Chapter 33: Anatomy
POV: Zac
Word Count: 3293
July 20, 2009
Normally on a Monday I’d be at the studio all day, slaving away for the new record. But, we worked all weekend so that all of us could take today off. She had a doctor’s appointment anyway and Stella needed Taylor for some final paperwork and Nicole and Isaac were actually house hunting. It was nice to sleep a bit later than normal and then fix a decent breakfast. Gabby was already up and ready by the time I came down and she was on the phone.
“Abby, It’s not that I don’t want you to come but if you go then it upsets Sierra, Nicole, Stella and the brothers because we aren’t letting them go.”
She slid the plate of pancakes, fruit, bacon, and eggs to me and I sat down on the stool.
“I am not going to peak and neither will Zac.”
She was eating her own plate and they kept going back and forth. Clearly Abby wanted to go but so did everyone under the sun and the doctor wasn’t going to allow that. Gabby felt bad letting Abby go but not Sierra, so she wasn’t letting either of them. Eventually I took the phone from her mid-sentence because she was getting nowhere and she wasn’t going to be mean to Abby.
“Eat your breakfast before it gets cold.” I said.
“Zac?” Abby asked.
“I know you want to be there but so does everyone else including my parents. I’m sorry Abigail.”
“I should be there. I can find out without you two knowing.”
“I know you want to be, but we can’t have everyone and come on Abigail give her a break here. She doesn’t want to hurt Sierra’s feelings, Stella’s, Nicole’s, and my mom’s by letting you be there when we told them no. I know you’re her best friend but you shouldn’t be hounding her about this either. We told everyone that we were doing this appointment alone. That we understood everyone under the damn sun wants to know what we’re having but we’re respecting that you want to do this reveal party. If you can’t take that privilege alone then I’ll pull rank and I’ll just find out and tell everyone.”
“But that wouldn’t be a reveal party is everyone knows.”
“I know, but I’m not going to make this some huge deal. Everyone is fine waiting a few more weeks. We have a manila envelope for the doctor already, which she will put the sonogram picture in indicating gender and it’ll be sealed by the doctor. Obviously if we open it you’ll know.”
The other end of the line was quiet and I know she wanted to be there but I just wasn’t going to let her gender reveal become some large issue. My mom wanted to know as badly as we did and we needed to plan and prepare for this baby now, time was getting short. If she couldn’t deal, then I’d call it off myself.
“Can I compromise with you? Can I just sit in the waiting room?”
“You know they won’t let you back with us telling them.”
“I know. I’ll sit in the waiting room and wait. I mean really, you’ll have to find some way to bring me the envelope this way I can leave and chose what I need today.”
“Well, she’s choosing the cake design and flavor, you know that.”
Gabby just smiled, she had laid the law down on that aspect of the reveal, the design and flavor was all her.
“I know. If you guys can go by there afterwards and speak to them.”
“We can. I guess the waiting room will be fine but if you try anything funny I’ll tell the doctor to tell us.”
“Fine. It’s at ten right?”
“Yes.”
She hung-up and I laid the phone down. “You have to be firm sometimes.” I said.
“I understand she wants to be there but I just…”
“You shouldn’t have to worry about anything.”
“I’m ready when you are then.”
We finished eating and I got changed for the day. She had gone with the lighter color shorts and a baby blue shirt with white detailing around the sleeves, bottom, and neckline. She did wear decent shoes today as well, something more supportive than flip flops. I chose black shorts and a green t-shirt, something simple. We were at the doctor’s office early and they even called her shortly after we got there, Abby remained in the waiting room. We went through the routine part checking her weight and getting blood work done, then we had to wait.
“That was quick.” Abby said.
“There behind a bit, the sonogram, technician will call me back.”
“No peaking.” She said.
We waited twenty minutes before we were called back, Abby really wanted to get up but forced herself to sit there. We were greeted and she got settled in.
“Before we start, we’re doing a gender reveal party next month, we would like to see if we can determine the sex but if you can please put the results in this envelope and seal it.” Gabby said.
“I can do that. I cannot guarantee he or she will allow me to determine that though.”
“That’s fine.”
“I also can’t guarantee that you won’t see for yourself.”
“We understand.” I said.
It was always a weird feeling to see the sonogram images on the screen, this round we had a large TV screen so it was more visible. At first she just moved the wand around randomly, trying to find something.
“Ahh, there is that face. Switching to 3D.”
The black and grey image vanished, replaced with a more golden toned image.
“Is that…?” Gabby asked.
“Your baby’s face.”
Words couldn’t describe how I was feeling right now and clearly not to her either, this wasn’t some grainy image it was clear and I could see the facial features, chubby cheeks, little nose.
“Your baby’s nose.” She said.
The technician smiled and moved it a bit, his hand was in his face, clearly five fingers.
“Oh, your little one doesn’t much like us.”
He’d moved away from the wand, so she went back to the black and grey grainy ones and took a few more minutes to find him again and she got some measurements.
“The approximate age is still looking good, still going with December as a due date.”
She showed us the arms, hands, and the side view of the face. The spine, heart, and the heartbeat which was strong and steady. She found the thigh and legs.
