CHAPTER FIFTY SEVEN

          THE WAITING ROOM OF THE CLINIC WAS QUIET, SAVE FOR THE FAINT RUSTLING OF PAPER AND THE OCCASIONAL BEEPING OF EQUIPMENT. Lucy had never been here before and it looked brand new. Expensive, too. Lucy sat in a comfortable chair, nervously fidgeting with her hands in her lap. 

She could feel the weight of Rio's hand resting on her thigh, a comforting presence amidst the whirlwind of anxiety swirling inside her.

She glanced over at him, his eyes focused intently on the wall ahead but she could sense his awareness. The moments leading up to this appointment had felt like an eternity, each tick of the clock echoing the pounding of her heart. They had already taken her blood and she had provided a urine sample for testing, but the real answer loomed ahead.

"Lucy Moreau?" a nurse called, breaking the silence.

The brunette's stomach twisted and she took a deep breath and met Rio's gaze for a moment. His eyes were reassuring, full of support as he nodded for her to go ahead. Lucy got to her feet and tried to mask her nerves and followed the nurse down the hall, feeling the weight of what was to come press down on her shoulders.

He walked close behind her, hand resting on the small of her back.

The examination room was bright and sterile, pictures of uteruses on the walls and she grimaced. It was filled with medical equipment that made her feel even more uneasy. Despite being in the field herself, she never liked going to the doctor. The nurse left them there and they sat down just as the Doctor entered, a warm smile on her face that did little to quell her anxiety. 

"Hello, Lucy. How are you feeling today?"

"Um, nervous." Lucy admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

"That is completely understandable." The doctor reviewed her chart for a moment before she met her eyes again. "I have the results of your tests, and I'm happy to tell you that you're definitely pregnant."

The world seemed to tilt on its axis as those words sank in. A rush of emotions flooded through her, but before she could fully process it Rio took her hand in his and squeezed her gently. 

"That's ... that's."

"Great news." smiled Rio as he rubbed his thumb along her skin. "Though, i've got a question. She's been feeling sick the last couple of days." started Rio as he knew she wasn't going to say anything. "Bad stomach aches and no strenght, is that normal or something we should be concerned about?"

The doctor spared Lucy a glance and said, "Pains and cramps are quite common during pregnancy. They're usually nothing to worry about but we could do an ultrasound today to see how everything looks?"

Lucy exchanged another glance with Rio and he gave her an encouraging nod. She looked at the woman before them and agreed. "I'd like that."

"Great, let's get started." she said and gestured to for her to lie down on the examination table. 

Lucy did as instructed and scooted back till she was seated the way she was supposed to but she felt incredibly vulnerable, still not believing that this was actually happening to her. Her heart thundered against her ribcage and she laid back down, staring up at the ceiling as the doctor got her equipment ready for the ultrasound. 

The man with the eagle tattoo sat down next to her, his presence a steady anchor. He brushed his hand against her cheek softly and she turned her face to look at him as he offered her a small smile. 

"Okay, Lucy." the doctor said, bringing her attention back to the task at hand. "I need you to expose your stomach and lower your pants just a bit so I can have enough access for the ultrasound."

Nodding, Lucy lifted her shirt, revealing her abdomen before she unbuttoned her pants and slid them down just a smidge. The doctor squeezed some gel onto her skin, the coldness of it sending a shiver through her. Rio held her hand in his own as he watched the doctor work, eyes brimming with concern.

As the doctor positioned the transducer against her skin, Lucy felt the anticipation in the air. The screen flickered to life, casting a soft glow in the room as she flickered the lights off to get a better look.

"Just relax," the doctor instructed, gliding the transducer across her abdomen. "I'll let you know what I see."

Lucy's breath hitched slightly as she stared at the screen, trying to make sense of the shapes and shadows appearing before her. The beeping of the machine echoed in the room, and she felt Rio's hand tighten around hers, grounding her as the doctor began to speak.

"There we go," the doctor said, her voice steady and reassuring. "there's your little one."

Lucy's heart raced as she saw the flickering shape on the screen. She felt as if she were on the edge of something monumental, and a wave of emotions surged through her. The reality of being pregnant was becoming more tangible, and despite the fear that clawed at her insides, she couldn't help but feel a rush of awe.

As the doctor continued to examine her Rio leaned closer, peering intently at the screen, thumb brushing against her knuckles in support.

"I'd say you're approximately ten to twelve weeks along."

Lucy's breath hitched in her throat, her mind racing to grasp the implications of the doctor's words. "Ten to twelve weeks?" she repeated, her voice barely above a whisper. The realisation sent her heart into a frantic rhythm, a pounding echo in her ears.

