empty waiting room. After a few short minutes a pregnant girl walks in, with what looks like her parents, and sits in the corner. The girl can’t be more than sixteen years old. Another pregnant woman walks in with her husband. I only know they’re married because the rock on her finger is big and shiny enough to blind someone. She’s the fittest pregnant woman I’ve ever seen…she looks like she just has a basketball sitting under her shirt. Hilton taps on my arm and points to a nurse holding a door open.
“Hilton?” The nurse nods at Hilton and smiles. “How are we doing today?” she asks.
“Fine,” Hilton mumbles. The nurse looks over at me.
“Fine, thank you.” I follow Hilton and the nurse over to a scale.
The nurse tells Hilton to step up on the scale and jots her weight down on a piece of paper inside of a manila file folder. She leads us down a hallway and into a room on the left. Hilton sits up on the exam table. To her left is a sonogram machine. The nurse asks her a few more questions about the paperwork she filled out.
“Dr. Harris will be in to see you shortly.” The nurse exits the room. I look over at Hilton, unsure of what to say. She just sits there and stares off into space. After about twenty minutes the doctor finally shows up and squirts some blue jelly on Hilton’s lower abdomen and moves this thing over her stomach.
“Are you ready to hear the heartbeat?” The doctor gives a warm smile. Hilton looks at me and gives me a thumbs up then looks back at Dr. Harris. “How about your sister?” The doctor looks at me. I give a thumbs up back to Hilton.
“We’re ready,” she says.
The most beautiful sound echoes through the room. It sounds like a galloping horse. It’s the baby’s heartbeat. I gasp and put my hand to my mouth. Tears start streaming down my face. Hilton sobs and laughs at the same time. The doctor rubs Hilton’s hand and congratulates her.
“You’re just a little over seven weeks, Hilton,” The doctor confirms. “I’ll see you again in a month. After you gather your things you can head to the front desk and set up another appointment. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to call.” He walks out of the room.
“I’m keeping it. I already love it and I don’t know how that’s possible.”
I can’t help but hug her and cry with her. I never really knew Hilton before today. As a matter of fact, I still don’t really know her. But after that appointment I already feel so attached to her, as if she’s my sister—the sister I’ve always wanted and needed, but never had. It’s amazing how in a moment, just one moment, someone can go from being a complete stranger to being someone you care for so deeply.
***
After brunch we head to the office. Once we get there I have Hilton start on some filing while I go through voicemails and check emails. Wednesdays are probably worse than Mondays. You’re so close to the weekend, yet still so damn far.
“I’m going to run and get a cup of coffee. Do you want anything?” I ask Hilton. She drops a file on the floor and the papers inside fall out.
“Damn it!”
“Do you need a napkin for those butter fingers?” I laugh. Hilton looks up at me and scowls as she picks up the papers.
“I know we just ate, but for some reason a Butterfinger sounds really good now. Thanks.”
“You got it, li’l Momma!”
I almost pass by Shelly’s door, but I notice she’s sitting at her desk. I haven’t had a conversation with her in person for what seems like weeks, even though it’s only been a few days. I knock a couple times and walk in.
“Addi! How are you? I’m so glad to see you. I need you to do me a huge favor!” Of course. It’s always something. I can never just talk to her without having to do a million favors. I get that she did me a huge favor and let me live with her for a month, but to be fair I was never really ever there.
“Of course! What do you have for me?” Shelly
“Hilton?” The nurse nods at Hilton and smiles. “How are we doing today?” she asks.
“Fine,” Hilton mumbles. The nurse looks over at me.
“Fine, thank you.” I follow Hilton and the nurse over to a scale.
The nurse tells Hilton to step up on the scale and jots her weight down on a piece of paper inside of a manila file folder. She leads us down a hallway and into a room on the left. Hilton sits up on the exam table. To her left is a sonogram machine. The nurse asks her a few more questions about the paperwork she filled out.
“Dr. Harris will be in to see you shortly.” The nurse exits the room. I look over at Hilton, unsure of what to say. She just sits there and stares off into space. After about twenty minutes the doctor finally shows up and squirts some blue jelly on Hilton’s lower abdomen and moves this thing over her stomach.
“Are you ready to hear the heartbeat?” The doctor gives a warm smile. Hilton looks at me and gives me a thumbs up then looks back at Dr. Harris. “How about your sister?” The doctor looks at me. I give a thumbs up back to Hilton.
“We’re ready,” she says.
The most beautiful sound echoes through the room. It sounds like a galloping horse. It’s the baby’s heartbeat. I gasp and put my hand to my mouth. Tears start streaming down my face. Hilton sobs and laughs at the same time. The doctor rubs Hilton’s hand and congratulates her.
“You’re just a little over seven weeks, Hilton,” The doctor confirms. “I’ll see you again in a month. After you gather your things you can head to the front desk and set up another appointment. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to call.” He walks out of the room.
“I’m keeping it. I already love it and I don’t know how that’s possible.”
I can’t help but hug her and cry with her. I never really knew Hilton before today. As a matter of fact, I still don’t really know her. But after that appointment I already feel so attached to her, as if she’s my sister—the sister I’ve always wanted and needed, but never had. It’s amazing how in a moment, just one moment, someone can go from being a complete stranger to being someone you care for so deeply.
***
After brunch we head to the office. Once we get there I have Hilton start on some filing while I go through voicemails and check emails. Wednesdays are probably worse than Mondays. You’re so close to the weekend, yet still so damn far.
“I’m going to run and get a cup of coffee. Do you want anything?” I ask Hilton. She drops a file on the floor and the papers inside fall out.
“Damn it!”
“Do you need a napkin for those butter fingers?” I laugh. Hilton looks up at me and scowls as she picks up the papers.
“I know we just ate, but for some reason a Butterfinger sounds really good now. Thanks.”
“You got it, li’l Momma!”
I almost pass by Shelly’s door, but I notice she’s sitting at her desk. I haven’t had a conversation with her in person for what seems like weeks, even though it’s only been a few days. I knock a couple times and walk in.
“Addi! How are you? I’m so glad to see you. I need you to do me a huge favor!” Of course. It’s always something. I can never just talk to her without having to do a million favors. I get that she did me a huge favor and let me live with her for a month, but to be fair I was never really ever there.
“Of course! What do you have for me?” Shelly
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