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Chapter 73 Second Chancas
Chapter 73 Second Chances
Mia’s POV
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The ultrasound room was colder than I remembered. Or maybe it was just my nerves making me shiver as I lay on the exam table, paper crinkling beneath me with every anxious shift. Mom sat beside me, her hand warm in mine.
“Everything will be fine,” she whispered, but I heard the slight tremor in her voice.
Dr. Sarah Matthews – not my usual OB, but the only one I trusted after last time – squeezed the gel onto my still–flat stomach. The cold made me flinch.
“Sorry,” she smiled apologetically. “Should warm up in a second. Ready to take a look?”
I nodded, not trusting my voice. The last time I’d been in a room like this, Kyle had stood where Mom was now, his face unreadable as the doctor confirmed our pregnancy. Before everything went wrong. Before Taylor. Before the stairs.
The machine hummed to life. Dr. Matthews moved the wand slowly, her eyes fixed on the screen I couldn’t quite see from my position.
“Ah,” she said softly. “There we are.”
My heart stopped. “Is something wrong?”
“No, no.” She adjusted the angle slightly. “Actually, I’d say everything is exactly right. Look.”
She turned the monitor toward us. The image was grainy, black and white shadows that somehow held my entire world. And there, in the center…
“Two heartbeats,” Dr. Matthews said gently. “Strong and steady. Congratulations, Mia. You’re having twins.”
The word hit me like a physical blow. Twins. Again.
“Oh, baby,” Mom’s voice seemed to come from far away as tears spilled down my cheeks. Her hand tightened around mine. “I’ll give you a moment,” Dr. Matthews said quietly, slipping out of the room.
I couldn’t tear my eyes from the screen. Two tiny flutters of life, barely more than shadows, but so perfectly, painfully real. My babies. My second chance.
“They came back to me,” I whispered, my free hand pressed against the cool gel on my stomach. “Mom, they came back,”
She didn’t try to correct me, didn’t point out that these were different babies. She just stroked my hair like she used to when I was little, letting me cry.
“How far along?” I managed when Dr. Matthews returned.
“Based on measurements and what you’ve told me about the timing, about eight weeks.” She handed me tissues to wipe away the gel. “Everything looks perfect – good size, strong heartbeats, proper positioning.”
“But last time-”
“Last time was different.” She sat on her rolling stool, meeting my eyes directly. “I’ve reviewed your previous records. What happened then was not your fault, Mia. It was a traumatic injury that no one could have prevented.”
Except I could have. If I’d been more careful on those stairs, if I’d seen Taylor coming, if I’d just…
“Stop.” Mom’s voice cut through my spiral. “I know that look. You’re not going down that road again.”
Dr. Matthews nodded approvingly. “Your mother’s right. What we need to focus on now is keeping you and these little ones healthy. I’m putting you on prenatal vitamins immediately, and I want to see you every two weeks for the first trimester.”
The word “trimester” made it suddenly, terrifyingly real. In seven months, I would have two babies. Two tiny lives depending
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Chapter 73 Second Chances
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on me to protect them.
“I can’t let anything happen to them,” I whispered. “Not again.”
“And you won’t be doing it alone.” Mom squeezed my shoulder. “In here this time.”
Dr. Matthews printed several copies of the ultrasound, handing them to me like precious treasures. “Do you want to hear the heartbeats?”
I nodded, not trusting my voice. She adjusted something on the machine, and suddenly the room filled with the most beautiful sound I’d ever heard – two rapid whoosh–whoosh–whooshes, slightly out of sync but both strong and clear.
Fresh tears spilled over. “They’re really okay?”
“Better than okay.” She smiled. “Textbook perfect. Though I do have some concerns about your stress levels. Your blood pressure is higher than I’d like.”
“I’ll make sure she rests,” Mom promised before I could protest.
“Good.” Dr. Matthews made some notes in my file. “No heavy lifting, no excessive exercise, and please – try to avoid any major life changes for a while.”