“There is the foot.”
“Loves to kick, especially at night in the bladder.”
She smiled. “Pretty common place for them to kick or use as a pillow. Oh, being shy on us, little ones legs are actually crossed, you can see here at the ankles.”
“That good or bad?” I asked.
“It’s fine, just means finding the sex might be a little harder. Let me finish getting the measurements and then I’ll see what I can do.”
She finished getting them and then turned it off, so we wouldn’t see what she was doing. She was waving the wand back and forth.
“Sorry if it’s uncomfortable. Trying to get the baby to move or uncross those legs.”
“It’s fine.”
She had Gabby move a bit too and finally seemed to like when she seen on the screen.
“Are you sure you don’t want to know?”
“No. But she’ll kick my butt if I find out.” Gabby said.
She printed off a bunch of pictures but kept them hidden from us, cutting three off the put those in the envelope and fuck I wanted to know right now. But she sealed it and let Gabby get cleaned up.
“Everything looks fine with your baby. The baby is measuring a little bit large but that is okay. I didn’t see any abnormalities or any problems. I printed off several of the pictures, including the sex but those are in the envelope. The 3D one is the best.”
“Thank you.” We said.
She handed the sealed envelope to Gabby along with the print outs and that 3D sonogram was so unique and being able to see the little nose, lips, and chin were nice.
“Sure you don’t want to open it? I mean I can always tell her we saw while she was checking a leg out.”
“Zac.” She said.
“I’m maintaining it’s a boy, I swear I saw the little penis again.”
She shook her head and we checked out, made her appointment for next month and then headed out to the front. She handed Abby the envelope.
“Don’t open that around us. Wait until you’re in the car and if you don’t want us to know then you best not tell anyone else.”
She took the envelope and I could tell she wanted to rip it open then.
“I’ve been thinking and I think I’m going to let the bakery look but not tell me either. I’m already doing a theme for both, lots of yellow and greens and some pink and blue. But, this way I can’t blab either.”
“Okay.” We said.
We followed her to the bakery where she evidently called ahead because they were waiting for us to arrive. The baker had this pretty very baby specific cake with rattles, bottles, diapers even all over it in multiple colors. She went to present it to us and Gabby held her hand it.
“I already know what I want.”
She blinked. “I’m sure you do but this is common.”
“I’m not common. I know what I want, if you can’t deliver it then we can go somewhere else.”
“Gabby.” Abigail said.
Gabby brought up an image and showed her. “I like the damask detailing but I don’t like the bow or the rhinestones. Added, because we have no idea what we’re having then I’d like the top tier to mimic the bottom but be pink and white. The little carriage on top can be any color you wish, as long as it’s not a solid pink or solid blue. No bow. No Rhinestones. I want everything edible.”
She looked closer at the image for a moment. “I can do that. I can use pink for the top and I can do a butter cream border in pink and blue or a solid color pink on the bottom, blue on top.”
“I like the solid color idea better.”
“What about flavor? I was thinking the bottom can be chocolate with a vanilla icing, the top can be the same.”
“We’re doing a gender reveal, the cake will tell everyone. I’m okay with a chocolate bottom but the top needs to be vanilla, tinted pink or blue depending on what we’re having.”
“I can do that. Would you like to sample those cakes?”
“Please.” I said.
Her cakes were awesome and we settled with doing the top tier as vanilla with a chocolate icing, that way the pink or blue cake would stick out. She did open the envelope and without letting us know wrote down what she needed to use, she then resealed. Abigail told her to keep them but Gabby had none of that, the envelope was sealed and taped and came with us.
“Why did you chose not to know?” Gabby asked.
“I considered what Zac said this morning, everyone wants to know. It really isn’t fair for me to know and make everyone else suffer. Besides, there’s no way I can keep that a secret and I know I’ll slip up. Don’t you two dare open that envelope.”
“We’re not.”
“What are you doing now?”
“I think shopping, I mean we may not know the sex of the baby but we do know in a few short months he or she will be here. I can’t wait to buy everything in August. So, we’re going to see what we can get. Anything we feel will need to be gender specific we’ll hold off on.”
“Mind if I tag along?”
I glared at her I really wanted this to be us but I was saved because before Gabby could answer Abby got a call and found out she had an interview to be at.
“You got lucky there.” Gabby said.
“I know.”
We ended up doing lunch first doing subway because she wanted a sub sandwich. We then went to babies r us, this was dual purpose because we could add to the registry also. My mom informed me it was much too small.
“Do we have a goal for this trip?” She asked.
“Well, he’ll need a place to sleep, something for clothes to go in, changing table. Those are things not common for showers.”
Who knew that there would be a thousand different choices. She liked the white and light colored wood, I liked the darker colors. But eventually we settled with a white crib that had solid end panels because the room wasn’t huge and the light colored would do better than a dark. Added, they had a changing table and dresser combo on sale, so we got that with the crib.
“I can’t believe we’re buying a crib.”
I smiled. “Believe it. Another 20 weeks and they’ll be a little human there.”
