Page 47 of The Best Friend Problem
Hadn’t planned on Finn being the father, either, but here we are.
True. She’d rolled with the first surprise; she could damn well roll with the second. All she had to do was adjust her plan, move some numbers around, double her baby shopping list, plan for two of everything instead of one… Yeah, no problem.
Dr. Richardson grabbed the chart again from the counter, pen poised to take notes as she asked, “Now are you having any issues you’d like to talk about today?”
Still reeling from the news and making mental lists to hold back the panic, Pru shook her head, content to get out of there and have her freak-out in private instead of in a doctor’s office covered by nothing but a stiff, scratchy paper gown.
“Actually, doctor, she’s been having a lot of nausea. And not just in the mornings—it’s pretty constant.”
She narrowed her eyes, glaring at Finn. He didn’t need to take over completely—she could tell the doctor about her own symptoms.
But you didn’t because you’re having a tiny breakdown, and he knows it because he’s your best friend. Your best friend whose TWINS you’re carrying.
Could you be a bitch to yourself? Because Pru was pretty sure that was happening right now.
“Nausea is common in pregnancy, even more so with multiples. I can prescribe an anti-nausea medication for you.”
“Is that safe for the babies?”
Dr. Richardson smiled at Finn. “Completely safe. We want the mother to keep all those healthy nutrients in her belly so the babies can grow big and strong.”
She listened as her doctor and best friend, aka the father of her unborn babies, talked about her pregnancy and symptoms, contributing nothing to the conversation herself.
Get it together, Pru. This was supposed to be your thing. Your journey. Stop freaking out about minor details and take control of the situation.
Finding out she was having twins could hardly be called a minor detail, but her inner diva was right. She needed to get her head back in the game and regain her power.
“Thank you, Dr. Richardson. I’d appreciate that.”
The doctor wrote something on the pad in her hands and passed the paper to Pru. “This should keep the nausea down to a minimum, but if you find yourself not being able to eat or keep anything down, please call the office right away. We’d need to check you for hyperemesis gravidarum to make sure you’re not losing important nutrients for you and the babies.”
In her research, she’d come across the condition, but her morning sickness was nowhere near that bad. Good thing, because she could barely handle the news the doc had laid on her today. One crisis at a time, please.
Not that having twins was a crisis in any way. In fact, the thought of two little babies to love and care for made her heart soar. All she’d asked for was one baby, and here she was, being blessed with two.
Stressful? Sure. Amazing? No doubt.
“In the meantime, make sure you’re drinking plenty of water, eating a healthy diet, and see Annette on the way out. She’ll help you schedule your next few appointments.” The older woman nodded to both of them. “Congratulations, Mom and Dad.”
With that, Dr. Richardson smiled and exited the room, leaving Pru alone with Finn and the exciting/terrifying news.
…
At that moment, a strong breeze could have knocked Finn over. Which was saying something, considering he stayed upright while wielding a fire hose on a regular basis. Those things could spit out pressure of up to 300psi. But, apparently, all it took to shake Finn was two babies who barely weighed a few ounces at this point.
Twins.
He’d been having a bit of a mental freak-out since they arrived at the doctor’s office. He’d never imagined himself visiting a place like this, but here he was, to support Pru. But the moment the doctor handed over those glossy, black and white pictures, the freak-out went into full-blown panic. The news of two babies slammed into the last bit of calm he’d been holding on to, threatening to send his carefully constructed demeanor right down the drain.
But something else happened, too. The second he saw those two little blurry images, his chest filled with awe.
I made those.
Or at least helped, anyway.
Bewilderment blocked out everything else for just a moment. Sure, he was still scared shitless and confused as to what the hell they were going to do about this whole situation. But look what they’d done. They’d created two little lives. Two tiny humans who might have Pru’s smile and his eyes. Her headstrong attitude and his sense of humor.
He glanced over at Pru, who looked as shocked as he felt. Sympathetic humor tilted his lips as he stared at his poor best friend. She lived by her plans. This must be throwing her for quite the loop. First her idea of solo mommy-hood got waylaid by their night of…exploration. Then she found out it wasn’t one baby she’d be expecting, but two.
