Ex-Husband's Regret (Ava and Rowan) novel Chapter 574

My phone buzzes against the dresser as I’m fastening the small clasp on my bracelet.

“Are you at the hospital yet?” Mom’s voice is bright, brimming with that warm excitement that always gives her away.

“Not yet,” I say, slipping my bag over my shoulder. “I’m just getting ready to leave.”

I can almost hear her smile through the line. “Alright. Drive safe. And make sure you take pictures if they give you the chance. I want to see my grandbaby.”

Her enthusiasm is infectious, and though I try to play it cool, I know I’m just as giddy. My chest is tight, but in that good way. The kind of anticipation that tingles in your fingertips. Today, I’ll hear my baby’s heartbeat for the first time.

I didn’t sleep last night. My whole body was bubbling with excitement as I thought about the moment I would see my baby. I kept imagining feeling her move inside me and holding her for the first time. I finally slept after hours of tossing and my imagination playing wild, and when I did, it was with a smile on my face.

When I woke up, my excitement was still there. I went through my whole routine with a little bounce in my steps and I've been like that since.

“Si.” Once again I had spaced out, and her voice pulls me back to the present.

“I will, mom… and you’ll be the first to get the ultrasound pictures.”

We hang up, and I grab my keys, heading out into the crisp morning air.

The drive to the clinic is smooth, though my mind is a constant swirl. I couldn’t turn it off no matter how I tried. Flashes of what my baby might look like, how small they must still be and the hope that everything is fine were a constant in my head.

When I arrive, I park close to the entrance and take a moment in the car to steady myself. My reflection in the rearview shows wide, alert eyes and a smile that keeps trying to peek through.

When I finally feel ready, I get out of my car and head for the clinic. Inside, the faint scent of disinfectant and something floral greets me.

At the front desk, a neatly dressed secretary looks up with a polite smile. “Good morning. Name?”

“Sierra Meyers”

She checks her computer screen, typing away until she looks at me. “Please fill these forms for me.”

She hands me some papers and I fill them out as required.

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