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 anything, mumbled something

an intense man,” she muttered

the

was certainly a good man. To be willing

giving her his help. More so to her who he knew was not someone easy to get along with or to be liked.

always told her

one love you. You must

anything, because they will know I don’t mean it in a bad way.”

willingness to put up with slights from the people we love,” her mother had once told

was a vastly different man from Timothy, although there was no other man like him, even if I had him

eyes, and a slightly broad nose. His chin had a little stripe down the middle, the kind that is striking to female eyes, but

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

don’t understand what the point

its development; I should know everything about

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 ago while I

me, to be honest.

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

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

wombs,” she said.

he corrected

“I’m sorry.”

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

mind seeing the two of them, would think that someone like her would be with

my business. Let’s get back

Opening her eyes wide and accentuating each word. “Timothy and I are not together. No...

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

father? Any illness?”

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

was how long it had been since he had arrived at Doyle’s coffee shop.

She liked the Italian!

don’t know anything about the father,” she said feeling

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

“Aside from my bipolar...”

without laughing and began

don’t write that,” she begged him,

“I see.”

“I talk a lot when I’m nervous. Well

“Don’t worry. It’s normal. You’re a new mom. It’s normal to be nervous. You’re going to do fine. Do you

she

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

young. Twenty-two is not being young. Five

were married by agreement between families at thirteen and got pregnant immediately to consummate their marriage and have an

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

to her looking worriedly at her.

ruin my life and

got an admirer,”

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

he agreed. “Now let’s get you weighed and go

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

Timothy as soon as he

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

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