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.”

in question looked at them both and after a long moment without saying anything, mumbled

she muttered inadvertently

man,” the doctor

but he was certainly a good

no business giving her his help. More so to her who he knew was not someone easy

always told her

will make no one love you. You must think everything through before you say it

even if I say anything, because they

willingness to put up with slights from the people we love,”

different man from Timothy, although there was

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,

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

understand what

and its development; I should know everything

because I’m not coming back,” she told him in confusion. “Just like 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

to rule out any abnormalities. You look fine to me, to be honest. To me, you’re just

spasm,” it pissed her off that he minimized her pain, as she, and only she knew how much it had

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

and wombs,”

he corrected

“I’m sorry.”

see why Timothy is with you,” the doctor said smiling and shaking his head back and forth slowly as he

conclusion, no one in their right mind seeing the two of them, would

Let’s get back to what concerns me.”

Opening her eyes wide and accentuating each word. “Timothy

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

father? Any

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

long it had been

She liked the Italian!

the father,”

any illnesses I should know

“Aside from my bipolar...”

doctor looked at her without laughing and

don’t write that,” she begged him, laughing. “It’s a

“I see.”

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

a new mom. It’s normal to

course!” she exclaimed in

That’s a question I have to ask to someone who is as young as you are and single.”

young. Twenty-two is not being young. Five

agreement between families at thirteen and got pregnant immediately to consummate

leaving. “I’m not giving up my son, I’m not giving him

Troy called out to her looking worriedly at her.

to ruin my life and future by having a child.”

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

not going to give it up. I won’t give my baby

let’s get you weighed and go get an

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

okay?” questioned Timothy as soon

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

because I missed a meeting,” he told her as he