The late August sun beats down relentlessly as we drive along the winding roads that cut through the Georgia countryside. The fields on either side of us blur into a sea of green and gold, and the distant hum of cicadas filters in through the cracked windows of the truck. The AC is busted, of course, so we’ve got the windows rolled down, hoping for a breeze that never seems to come.
I glance over at Sloane in the passenger seat. She’s fanning herself with an old church bulletin she found tucked into the glove compartment. Her belly is more pronounced now, stretching the fabric of her floral dress in a way that makes it realer than ever. Five months along, and we’re about to find out the genders of our twins. I still can’t wrap my head around the fact that we’re having two babies, let alone that we’ll know whether we’re having boys, girls, or one of each by the end of today.
“How much longer?” she asks, her voice light but tinged with impatience.
“‘Bout twenty more minutes, I think,” I reply, squinting at the road ahead. “You doing okay?”
“Yeah, just hot,” she says, rolling her eyes playfully. “But what else is new?”
I smile, glancing at her for a second before turning back to the road. “Should’ve thought to bring a fan.”
“A fan and a cold lemonade,” she sighs wistfully, leaning her head back against the seat. Then, after a moment, she looks at me with a curious expression. “Zig?”
“Yeah?” I say, flicking the turn signal as we head onto a quieter stretch of road.
“Do you… have a preference? For the babies, I mean.” She places her hands gently over her stomach, her fingers tracing small circles on the fabric. “Like, would you rather have boys or girls?”
The question catches me off guard, and I keep my eyes fixed on the road for a moment, thinking it over. I’ve been so focused on the fact that we’re having twins that I haven’t even let myself imagine what they’ll be like. I’ve barely let myself imagine what it’ll be like to be their dad.
“I don’t know,” I admit after a beat. “I’ve never really thought about it that much.”
Sloane raises an eyebrow, a little smile playing on her lips. “Come on, Zig. You must’ve thought about it at least once. What do you see when you picture yourself with them?”
I let out a breath, feeling the knot of nerves that’s been sitting in my chest tighten a little. “Honestly? I’m not even sure what I’m picturing. Sometimes it’s like… a blur. But other times, I think about holding them, you know? Just being there. Doesn’t really matter if they’re boys or girls. I just want to be good to them.”
Sloane’s smile softens, and she turns to face me more fully. “You will be. You’re going to be a great dad.”
I glance at her again, a bit of doubt still creeping in around the edges. “What makes you so sure?”
“Because I see the way you are with your sisters, with your family,” she says, her voice gentle. “You’re patient, and you care. That’s what matters most.”
Her words settle something inside me, but I still can’t help the knot in my stomach as we drive on. After a few moments, she speaks again.
“But if you had to pick,” she teases, “which would you choose? One boy, one girl? Two boys? Two girls?”
I chuckle at the question, finally loosening up a bit. “If I had to pick? I don’t know. Maybe one of each would be nice. That way, we’d get to experience a little bit of everything.”
“One of each, huh?” she says, rubbing her belly thoughtfully. “I could see that. I think a little boy and a little girl would be fun.”
“What about you?” I ask, curious to hear her thoughts. “Do you have a preference?”
She bites her lip, looking out the window for a second before answering. “I’ve thought about it a lot, actually. I’d love to have a girl. But if we end up with two boys, that’d be great, too. I just… I don’t know. I feel like I could be a good mom to a girl.”
“You’d be a good mom to anyone,” I say, meaning it. “You’ve already got this whole thing down better than I do.”
Sloane laughs, but it’s a soft, sweet sound, not mocking. “We’re both figuring it out, Zig. And we’ve got time.”
The hospital comes into view on the horizon, and my heart starts racing a little faster. We’re about to find out. The road narrows as we pull into the parking lot, the heat from the asphalt making everything shimmer like a mirage. I park the truck, turn off the ignition, and take a deep breath.
“You ready?” I ask, my hand lingering on the keys for a second longer.
“Yeah,” she says, smiling but with a nervous edge. “I’m ready.”
We walk into the hospital, the cool air inside hitting us like a refreshing wave. As we make our way to the maternity ward, I can feel the tension building in me. I’ve been nervous about this for weeks, and now that it’s here, it’s like the world is moving in slow motion.
Sloane checks in at the front desk, and after a few minutes, a nurse calls us back. We follow her down a hallway and into a room with a big ultrasound machine set up by the bed. Sloane lies down, lifting her dress slightly to expose her belly as the nurse gets everything ready.
I stand by her side, trying not to fidget as the nurse spreads the cool gel over her stomach. “This part always feels weird,” Sloane whispers, smiling at me nervously.
“Does it?” I ask.
She nods. “Like someone’s painting on me with jelly.”
I laugh a little, but it’s cut short when the screen flickers to life, and the nurse starts moving the wand over Sloane’s belly. There, on the screen, are two little figures—moving, shifting, almost unreal.
“Okay, let’s see what we’ve got here,” the nurse says, adjusting the angle a bit. “Looks like both babies are doing just fine. And... would you like to know the genders?”
I glance down at Sloane, my heart pounding in my chest. She’s looking at the screen, her eyes wide and her hand clutching mine.
“Yes,” she says softly. “We want to know.”
The nurse smiles. “Alright, baby A is… a boy.”
A boy. My heart stutters in my chest. I can barely process it before the nurse moves the wand again.
“And baby number B,” she continues, “is a girl.”
I blink, my breath catching. One boy. One girl. Just like we’d hoped.
Sloane turns to me, her eyes bright with tears and a smile so big it lights up her whole face. “One of each,” she whispers.
“One of each,” I repeat, my voice thick with emotion. It feels real now—more real than it ever has.
We’re going to have a son and a daughter.
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