The Italian's proposal

The consultation passed without her noticing.

She had only gone to the first appointment at her parents’ house without them noticing her visit to the doctor.

She had started taking the prenatal pills as she read about the symptoms and stages of pregnancy on the internet.

When she confessed this to Dr. Troy, his eyes widened wildly, and he wanted to jump off the nearest bridge.

“Poor baby!” he exclaimed.

That alone made Melody feel like the vilest of mothers.

“I don’t have health insurance. I didn’t know what else to do,” she defended herself. She felt it was the only thing left for her to do.

Timothy was sitting in a chair next to her. He gave the impression of being uncomfortable, but he hadn’t wanted to leave when she proposed.

“I’ll stay and check in with the doctor,” he had told her.

She trusted the angels that he would not judge her, as the OB/GYN was doing.

“I’m not saying you’re a bad person.”

“You’ve made that quite clear,” she attacked him.

“Not intended Ma’am...Miss,” the man scratched his head and continued, “Melody.”

“No. I’m not married either. Is that bad too? I thought we were in the twenty-first century, where women can be single mothers. How old are you? Thirty? You have an uncanny knack for bringing out my temper.”

“That’s a lot,” she heard Timothy mutter.

She let out a snort and raised her eyes to the ceiling.

“Let’s get on with it,” the doctor said after a few seconds of awkward silence.

She answered every question the doctor asked, about dates of last period and when she had last had sex. This question made her cough and Melody could see Timothy smile.

“What?” she asked him, crossing her arms. “Do you want to be beaten by a pregnant woman?”

“I didn’t say anything,” Timothy defended himself by mimicking her arms-crossed gesture.

“You seem to be amused by when was the last time, I had sex, do you also want to know where I did it and what positions I did it too?”

Melody’s eyes were twinkling and her nose, though small, was flaring with the air coming out. She was angry and it showed right away.

“Let’s focus,” the doctor said interrupting Melody and Timothy’s staring exchange.

“What else do you want to know?” she needed to get that over with to get the hell out of there and avoid further embarrassment, at least for the day.

She had this incredible knack for falling over, dropping things on herself, hot, cold, temperature-wise. She was a real spectacle of a clumsy person.

Since she was a little girl, she had always had clumsy feet and hands. Everything slipped, especially when she was distracted.

“Do you know if the father has any degenerative family diseases or special conditions?”

Melody felt Timothy’s eyes on her again, and she felt judged again.

“Timothy,” she heard the doctor address him for the first time since they greeted each other as they entered the office. “Would you be so kind as to leave us for a moment? I think there are things that it’s better for Melody to feel more relaxed.”

and after a long moment without saying

she muttered

man,” the doctor defended

was a good man. Irritating and flirtatious, bringing out her temper and overwhelming her ideas, but he was certainly a good man. To be willing to pay for a medical consultation and

her his help. More so to her who he knew

mother always told

will make no one love you. You must think

if I say anything, because they will know I don’t mean it in a bad

the same willingness to put up with

vastly different man from Timothy, although there was no other

been past thirty, had whitish receding hairline of what was obviously gray hair on both sides of his head, a piercing, curious look, blue eyes, and a slightly broad nose. His chin had a little stripe down the middle, the kind that is striking to female eyes, but at that moment, to Melody, he

he said, clearing his throat, “is the father involved with the pregnancy?”

and I don’t understand what

on the baby and its development; I should know everything about him.”

Timothy told you, I’m just coming in for a quick checkup, so you can tell me everything is okay, because I

ordering you a pelvic sonogram to rule out any abnormalities. You look fine to me, to be

excuse me, but don’t call it a little spasm,” it pissed her off that he minimized her pain, as she, and only she knew how much it

I also know quite a bit about babies and pregnant women. I’ve delivered over twenty children in less than three years. I have quite a bit

wombs,” she said.

corrected her,

“I’m sorry.”

you,” the doctor said smiling and

with me,” she didn’t know how the doctor had come to that conclusion, no one in their right mind seeing the

Let’s get back to

him in. Opening her eyes wide and accentuating

for the doctor was looking at her with his curious eyes, as if he could see into her soul and

father? Any

with the feeling that was beginning to take over her mind and heart. The doctor had played with

hours! no more. That was how long it had been since

She liked the Italian!

about the father,” she

any illnesses I should know about? Do you suffer from anything?

“Aside from my bipolar...”

without laughing and

she begged him, laughing.

“I see.”

a lot when I’m nervous. Well

mom. It’s normal to be nervous. You’re

course!” she exclaimed

someone who is as young as you are and single.”

is not being young. Five hundred years ago

pregnant immediately to consummate their marriage and have an early progeny.”

only know about animals and books. Of history I don’t know,” she got up with the intention of leaving. “I’m not giving up my son, I’m not giving him away, I’m having him and I’m sick of people constantly asking me this,

to her

thinking I’m going to ruin my

going to ruin it. You’re strong and independent if you’re going to do it alone. You’ve already got an admirer,” he gestured for her

terrified, but even so I’m not going to give it up. I won’t give my

get you weighed and

checkup and left the office with the little white paper prescription signed and stamped by

questioned Timothy as soon

right out. Thanks for all this Timothy, you don’t have to stay. You’ve lost your meeting because

meeting,” he told her as he shoved his hands in his