Jack Maple

“That one looked like it hurt!” Jack cuddled his wife close, and stroked her swollen belly gently. The paper examination gown crinkled under his hand. Ever since the child had begun to kick in earnest, they’d found that, for some reason, the baby was especially soothed by Jack’s touch. His voice seemed to help too, but he hadn’t brought a guitar or Katelynn’s favorite book to the doctor’s office. 

“I wouldn’t worry too much,” the doctor reassured Katelynn with a smile. “As I said, just keep an eye on it. Now, if you could just lift the gown up, we’ll get set for that new photo for the baby album.”

Once Katelynn was ready, the doctor smeared the clear, cold gel over her belly. She’d heard one of her patients tell her once that it felt like a slug crawling on you, but unfortunately it was the only way to make the ultrasound work clearly. 

                   It was cold to the touch - wincing slightly at the initial contact before letting out a long breath. It was both for the anticipation of what was to come and also to release some of the pent of anxiety she always accumulated when visiting the doctor. She knew other mixed babies were born without a problem - considering the amount of wedded blue people in the city now - but her own body was slight and she had read about frail women miscarrying or even dying on the table.

                 She wanted her baby to know her and Kateynn wished to know her baby and grow up with the family she and Jack had created.

                  thump-thump.                        Thump-thump!                              Thump-thump-THUMP!

                      —!!!

           But it was soon forgotten. A sound began to fill the small space of the room, echoing off the wall and into Katelynn’s ears. How her eyes shined with the wonder of such a sound.

               It was not the first time but it still made her heart race every time.

             Because it was the sound of her baby - the beautiful beating of their little heart reminding her that they were there, being nurtured, loved, growing inside of her. It was if it were communicating to her - Here I am, mommy!

The moment that tiny heartbeat rose from the monitor, Jack was utterly transfixed. This ... this was really happening. Yes, he’d seen the pregnancy tests Katelynn took, and seen the changes in her body over the past five months. But there was still a difference between that, and actually hearing his child’s heart beating. 

His child. Their child. The child he was going to be a father to. 

A father. He was going to be a father. 

Jack had to resist the urge to scoop Katelynn into his arms and spin her around in delight. Only the knowledge that it would spoil the ultrasound kept him from at least pulling her into a hug. As it was, he had to settle for squeezing her hand and cuddling closer to the bed. 

“It... i-it sounds strong! Th-th-that’s good, isn’t it?” 

“Very good,” the doctor replied with a smile. “And that’s not all. If we can juuuuust...” She shifted the want, and an image appeared on the screen. “There, we have a visual!” 

“She’s been very good about it, too,” Jack spoke up. He gave Katelynn’s hand a comforting squeeze. “Love, didn’t you also mention you were having some back pains too?” 

The doctor nodded. “That’s not uncommon at this point. Your body’s really having to adjust now as the baby grows and takes up more space. And that’s on top of the kicking,” she chuckled. “Which is a good sign, by the way. The little one might be a handful once they make their debut!” 

With the ultrasound machine set up, she fetched the familiar tube of gel. “I’d like you to keep an eye on that pain, though. Some discomfort is normal, but if it gets worse, or spreads, it could be a sign that something really is wrong.” 

             Wrong.

         Her heard quickened at the very thought, lips pressed together into a thin line of anxiety. Jack did not believe in fate. in their child’s future set in stone, but she began to realize that it was holding her together - to keep the worry at bay over whether her baby would go through a full term, to whether she would miscarry, have a premature birth; any and all scenarios that could possible go wrong.

            She shook her head, did not allow it to consume her and held on to the image of the young woman and how adorable she must have been as a child.

            “I’ll..wat-watch out..for it..” she confessed, eyes wide. Katelynn took deep, even breaths, fearing her baby would sense the emotion.

“I wouldn’t worry too much,” the doctor reassured Katelynn with a smile. “As I said, just keep an eye on it. Now, if you could just lift the gown up, we’ll get set for that new photo for the baby album.”

“It is indeed,” the doctor said with a beaming smile. She did notice Katelynn’s nervousness, and the hint of nervousness in the blue man beside her, but she had no way of knowing the true reason. Time travel and children’s visits from the future weren’t something that had appeared in the expectant mother’s medical history. As far as she knew, the couple were only nervous about how their hybrid child was likely to turn out. 

Personally, the doctor wasn’t worried. There had been at least two blue hybrids born in the city that she’d heard of, and word in the medical community was that both had been healthy and functional. Still, she would be keeping a close eye on Mrs. Maple’s pregnancy. 

The doctor continued to speak as she set up equipment. “So, how are you feeling today? Any new aches and pains, or anything else you’d like to talk about?” 

               “Oth-Other than kicking me all the time..I am getting some pain in my stomach but..it must be because of that?” she inquired, hand moving down to the area in question in hopes of smoothing some of the pain away. It had started there but spread a bit to her back as a result of her small frame.

