Chapter 25: Chapter 25

ODETTE

As my pregnancy progressed, things took a turn for the worse. The judge denied the restraining order, stating that a single incident didn’t prove a reasonable fear for my life. He dismissed it as a case of jealous lovers. I couldn’t help but scoff at his statement.

However, he did grant Reece permission to accompany me during the visits. This was a relief, especially since we were due to find out the baby’s gender during the next visit. I wanted Reece to be a part of that.

That evening, I was spending time with Sterling. He had finally let Julie keep the apartment and found a new place for himself. He offered to cook me dinner there so we could catch up.

“You’re early,” Sterling greeted me at the door.

“Well, I figured I’d get some extra time with you,” I replied.

“You look great. Pregnancy suits you,” he said.

“I wish I felt that way,” I mumbled.

Sterling led me into his apartment. It was smaller than I had anticipated, but it suited him. He was never one for extravagance, and the home he had been renting was more Julie’s style.

“Thanks for coming over,” he said.

“I’m happy to spend time with you. I feel like we’ve grown apart,” I confessed.

“Nah, you’re just more independent now. You’re not the fourteen-year-old girl who needed me all the time anymore,” he replied.

I used to be very close to Sterling. I gave him a hero complex, and once he started dating Julie, I stopped coming around as often. I didn’t keep in touch as I used to.

I could blame it on Julie, but it was a combination of things—Julie, Tyler, life in general. But that’s in the past. I’m hoping this is the start of getting back to where we were. After all, he was going to be an uncle.

“How are things with Reece?” he asked.

“Good—he's great. I love him, Sterling,” I replied.

“I’m happy for you. You deserve to be happy and taken care of,” he said.

“So do you,” I replied.

“I’m done with dating for now. I need some time to be single. I need to focus on my practice and take care of myself,” he said.

“As long as you’re happy,” I replied.

“Has Tyler stayed out of your way?” Sterling asked.

I sighed and filled Sterling in on what had been happening. I also told him how helpful Reece’s firm had been with all of this. It was all stressful, but I was hoping that in the end, Tyler wouldn’t be a part of my life anymore, and the only father this baby would know was Reece.

***

The pregnancy seemed to be flying by, and before I knew it, it was time to find out the gender of the baby. Reece and I took the day off from work, wanting to spend the day together before and after the appointment.

I loved how excited Reece was about finding out the gender. I loved that he wanted to be a part of this. He really was everything I could ask for.

The only downside to this appointment was dealing with Tyler, but at least I wouldn’t be alone with him.

As we pulled up to the clinic, I was a little confused because Tyler wasn’t outside.

“Do you think he’s waiting inside?” I asked Reece.

“We can check while we check in.”

We looked around but didn’t see Tyler inside. I handed my phone to Reece to text Tyler while I checked in. As much as I didn’t want him here, I didn’t want to get in trouble for violating court orders by not reminding him.

“I texted him. There isn’t much more that we can do. If he doesn’t show up, we’ll text him about the appointment,” Reece said.

I nodded to Reece, and we waited to be called.

When the nurse called me back, I was slightly happy but also worried. I was happy that I got to share this moment with Reece alone but concerned that Tyler was up to something.

The doctor performed an exam, asked how I was feeling and if I had any concerns. I was still worried about the effects of the alcohol before I found out that I was pregnant. She reassured us that everything looked healthy and normal.

“Are you ready to find out the gender?” the doctor asked.

We both said yes quickly.

“All right, let’s see if the baby will cooperate.”

The doctor moved the wand around my stomach for a few minutes and took some photos.

“Here is the beautiful little face, the hand…”

The baby was beautiful. My heart swelled with emotions, and when I looked up at Reece, he was captivated by the movement on the ultrasound machine.

“Congratulations, you’re having a girl,” the doctor said in a cheery voice.

“Did you hear that, Etta? We’re having a girl,” Reece said, looking beyond happy. Seeing him this way caused me to start crying.

“I love you,” I mumbled through my tears.

“I love you too.” He kissed me and turned his attention back to the screen.

“I’ll have some of these printed off while you get cleaned up,” the doctor said.

“Thank you for letting me be a part of this,” Reece said.

“I want you to be a part of this, Reece. You are going to be her father.”

He grinned at me and helped me off the table. Then, he assisted me in getting cleaned up. We were handed the pictures as we were setting up our next appointment.

“Now we can start thinking about a name.” I rubbed my stomach, thinking about how in a few short months, this little girl would be here.

“I have a suggestion, and you can say no if you want to, but I thought her name should be Caroline Rose.”

The name took me by surprise.

“So, after our mothers?” I asked.

“Yes. I thought it would be a good way to honor them, and it’s an older name to fit into the Hart naming tradition.”

“I love it. I love you, and I love Caroline Rose.”