Two Weeks (The Baxter Family #5)(34)

But just as her thoughts turned on her, he stopped and spun around, his eyes deep with concern. “I’ll be in the lobby. If you need me.”

Elise wanted to be strong. But tears were building in her eyes and throat. “Thanks.” She watched him go and her mind formed one single thought.

Cole Blake had never looked cuter.

Dr. West closed the door behind them. She instructed Elise to lie on the table and lift her shirt. “Just a little.” She took a tube and squirted gel on a white paddle. “This can get a bit messy.”

“It’s all right.”

Cole’s aunt turned on the boxy computer and the screen came to life. Elise was flat on her back, her eyes glued to the ceiling. God, if You’re there, please don’t let me really be pregnant. It would ruin everything. Her thoughts raced as fast as her heartbeat. I can’t go to NYU with a baby. I’m not ready for this. None of this. Please, God.

“Here we go.” Dr. West came closer. Elise wasn’t sure what she expected, but all at once, the warm gel and the paddle were on her skin and a sound filled the room. A fast whooshing, thudding sound. Over and over and over again.

“See that?” Cole’s aunt was kind. Her voice soft and certain.

Elise turned her head to the screen.

Dr. West pointed to a pea-size white dot at the bottom of a dark circle.

Please God, no. “The white thing?”

“Yes.” Dr. West pointed again to the small object. “That’s your baby. I’d say you’re about thirteen or fourteen weeks along. Just starting your second trimester.” She started talking about a due date.

But Elise couldn’t hear anything she said. My baby? This couldn’t be happening. She couldn’t have a baby. She was a high school senior ready to take New York by storm. Her training and painting and the studio in Chelsea, all of it was just around the corner and . . .

Elise shook her head. “I can’t . . . this isn’t . . .”

Dr. West didn’t seem to hear her protests. The hint of a smile came over her. Not the smile of celebration, but something deeper. A look her mama might have given her. She moved the paddle a bit and the whooshing grew louder. “Hear that?”

Fear gripped Elise, filling her heart and mind and soul. Her fingers and toes felt tingly. Like she might pass out. She nodded. “Yes.”

“That’s your baby’s heartbeat.” Cole’s aunt held the wand in place for a long moment. “See in the center of your baby, that fluttering part. That’s his or her heart.”

Elise stared at the image on the screen. Her baby had a heartbeat? And a heart? None of this felt real. She closed her eyes again. If this is a dream, God, wake me up. I can’t take it anymore. Nausea came over her stronger than ever before. The room began to spin. When she opened her eyes she avoided the image of the tiny baby. Instead she looked straight at Cole’s aunt. “Thank you, ma’am.” Elise felt sick. “I’m . . . I’m finished now. I’ll come back tomorrow to . . . talk about . . . about options.” She closed her eyes. “Please. I . . . I need some time.”

“I understand.” Dr. West turned off the machine and moved the wand back to a tray. Then she grabbed three paper towels and handed them to Elise. “For your stomach.” She paused. “Can I get you anything else?”

Elise couldn’t breathe. Like before, she only wanted to leave out the back door and run. Run as far and fast from here as she could. Instead she wiped the goop off her skin and pulled her shirt back into place. As she sat up, she caught her reflection in the mirror. Her full dark hair pulled back in a loose messy ponytail, stomach flat. Huge blue eyes. She still looked like Belle.

How could she be pregnant?

“Should I get Cole?” Dr. West washed her hands and dried them.

Elise felt her heart skip a beat. No, she didn’t want Cole. As soon as he walked in the room she would have to tell him the truth. There was no possibility of a mistake this time. And then he wouldn’t see her the same. She wouldn’t be Elise the adventurous artist, the beautiful dreamer. Prettiest girl he’d ever known. The things Cole had told her.

She’d be a bad girl who got in trouble.

Dr. West was waiting. Elise had no choice, no way out. She took a deep breath. “Yes, please.” That was all she could say. She felt like she might throw up.

As Cole’s aunt left the room, Elise barely made it to the trash can in time. As if her body wanted to rid her of the terrible news. She vomited three times and she was still wiping her mouth when she heard a soft knock at the door.

“Just a minute.” A couple quick swishes of water from the sink and she was as ready as she’d ever be. She opened the door and Cole stepped in.

“Elise.” He took her in his arms and held her. The sort of strong, protective hug Elise had never known before. He leaned back and searched her face. “Was it . . . are you . . . ?”

“Yes.” She might as well get it over with. “I’m pregnant.” Her wobbly feet carried her across the floor to one of the padded chairs. She sat down and Cole took the seat beside her. His face was pale. Like the news was still hitting him. “We should’ve known. I mean . . . the tests you took. They were both positive.”

And there in the silence, in the awkwardness of her not knowing what to say, an idea came to Elise. The perfect idea. Of course! Why hadn’t she thought of it before? The . . . the little blob inside her wasn’t really a baby, after all. It was a thing. A bit of tissue with a little fluttering in the middle.