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.”

both and after a long moment without saying anything, mumbled something in Italian and left the office.

she muttered

the doctor defended him.

but he was certainly a good man. To be willing to pay for a medical consultation and stay to make

giving her his help. More so to

told

make no one love you. You must

because they will

every day we have the same mood or the same willingness to put up with slights from

was no other man

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

he said, clearing his throat, “is the father

understand what the point

opening a record on the baby and its development; I should know

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

be honest. To me, you’re just finishing the first trimester and that’s why you got that little

call it a little spasm,” it pissed her off that he minimized her pain, as she, and only she knew how much it had hurt.

about babies and pregnant women. I’ve delivered over

and wombs,”

corrected

“I’m sorry.”

with you,” the doctor said smiling and shaking his head

she didn’t know how the doctor had come to that conclusion, no one in their right mind seeing the two of them, would think that someone like her would be with such a rich

It’s none of my business. Let’s get back to what concerns me.”

her eyes wide and accentuating

her with his curious eyes, as if he could see into her soul and

The father? Any illness?”

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

was how long it had been since he had arrived at

She liked the Italian!

the father,”

any illnesses I should know about? Do you

“Aside from my bipolar...”

her without laughing and

write that,” she begged him, laughing.

“I see.”

I’m a little nervous,” she excused herself. “I talk a lot when I’m nervous. Well normally I talk a lot, but when I’m

It’s normal to be nervous. You’re going to do fine. Do you plan to keep the baby?”

course!” she

to ask to someone who is as young as

Five

and got pregnant immediately to consummate their marriage and have

the intention of leaving. “I’m not giving up my son, I’m not giving him away, I’m having him and I’m

called out to her looking worriedly

thinking I’m going to ruin my life and future

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 to sit down and looked at her with his eyebrows knocked down, giving an expression of

so I’m not going to give it up. I

you

finished her checkup and left the office with the little

okay?” questioned Timothy as soon

an ultrasound and I’ll be right out. Thanks for all this Timothy, you don’t have to stay. You’ve lost your meeting

company isn’t going to fall apart because I missed a meeting,” he told her as he shoved