He’d never had a problem with me or my friendship with Jade growing up, but I hated that he now looked at me as the guy who got his daughter knocked up.

“Can we talk?” I asked, tightening my grip on his hand.

He nodded, and walked inside without bothering to wait for me to follow. Jade’s parent’s house was a large colonial style mansion with two staircases leading up the second floor. The floor was tiled in the foyer and the kitchen, but the rest of the house had lush, dark carpets.

I followed Erik to his study, a large room down the hallway on the first floor, and squelched any reservations while he shut the door. This conversation was a month overdue, but he couldn’t blame me when Jade had kept her pregnancy a secret until two weeks ago.

“I figured we could get this out the way now,” I said. “I don’t want any tension between us when the baby comes, and I don’t want the rest of Jade’s pregnancy to be stressful either.”

“I agree,” replied Erik. He opened a glass cabinet, and took a bottle of Johnny Walker Blue out with two tumblers. He poured it neat, no ice, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that he was testing me.

He handed me a glass, and watched as I took a generous sip, unflinching when the amber liquid burned my throat.

“I’m not going to lie and say that I was thrilled when Jade told me she was pregnant,” Erik started. He leant against his desk, and I remained standing. “I was just hoping she would have made a smarter choice. You kids are still young, and you’re still in college, so you can understand my concern, can’t you Reid?”

“Yes sir,” I replied. “But I need you to know that I love Jade, and I will do everything in my power to do right by her and our child. They come first. Always.”

“I don’t doubt you, Reid, but I need you to show me that you’ll take care of my little girl, and my grandbaby.”

In that moment everything became clearer to me. I understood Erik’s concern, because I was able to put myself in his shoes. If it were my daughter I would have reacted the same way he had.

If it was my daughter.

“I will,” I told him. “You have my word.”

He tipped his glass in my direction, and I finally relaxed. We finished our drinks and joined the rest of our families in the dining room. Jade was huddled between our teary-eyed mothers, and they were looking at the latest ultrasound picture. Erik joined them, and Raquel hugged him around the waist.

“What did I miss?” He asked, smiling down at his emotional wife.

“A girl,” she cried. “Jade is having a little girl.”

“Everything okay?” My father had stepped up to my side, but I’d been too preoccupied with watching Jade to notice.

“Yeah,” I replied. “Erik and I had some things to clear up.”

“That’s not what I was referring to,” he said. “I can see something is troubling you.”

“We can talk about it later, Dad. Were you able to get the info I asked for?”

“Yes,” he sipped a beer. “I got everything. Are you sure about it, though?”

“I’m sure of one thing,” I said. “I want to make sure that Jade and the baby are taken care of.”

“And you and Jade?”

I lifted my shoulders and expelled a heavy breath. “I don’t know, Dad. One minute we’re going forward, and the next she’s shutting me down, and pushing me four steps back. I feel like all I can do right now is take care of the mother of my child. I’m not sure she’ll ever want to be more.”

My father put his hand on my shoulder, and I looked at him. “Maybe she’s just as scared as you are.”