The truth struck her like a lightning bolt, she had been pregnant when Beth shot her. The image of that chaotic day replayed in her mind, every detail flooding back with a painful clarity. The fear, the chaos, the blood—none of it felt like it had happened to her, it felt like a cruel nightmare she couldn't escape.

The thought left her feeling hollow, a chill running down her spine. Why hadn't anyone told her at the hospital? They had treated her wounds and saved her life, but how had they missed this? She felt the weight of it settle heavily in her chest.

As the doctor continued to explain what she was seeing on the screen, Lucy's focus drifted. She could barely register the sounds of the doctor's voice, the beeping of the machine, or even Rio's squeeze of her hand.

The man beside her pressed a tender kiss to her hand and she caught a glimpse of the realisation on his face. Lucy saw the rage behind his gaze as his eyes darkened and the way his molars pressed together. It was all there, hovering just below the surface, threatening to break free.

"Everything looks very healthy." the doctor announced, her voice steady and reassuring. Lucy barely processed the words. "You can see here, strong heartbeat, normal development." The doctor pointed to the screen, highlighting various aspects of the ultrasound. But to Lucy, the words felt distant, muffled by the heavy fog of her thoughts.

He listened intently as he spoke but he was so angry. How could the hospital have overlooked this? The anger was palpable and she wanted to reach out, to tell him to keep it together for her sake. 

"It's perfectly normal." the doctor continued, oblivious to the turmoil in the room. "We can schedule more tests to ensure everything continues to progress well, but so far, it all looks good."

Lucy forced herself to breathe, to pull her attention back to the present moment. She wanted to celebrate the news that the baby was healthy, but it was overshadowed by the fear and anger of how this had all happened without her knowledge. Would she have acted differently if she'd known? Would things have been different that day when she had gone to see Beth?

Yeah, she would have absolutely killed her.

The thought made her heart race, a dark thrill coursing through her veins. But it was quickly followed by a wave of guilt. What kind of person thinks like that? She shook her head, trying to dispel the negativity.

Rio's voice broke through her thoughts as he thanked the doctor, his tone earnest and genuine. "Thank you so much for your help." he said, offering her a warm smile that contrasted sharply with the storm brewing inside of him. The doctor returned his smile, wishing them well before they stepped out of the office.

As they made their way to the parking lot, she felt as if she were in a dream, the world around her moving in slow motion. She managed to offer a polite smile to the doctor as they left, but inside, she was a jumble of conflicting emotions.

Once they were back in Rio's G-Wagon, she sank into the plush leather seat. The hum of the engine filled the silence as Rio started the car, his gaze flicking over towards her.

"How are you feeling?" he asked, his voice low and filled with concern.

"I'm fine." Lucy replied, trying to sound more assured than she felt. The woman pressed both hands to her abdomen and expected him to drive off but he didn't, keeping his gaze on her.

Rio smiled softly at her, his expression reassuring. "You're incredible, you know that?" he said, and her heart swelled at his words.

A small smile played on her lips as she turned to meet his gaze. "I hope you'll still think that when I tell you this." 

He glanced at her, curiosity lighting up his eyes. "What is it?"

She ran her tongue along her teeth for a second before taking a deep breath. "That day I went to see Beth ... I sort of warned her about you. I told her to take her family and get the hell out of here." She glanced down at her stomach and furrowed her brows. "And now I feel incredibly stupid and I regret it immensely."

Silence settled in the car, and Rio didn't respond right away. He simply watched her, his gaze unwavering. The weight of his silence made her heart race, and for a moment, she feared the worst. She crossed a line she couldn't come back from.

Finally, he spoke, his voice low and steady. "I know."

"You do? How?" 

"I didn't need you to tell me. I could see it in your eyes when you came back." he confessed and she was surprised to see he wasn't angry with her. "I figured you'd do that, you were friends and I get that. I was waiting for you to come to me to figure out what to do about her."

"I wish I hadn't done that." she muttered as she leaned her head back against the headrest. "I've never hated anyone as much as I hate her right now. I don't think I feel safe knowing she's out there and what she could still do to you, to us. I ... I can't have this baby growing up without their father, Chris. I want her gone."

Rio glanced at her, his eyes darkening with intensity. "Then we'll make that happen. I won't let her hurt you or our baby whether it is intentional or not." His words were fierce, an unyielding promise that made her heart flutter with relief.

"Do you mean that?" she asked, searching his gaze for any hint of doubt.

"More than anything," he replied, his voice steady. "we'll do whatever it takes to protect our family."

.....