“It seems surreal. Still, no sex next March.”
I giggled and we ventured around with the registry machine, we couldn’t pick more specific things that could be color based because we didn’t know and she refused to let me buy blue and boy stuff until we were sure. We did ask the lady about diapers, pampers being the most popular we got some of those and unscented wipes. She did look at the bottles, not because she knew but because she wanted to see what was available.
“I am sure someone will get bottles.”
“I know, I just haven’t decided. Sarah has answered my questions for sure but I’m just unsure on what I personally want to do.”
We stayed here for a long time just browsing and picking up little items like a pack of onesie, wash clothes, and she picked up gowns.
“Baby, I’m not putting my son in those.”
“Honey, it’s for both genders and it’s going to be safe on the umbilical cord area.”
“No.”
She tossed them in anyway but I managed to creep them back out of the buggy, even if she did notice when we checked out. I was shocked the larger item even fit in the car, but I called Taylor to see if they could meet us at the house. Because I couldn’t get them up-stairs alone.
He and Isaac both were waiting when we got home.
“What did you buy?” Isaac asked.
“Crib, Dresser, changing table, and some odds and ends. Updated the registry too.”
“Stella already has what we’re getting the big item anyway, I’ve been tasked with getting smaller items. Which reminds me, do you have a bottle preference?”
“Yeah, none.” Gabby said.
Both of them turned and looked at her. “What?”
“I haven’t decided if I am going to breastfed or bottle. So, if you want bottles buy them at your own risk until I’ve decided.”
“Okay.”
She headed in with the lighter stuff and they both looked at me. “Well, 20 weeks Zac. What are you having?”
“I don’t know.”
“Why not?” Isaac asked.
“We’re doing the reveal so the only person that even knows what we’re having is the lady who did the sonogram and the baker. The top tier of the cake will be either blue or pink. But if you ask me, we’re having a boy.”
“Are you sure?”
“I’ve seen what appears to be a penis, I could be wrong but pretty sure it’s a boy.”
Neither of them let me carry the boxes, they carried them inside and up to the future nursery.
“Need help putting it together?”
I looked at the boxes, some part of me wanted to do this alone, but the crib I could handle.
“With the dresser and the changing table, yes. I’d like to do the crib myself.”
They smiled. “No problem.”
Gabby came to the door. “You guys staying for dinner?”
“We can. Stella is with her friend for a while.” Taylor said.
“Nicole is at work, they called her in.”
“Well, you’re staying then. I guess you’re putting these together now?”
“Yes.” I said.
“Don’t touch that crib unless I’m here.”
“Not a problem.” We said.
She headed down to fix dinner and we set about taking the changing table parts out of the box.
“So, you’re halfway there. Neither of you act like first time parents.”
“How exactly do they act?” I asked.
“Terrified, scared, nervous, dozens of questions.” Isaac said.
“Oh, we’re plenty of those but I think recording the album has given me that distraction and she’s been doing a lot of drawings and paintings. She’s actually just now coming to terms with the fact that nothing is going to happen.”
“And you?”
“I’m terrified as hell.”
Isaac had the directions and began to give directions.
“Just unsure about the baby?” Taylor asked.
“I am afraid on that front but it’s more from just not knowing what to do when he cries or when he screams.”
“He? You said he.” Taylor said.
“I did but I’m not positive on that. I strongly feel like we’re having a son.”
“So if the baby isn’t your big deal, what is?” Isaac asked.
“Isn’t that obvious Ike? The little figurines? The broken canvas? I mean, it’s one thing to send little stupid things and notes but that canvas wasn’t stupid and it wasn’t just casual. This person does not feel like I deserve her or the baby, that this baby should be his. That’s major. Added, it’s not Max or Simon.”
“Are they positive it was Simon?”
“Yes. Blood test was done and the blood was his. They tested multiple areas and it was all his. I’ve been going over everyone we know, trying to figure out who could possibly be this person.”
“Everyone we know?” Isaac asked.
“Yes. I made a list over the weekend and went through it one by one. She did the same thing. Neither of us came up with anyone that we feel would be capable of this. The notes, figurines, and stuff sure, there were lots. But murder? Especially Simon.”
“I was going to say that Lucas has been hanging around a little more and did he ever take her back to that one client of his?”
“No. But he did provide her with a number which she called and the lady wanted this huge piece for practically nothing.”
“Oh.”
“We looked at everyone, from venue people even Carrick and Austin, no one fits to us.”
“Well, hopefully the detectives find something on the canvas.”
“Hope so.”
The changing table came about quickly once we got to working on it and less talking, it was done before she called us for dinner. She had thrown together a decent vegetable beef soup, which tasted amazing even though there was some ingredients I was sketchy on. We then headed up-stairs and she came too, we got the dresser put together rather quickly and she liked the way they looked.
“Want us to stay for the crib too?”
“Naa, you guys go get some rest.” She said.
“We don’t mind.”
“I know.”
They gave us hugs and headed home, once the alarm was set we sat down together and put the crib together. I liked that it was just us two, it was nice. After that we both headed to bed, the rest of the week would be filled with making music and making art.