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.”

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

man,” she muttered inadvertently aloud.

the doctor defended him.

good man. To be willing to pay for a medical

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

mother always told her

one love you. You must think everything through before

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

to put up with slights from the

Troy was a vastly different man from Timothy, although there was no

look, blue eyes, and a slightly broad nose. His chin had

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

understand what the

the baby and its development; I

not opening a record 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 ago

You look fine to me, to be honest. To me, you’re just

spasm,” it pissed her off

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

and wombs,” she said.

corrected

“I’m sorry.”

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

seeing the two of them, would

business. Let’s get back

him in. Opening her eyes wide and accentuating

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

father? Any illness?”

mind and heart. The doctor had played with her thoughts and now she couldn’t get something

how long it had been since he had

She liked the Italian!

about the father,” she said

should know about? Do you suffer from

“Aside from my bipolar...”

without laughing and began

that,” she begged him, laughing.

“I see.”

“I talk a lot when

worry. It’s normal. You’re a new mom. It’s normal to be nervous. You’re going to

she

someone

is not being young. Five hundred years ago women

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

animals and books. Of history I don’t know,” she got up with the intention of leaving. “I’m not giving up my

to her looking worriedly at

really sick of people thinking I’m going to ruin my life

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

give it up. I won’t give my

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

office with the little white paper prescription signed and

okay?” questioned Timothy as soon

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

fall apart because I missed a meeting,” he told her as he shoved his hands in his pockets. “Let’s go to