Page 87 of Knocked Up by My Dad's Mafia Boss

The ultrasound is uncomfortable but not as awful as I’d imagined, and Sofia holds my hand through all of it.

There’s nothing on the screen for the longest time as she presses the wand into me almost painfully, and then I hear it.

Whoosh whoosh whoosh.

“What’s that?” Sofia breathes.

The tech smiles. “That’s the heartbeat. Strong and steady.”

I peer at the screen, seeing practically nothing. She points at a speck, just a little peanut on the screen. “That’s the fetus. The doctor can tell you more about how far along you are.”

The heartbeat comforts me.Whoosh whoosh whoosh.“It’s okay, though?” I ask, tears slipping down my cheeks.

She looks at me. “I’m not supposed to say but… between you and me, it looks perfectly healthy.”

I let out a broken sob and Sofia puts an arm around me, hugging me. “We’re having a baby.”

“Are you… partners?” the ultrasound tech asks, and Sofia peels out a laugh.

“Might as well be,” I crack. “She’s the daddy.”

Sofia curls her bicep and I dissolve into giggles through my tears. The ultrasound tech looks slightly confused at my hysterics but then she just smiles. “Good for you.”

It only makes me laugh harder, and eventually the ultrasound tech leaves.

Me and Sofia slowly sober. The doctor comes in and he gives me a cursory exam before smiling at me.

“I’m Dr. Yeoman. It’s lovely to meet you. The fetus seems to be developing normally for around seven weeks. Have you thought about your… options?”

He’s being diplomatic. “I want to keep it,” I say quickly. “I just need to know if it’s healthy.”

“It is,” he assures me. “Strong heartbeat. Limb buds.” He hands me a series of printed ultrasound pictures, pointing at the little buds. They’d been flailing around while the ultrasound was being done. “Your due date should be around August sixteenth, give or take.”

August.It’ll be hot. Sweltering. Papa often goes overseas in the summer. Maybe I can convince him to send Dante instead. By then, all of the drama with Ricci will be over.Hopefully.

“Thank you so much,” I breathe.

“Avoid caffeine, no alcohol of course, and be careful with stress.”

I nod.

“Other than that, you seem perfectly healthy and so does your baby. Congratulations.”

Hilariously, he shakes Sofia’s hand, and it’s all I can do not to burst into giggles again.

They might just throw me in the psych ward.

I look down at the ultrasound pictures in utter shock. This is really happening. It feels real now in a way that it didn’t with just the pregnancy tests.

“Are you okay?” Sofia asks for what seems like the thirtieth time this week.

“I am, actually,” I say slowly, stuffing the ultrasound pictures into my purse. I get dressed and pay the bill, scheduling another appointment for twenty weeks. It seems like a long time from now, but it’ll go fast.

I need to make some kind of plan.

22

DANTE