               Though she neglected to tell this to the doctor as it simply slipped her mind.

The doctor nodded. “That’s not uncommon at this point. Your body’s really having to adjust now as the baby grows and takes up more space. And that’s on top of the kicking,” she chuckled. “Which is a good sign, by the way. The little one might be a handful once they make their debut!” 

Jack wrapped his arms around her, resting his cheek on the softness of her hair. “And I still don’t. I don’t like the thought that the future is fixed no matter what we do. So … I’ll be glad if this child turns out to be that young lady, but I’m not going to hope for that specifically.”

He kissed Katelynn’s forehead. “All I want is a happy, healthy child for us to raise and love. Anything else will just be a bonus.” 

The blue man looked up as there was a knock on the door, and the doctor came in. She was a petite woman, not much taller than Katelynn, with bobbed salt-and-pepper hair, and wire-rimmed glasses perched on her nose. When she moved, it was with the quick, perky movements of a small bird. 

“Good morning, Mrs. Maple! And Mr. Maple, glad to see you here again!” 

         “Yeah..” she mused softly, yet Katelynn could not help but wish with all of her heart that the young woman had truly been her daughter. Despite being a stranger at first, the browned haired stutterer had fallen in love with the firecracker - her energy, how much she reminded her of Jack in subtle ways.

        And when she had looked in Gail’s eyes, there had been such a longing there. It had tugged at her heart strings after the confession of her identity.

Personally, the doctor wasn’t worried. There had been at least two blue hybrids born in the city that she’d heard of, and word in the medical community was that both had been healthy and functional. Still, she would be keeping a close eye on Mrs. Maple’s pregnancy. 

Jack pulled up a chair next to the exam table, so he could cuddle close to her while they waited for the doctor. He’d mulled that very question over many times since meeting Gail, but he was no closer to having an answer. 

“I really don’t know. I mean … I’m not saying I want it to change. That young woman was so strong, and brave. She’s a child any parent would be proud of. But at the same time …”

He sighed. “Do you remember that talk we had, the first time I was in the hospital? When you asked me if I believed in fate and destiny?” 

           It felt like a distant dream to her now - experiencing so much from that instant ( enough to last two lifetimes ) - but still she gave a nod. “I remember you said..you d-didn’t believe in fate but..we didn’t t-talk about it much after that..” Not that she recalled anymore - tucking herself against the crook of his neck, hand now rubbing along the swell in her belly.

He kissed Katelynn’s forehead. “All I want is a happy, healthy child for us to raise and love. Anything else will just be a bonus.” 

The blue man looked up as there was a knock on the door, and the doctor came in. She was a petite woman, not much taller than Katelynn, with bobbed salt-and-pepper hair, and wire-rimmed glasses perched on her nose. When she moved, it was with the quick, perky movements of a small bird. 

This wasn’t the first time Jack had been in the doctor’s office with his wife. With all the mishaps the two of them seemed to attract, it was almost comfortably familiar. It wasn’t even the first time he’d come along during Katelynn’s pregnancy; he’d been with her when the doctor did a physical exam, and when she’d listened for a fetal heartbeat. 

But today was going to be something special. Today the doctor would be doing an ultrasound, and they would find out their baby’s gender. 

The blue man stepped into the room, carrying the water Katelynn had asked for. “How are you doing, love?” he asked with a warm smile. “Nervous?” 

        Her heart skipped a beat when his form appeared in the room ( three years knowing each other and he still had that affect on her ), perking up and taking the offered water with a thank you - taking a sip before she even attempted to speak.

        “—N-Nervous? Well um…” Her finger rubbed along the edge of the cup, “a bit. But..also excit-excited.” Her shoulders hunched together, pondering how to properly explain it. “I mean..we al-already know…don’t we? She came to us..but..” Her brows furrowed, top row of teeth scrapping along the bottom lip for a moment. “..could th-that..change..?”

“I really don’t know. I mean ... I’m not saying I want it to change. That young woman was so strong, and brave. She’s a child any parent would be proud of. But at the same time ...”

wrapped-in-shadows​

        The room smelled of fragrant alcohol, the fluorescent lighting a glare that disturbed the butterflies in Katelynn’s stomach.

       Not that the hospital gown they had dressed her in helped - her hands clutching at the back of it to keep it closed.

       She had been in there many times before, always for routine check ups to ensure that the baby was healthy and moving along - as well as to properly monitor the mother, to watch her diet and make sure she was a proper oven for the baby.

         For her part, because she had wished for her baby to be as healthy as possible, had allowed her cravings to get the better of her, feeding on various foods and stuffing herself silly. It had been the most she had eaten in her entire life. Through it all she had still carried the worry - was it enough nutrition? Should she opt out of fruit and have more vegetables?

        Would she have the proper reassurance that her baby would become like the visitor and be as strong and healthy?

But today was going to be something special. Today the doctor would be doing an ultrasound, and they would find out their baby’s gender.