Willow 🩰👛

he’d tried acting normal about it, but she knew better. every night before bed he’d ask if she was feeling okay, if she’d noticed anything different, if the baby had moved that day. he was constantly reading articles on his phone, constantly worrying over things the doctor had already told him not to worry about. by the time the appointment finally arrived, he looked more nervous than she did

the drive over was unusually quiet. dean kept one hand on the steering wheel and the other wrapped around hers, rubbing his thumb over her knuckles every few seconds without even realizing he was doing it. she watched him glance at her from the corner of his eye every couple of minutes before looking back at the road.

“you’re doing it again.”

he looked over. “doing what?”

“checking to make sure i’m still here.”

a sheepish smile spread across his face.

“can’t help it.”

she squeezed his hand.

“we’re okay.”

he nodded, though it was obvious he wasn’t convinced.

“i know.”

“you don’t sound like you know.”

he laughed quietly.

“i’m trying.”

the ultrasound room was darker than either of them expected. she climbed onto the table while dean pulled his chair as close as he could, immediately reaching for her hand the second she got settled. the technician smiled as she wheeled over the machine.

“first baby?”

they both nodded.

“i thought so.”

the cold gel made her flinch, and dean immediately looked over.

“you okay?”

she laughed softly.

“it’s freezing.”

a few seconds later, the screen flickered to life.

dean had seen ultrasound pictures before. he’d seen them online, on social media, in movies. none of them compared to seeing his own baby moving on the screen in front of him.

he completely forgot how to breathe.

the technician pointed out tiny hands, tiny feet, the baby’s heartbeat, spine, brain, explaining every little thing as she took measurements. she smiled more with every passing minute.

“everything looks perfect,” she said. “the baby is measuring exactly where he should be.”

dean let out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding.

“that’s good?”

she smiled at him.

“that’s very good.”

he nodded quickly.

“okay.”

the technician looked between them.

“have you two decided if you want to know the gender today?”

she looked at dean.

they’d gone back and forth about it for weeks. one day they wanted to wait until birth. the next day they wanted to know immediately. somehow, now that they were actually here, the answer felt obvious.

“yeah,” she said.

dean nodded right after her.

“please.”

the technician smiled as she moved the wand again.

“well…”

she pointed toward the screen.

“congratulations.”

she looked back at both of them with a grin.

“you’re having a little boy.”

everything else around dean disappeared.

the room.

the machine.

the technician.

all of it faded into the background as he stared at the tiny baby on the screen.

his son.

he felt his throat tighten so quickly it almost hurt.

she turned to look at him, expecting to see that cocky smile he always wore whenever he was excited.

instead, his eyes were full of tears.

“dean?”

he blinked once

a tear rolled down his cheek.

then another.

he let out the smallest laugh, embarrassed by himself, and quickly wiped at his face.

“i’m sorry.”

the technician handed him a tissue with a knowing smile.

“don’t apologize.”

he shook his head, laughing again through the tears.

“i don’t even know why i’m crying.”

she smiled and reached up to wipe away another tear before he could.

“yes, you do.”

he looked back at the monitor.

their son stretched one tiny arm before settling again.

“that’s mh little boy.”

his voice cracked halfway through the sentence.

she felt her own eyes sting

dean covered part of his face with one hand, laughing quietly at himself.

“holy shit.”

she nudged his arm.

“language.”

he smiled without taking his eyes off the screen.

“sorry.”

he couldn’t stop looking.

every tiny movement made his chest ache.

he pictured a little blond boy learning to skate for the first time. sitting on the couch watching hockey games together. carrying him on his shoulders after practices. hearing someone call him dad.

he hadn’t realized how badly he’d wanted this until that moment.

the technician printed out several ultrasound pictures before cleaning everything up. dean accepted them like they were made of glass, holding them carefully in both hands while they walked back toward the parking lot.

she glanced over and smiled.

“you’re crying again.”

“am not.”

“dean.”

he looked down at the pictures.

“okay.”

she laughed.

“you really are.”

he shrugged.

“i can’t help it.”

they climbed into the truck, but dean didn’t start it right away. instead, he sat there looking at the ultrasound pictures spread across the steering wheel, smiling to himself like he couldn’t quite believe they were real.

“our son’s in there.”

she rested a hand against her stomach.

“he is.”

dean reached over, placing his hand gently over hers.

for a long moment neither of them spoke.

then he leaned across the center console and kissed her forehead, lingering there for a second before resting his own against it.

“thank you.”

she frowned.

“for what?”

his smile softened.

“for making me a dad.”

she felt tears gather in her own eyes.

“he’s yours too.”

“i know.”

he looked down at her stomach one more time before starting the truck.

“i still can’t believe we’re having a little boy.”

she smiled all the way home.

neither could she.