CHAPTER SIX – THE FIRST GLIMPSE

Amelia’s POV

I woke up feeling like I had barely slept, even though I had a full eight hours. My body was sore, and my eyes felt dry. I think my nerves were a complete mess because today was the day—my first ultrasound. My first real glimpse at the tiny human growing inside me.

“Twinkle,” I murmured as I sat up, placing my hand on my belly. “Are you ready for your big day?”

The thought of seeing my baby on the screen brought a soft smile to my lips. But that smile faded as my mind drifted to Jeremy. If he were here, would he have cared? Would he have come with me to the hospital, sat by my side, and held my hand?

I pulled on a comfortable sundress and grabbed my purse. “Mum!” I called from the hallway. “I’m heading out. Tell Claudia not to burn her breakfast again.”

“I heard that!” Claudia's voice rang out from the kitchen, followed by a giggle.

“Where are you going so early?” Mum peeked out from behind the kitchen door.

“Just... running an errand. I’ll be off to work when I’m done.”

Mum raised an eyebrow but didn’t press further. Thank God.

The clinic wasn’t far, and I arrived twenty minutes early, the nerves still bundled in my chest. The waiting room was quiet. A pregnant woman across from me was scrolling through her phone, with her husband leaning over her shoulder. They were laughing at something.

I looked away.

“Amelia?” a nurse called.

“Yes,” I stood quickly, following her through the door and into a clean, cool room that smelled like antiseptic and lavender.

“Lie back for me, dear,” the nurse said as she pulled on gloves. I nodded and settled on the examination table.

“Is this your first ultrasound?”

“Yeah,” my voice was a whisper.

“Okay, this might be a little cold.”

My lips parted slightly when the gel touched my stomach, followed by the gentle pressure of the probe. I held my breath, my gaze fixated on the monitor.

A small, bean-shaped blur appeared on the screen, with a tiny flicker in the middle.

“That’s the heartbeat,” the nurse smiled.

I blinked a little too hard, my lip caught between my teeth. A familiar emotion crawled up my throat. My baby.

“Everything looks good,” the nurse continued. “You’re measuring about ten weeks. Would you like a photo printout?”

I nodded quickly. The nurse cleaned me up and handed me a slim file with a printed ultrasound picture tucked inside. I tucked it under my arm, already halfway out the door when she called, “Miss Amelia, just a moment.”

What now? I turned, forcing a polite smile. “Yes?”

She smiled warmly and settled into a seat. “I just wanted to go over a few things with you before you leave: first-trimester symptoms, what to expect over the next few weeks, and your prenatal plan.”

Oh, right. I needed to know all of that.

I sat back down reluctantly as she began explaining what I thought I already knew: nausea, food aversions, and how my body would start to shift and stretch. She asked if I’d had any cravings yet, and I told her I had none.

My eyes kept darting to the clock. I needed to get back. If I recalled correctly, I had a dozen emails waiting, a meeting in two hours, and a pile of files I left half-sorted on my desk.

She prescribed prenatal vitamins and iron supplements, then handed me a tiny white bag with everything I’d need for now. I paid quickly, thanked her, and hurried out into the corridor.

Walking through the hospital's automatic doors, a voice called out. My head was spinning, and I was two seconds away from snapping at whoever it was.

“That was your first, wasn’t it?” I turned to see the woman from earlier smiling kindly, her hands folded over her belly.

I nodded. “Yeah, first.”

“I’m Laura,” she offered. “You looked a little nervous earlier.”

“Amelia,” I replied.

She glanced around and leaned in slightly, muttering, “Where’s your husband? He didn’t want to miss this, did he?”

Seriously? Since when did people butt into strangers’ affairs? I didn’t want to be rude, so I gave her the excuse that my divorced husband had a lot of work, trying to hold my tongue to avoid lashing out at her.

Her smile faltered for half a second before it stretched wider. “Work must be demanding to miss the first ultrasound,” she said with a small laugh.

I just nodded stiffly. “Excuse me,” I murmured, not trusting myself to hold it in any longer. My fingers curled tightly around the file as I walked away.

In the parking lot, I spotted a familiar figure. What was Jeremy doing here? Curiosity got the better of me, and I took a hesitant step forward... then stopped when a tall brunette in a beige coat came out from behind a car and threw her arms around him. He hugged her back.

“Of course,” I muttered under my breath. Clenching my fists, I turned and walked away. I wanted to put distance between me and my ex-husband, as if that would dull the ache starting to build inside me.

In Uber, I sent a photo of the ultrasound to Mum and Claudia, followed by...

**Meet Twinkle**

Claudia replied in seconds: **I’m crying omg.** 

Mum: **My grandbaby is so precious.**

I smiled. It wasn't everything I needed, but it was something. Right now, something was enough.