The Billionaire's Bauble (23 page)
“As the registering nurse said, bleeding, most often called spotting, isn’t unusual. We’ll draw some blood to get an HCG reading, and we’ll try to get a heartbeat on the Doppler, but it isn’t likely we’ll hear one this early. We can do an ultrasound if the fetal heartbeat can’t be detected. That’ll tell us if the fetus is viable.”
The doctor’s words hit David’s heart like poison darts.
Viable?
He realized in just the few hours since he’d known about the baby he was already attached. He didn’t want to lose the child, and he could see how much a miscarriage would devastate Sloane.
She nodded her head bravely.
“Is this your first pregnancy?” The doctor asked as the nurse drew blood from Sloane’s arm.
“Yes, sir,” she answered in a small, scared voice.
David felt as helpless as the baby in Sloane’s womb.
“Well, let’s take a listen.”
The doctor put a large stethoscope type object on Sloane’s jelled up belly, and nodded his head, a smile spreading across his face.
“I hear it,” he said.
Sloane and David said, “Thank goodness,” in unison.
That made them all laugh.
“You two are certainly in sync,” the nurse smiled. “This is one fortunate baby.”
David looked into Sloane’s green eyes, and he saw how clear, how bright they had become.
“My fiancé has taken excellent care of herself and our baby, so
I
am the fortunate one.”
Sloane laughed, “Indeed,” and David grazed her lips with his, unable to suppress his joy.
“My Sloane,” he murmured.
The doctor said he wanted to do an ultrasound.
“That’ll give us an idea of how far along you are and how big the baby is. The heartbeat was strong, but it sounded a little unusual for such an early pregnancy. Are you sure you’re only eight weeks along?”
David was positive of the exact date of conception and told the doctor so. When the physician put the ultrasound wand on Sloane’s belly, the image on the monitor was unrecognizable to David. Sloane and he scrutinized the picture to no avail.
The doctor, still smiling, said, “Ah, I thought so. Uh-huh.”
With a plastic gloved hand, he pointed to a couple of bright spots on the monitor.
“What doctor? What do you see?” Sloane asked eagerly.
He smiled into Sloane’s questioning eyes and heartily patted David’s back.
“You’re having twins.”
“I look like two brides,” Sloane laughed as her mother made the final adjustments on the long white veil. Sloane smoothed the silk over her enormous babies bump and attempted to pull up the bodice to cover her blossoming bosom.
“Nonsense. You’re stunning today. I’m so glad the seamstress could find a way to add extra fabric to my gown. Your breasts are just barely covered, though I’m sure my newest son will love it! I’ve never seen a more devoted or attentive man . . . except your father, of course. Oh, Sloane, I’m thrilled for you. I can’t wait till we have our grandchildren here to spoil. Didn’t I predict we were having twins? Sweetheart, please stop pulling on the bodice. You can’t cover them, so stop trying. Isn’t she breathtaking, Maya?”
“I have never seen a more lovely
or
well-endowed bride,” Maya agreed.
She wrapped her arms around Sloane and the babies in a warm hug.
“But if we leave David waiting much longer, he’ll send out a search party. Are you ready, Sloane?”
Sloane laughed, “Well, he won’t let me drive anything anywhere anymore, so he should know I’m safe and sound just as he likes it!”
“Can’t blame him, dear,” Sloane’s mother chuckled.
Gazing into the floor length mirror that stood in the corner of her childhood bedroom, Sloane nodded, “I am ready. We better get down to the pond before I burst out of this dress. But, wait. First, tell me, where did David go this morning? It seemed he had some big, secret errand. Do you know, Mom, Maya?”
Both women smiled and shook their heads
no
, feigning ignorance.
David stood in his tuxedo, waiting at the white gazebo, Tony at his side. When Sloane came toward them, David gulped in a giant breath of fresh fall air. The trees tinged brilliantly, orange, red, and yellow—a celebration of color, a celebration of life. He saw the simple flowers she held close to her chest. They had picked them from the family garden, just as Sloane insisted.
“Here comes my bride,” he managed.
Tony slapped him on the back, helping David catch his breath.
Tony whistled long and low at the vision approaching. “Wow, those women are gorgeous. How lucky are we?”
David admired his spectacular bride as she passed their family, their friends and drifted into his embrace. Her diamond engagement ring caught the late afternoon light, and she whispered into his ear, “Hello, handsome. Did I ever tell you how much I love my ring? It compliments my grandmother’s perfectly.”
“Wait till you see the bands, sweetheart.”
David smiled, marveling at her and their ever growing son and daughter. As he enveloped them in a hug, Sloane kissed his cheek lovingly, and the gesture made his heart feel full, confirmed he would never be alone again.
“I have the rings,” he said, before the minister even had a chance to ask.
The last minute delay for the engraved platinum bands was well worth the wait he’d endured that morning.
After the minister proclaimed them married, and before he slipped the ring on his wife’s finger, David showed her the inscription.
“Soul mate” was etched on each band.
When David put the ring on Sloane’s finger, he finally knew the words by heart.
