Chapter 155 – Ethan POV
Double the Heartbeats
My hands were still shaking by the time we pulled into the hospital parking lot. Even after hearing the news just yesterday, I still hadn't fully processed it.
Amara. Pregnant.
My wife—my love—was carrying our child.
I glanced over at her as we sat in the waiting room of the OB-GYN's office. She looked calm, but I knew her well enough to see the tight way she held her hands, the way her thumb rubbed gently over her knuckles. Nervous.
She hadn't said much in the car. I think the weight of it all was finally starting to settle on her shoulders. Not in a bad way—but in a life-altering way.
And I understood. I felt the same.
She looked up at me now and managed a small smile. "You're fidgeting."
"You're one to talk," I murmured, sliding my hand over hers.
She exhaled softly, leaning into my side as I kissed her temple.
A nurse called her name, and we both stood. I went with her, never letting go of her hand.
The room was softly lit, far less clinical than I expected. There was a cushioned recliner, a monitor beside the bed, and warm artwork on the walls. The doctor—a kind-eyed woman named Dr. Lyra Holden—greeted us with a warm smile.
"Congratulations again," she said, as Amara lay back on the bed. "We'll do an ultrasound today to confirm viability and check on how far along you are. Is this your first?"
We both nodded.
"Alright," she said gently. "Let's take a look."
She turned on the monitor and applied the cool gel to Amara's lower belly. I watched as my wife flinched slightly but didn't complain. The wand moved, and I stared at the screen, trying to make sense of the grainy black-and-white image.
And then, there it was.
A flicker.
Then another.
Two.
Two tiny, beating hearts.
My breath caught.
Dr. Holden smiled at our frozen faces. "Looks like you're having twins."
Silence.
Amara sat up a little too fast, wide-eyed. "I—what?"
"Twins," she repeated gently. "Fraternal, most likely. Two sacs, two heartbeats. Healthy and strong."
Amara's mouth parted. She blinked once, then looked at me.
My vision blurred for a second as I processed the sheer magnitude of the moment.
Two.
Two heartbeats.
Two lives.
I laughed, then covered my mouth like it would keep the emotion in. But it didn't. A tear slipped down my cheek, and I didn't bother hiding it.
Amara looked stunned.
Then she burst out laughing.
"Twins?" she whispered, her voice wobbly. "Ethan, I can barely eat without throwing up. And there are two of them?"
I cupped her face, unable to stop smiling. "We made two little humans."
"Oh my god."
"Double the diapers."
"Double the crying."
"Double the love," I said, pressing my forehead to hers.
She melted against me. And for a moment, everything around us faded.
The doctor gently excused herself to give us a few minutes, and Amara sat up slowly, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand.
"I'm scared," she whispered.
"I know," I said. "Me too."
"But also… this feels right. Doesn't it?"
I nodded. "You have no idea how much I love you."
Her smile returned, soft and glowing. "I think I'm starting to."
We left the clinic with a small envelope containing the first ultrasound photo—two tiny shapes, side by side, floating together like they were already best friends.
That night, I couldn't sleep.
I lay awake, watching Amara rest beside me. Her breathing was slow, steady, and her hand unconsciously rested on her stomach.
I turned on my side, brushing her hair away from her face.
She was going to be a mother.
And me—a father.
I still didn't know what kind of parent I'd be. I wasn't perfect. Hell, I was probably the last guy anyone would've pictured holding a baby at 2 a.m. wearing burp cloths. But this was ours.
A family.
The next morning, I made breakfast quietly, wanting her to rest. But she walked in anyway, hair messy, wearing my shirt, her feet bare.
"Couldn't sleep," she said, yawning.
"You're supposed to be resting."
"I think one of your children doesn't like eggs," she said, wrinkling her nose. "The smell nearly made me hurl."
I blinked. "One of my children?"
She grinned sleepily. "I'm still adjusting to the idea there are two."
I chuckled and pulled her into my arms. "You look beautiful."
"I look like a mop."
"My favorite mop."
She laughed and leaned into me. Her hand slid over her belly. "I can't believe they're in there."
"Growing. Kicking. Plotting chaos."
Her eyes softened. "I hope they have your smile."
"I hope they have your strength."
"And your heart."
We stayed like that a while, wrapped in a silence that was warm and whole.
Eventually, Amara pulled away slightly. "We should probably start planning."
"Planning?"
"Like names. And colors. And whether we'll need to move. This place is going to be too small with two cribs."
I looked around the apartment and laughed. "Yeah, I don't think a second baby fits in the hallway closet."
She nudged me with her hip. "We'll figure it out, right?"
I held her face in my hands, brushing my thumb over her cheek. "Always."
She sighed, leaning into my touch. "It's happening, isn't it?"
"It is."
We were no longer just Ethan and Amara.
We were about to become something so much more.
A family.