I almost laughed at that. Major life changes seemed to be my specialty lately.
“What about work?” I asked, thinking of the children’s center, still weeks from completion.
“Light duty only. You can supervise, but let others handle the physical aspects.” She fixed me with a stern look. “I mean it, Mia. These babies need you calm and healthy.”
Back in the car, Mom studied my face as I stared at the ultrasound photos. “You’re not going to tell him, are you?”
“No.” The word came out harder than intended. “He’s made his choice. He has his perfect life with Taylor now. I won’t let him anywhere near these babies.”
She was quiet for a long moment, then: “Okay.”
“Okay?” I looked at her in surprise. “You’re not going to try to convince me I’m wrong?”
“Would it work?” She smiled. “You’re an adult, sweetheart. This is your decision. I just want you to be sure it’s what you really
want.”
“It is.” I touched my stomach, still flat but now holding so much promise. “These babies are mine. Just mine.”
The drive home was quiet, each of us lost in our thoughts. I kept reaching for my purse, needing to check that the ultrasound photos were still there, still real.
Gas greeted us at the door with his usual enthusiasm, his tail wagging furiously as he sniffed my legs with extra interest. Could he tell? Did he somehow know about the tiny lives I was carrying?
“Clever boy,” I murmured, scratching behind his ears. “You knew before any of us, didn’t you?”
He followed me to my room as I changed into comfortable clothes, watching intently as I pinned one of the ultrasound photos to my mirror. The black and white image seemed to glow in the afternoon light streaming through my window.
My phone buzzed – Scarlett, probably wondering why I’d missed our usual lunch date. I ignored it. I wasn’t ready to share this yet, wasn’t ready to make it real by telling anyone else.
“Tea?” Mom appeared in my doorway with two steaming mugs. “The ginger kind. It helped with my morning sickness when I was carrying you.”
I accepted the cup gratefully, breathing in the spicy scent. “Did you know? With me? That you were having a girl?”
She settled beside me on the bed, Gas sprawling across both our feet. “I had a feeling. You were such a little dancer – always
Chapter 73 Second Chances
moving, especially at night.”
“Do you think… do you think I’ll be okay at this? Being a mom?”
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“Oh, sweetheart.” She wrapped an arm around me, careful not to spill our tea. “You’re already an amazing mom. Look how much you love them already.”
I leaned into her embrace, letting myself believe her. “I’m scared, I admitted quietly.
“That’s normal. Expected, even.” She pressed a kiss to my temple. But you’re stronger than you know. And you have so many people in your corner this time.”
“Just… promise you won’t leave again?” I hated how small my voice sounded. “I can’t do this without you.”
“Wild horses couldn’t drag me away.” She set our mugs aside to pull me into a proper hug. “I’m here for all of it – the morning sickness, the cravings, the midnight panics. Whatever you need.”
Gas whined softly, shoving his head between us until we laughed and made room for him.
“See?” Mom scratched his ears. “Even Gas is on Team Mia.”
I smiled, remembering how he’d stolen that first pregnancy test, how he’d known something was different before I did. “Think he’ll be good with babies?”
“Are you kidding? He’ll appoint himself their personal guardian.” She grinned. “Those will be the most protected twins in history.”
Twins. The word still made my heart stutter. I touched my stomach again, trying to imagine what they’d look like, who they’d become. Would they have my eyes? Kyle’s smile? No – I couldn’t think about that. These were my babies. Just mine.
Mom stood, gathering our empty mugs. “You’re growing two entire humans in there. The least you can do is take a nap.”
I wanted to protest, but exhaustion was already pulling at me. “Just a short one?”
“Whatever you say, dear.” She kissed my forehead again. “Sweet dreams.”
As I drifted off, Gas’s warm weight against my legs and the afternoon sun painting patterns on my wall.
My babies. They came back to me, I thought as sleep pulle
