The morning of the ultrasound arrived with a weight that pressed gently but unmistakably on Michael’s chest. He had performed countless ultrasounds in his career—hundreds, maybe thousands—yet today his palms were sweating.
Because today, he wasn’t the doctor.
He was the father.
And beside him sat the woman who was carrying the two little miracles he still couldn’t believe belonged to them.
Marnie was dressed in soft beige leggings and an oversized white sweater that made her look smaller, gentler, and somehow even more precious than usual. Her hair was tied in a loose braid, strands framing her face softly.
She was beautiful—glowing in a way that wasn’t dramatic or exaggerated, but unmistakably real.
But she was also anxious.
One hand clutched his sleeve. The other held her phone wi
