Free Summer by Karen Kingsbury Page B

view, and it looked normal, as normal as Ashley could remember the image looking from her ultrasounds with Cole and Devin. At the same time, a round shape appeared on the screen.
    The baby’s head.
    Ashley stared at the roundness, and she thought she saw her daughter’s profile. A tiny nose and high cheekbones. The technology was overwhelming, giving her this first look at her little girl. She dabbed at another tear and held her breath. They were almost finished. The doctor needed to snap a picture of the baby’s head and measure it—the way Ashley had seen it done with her two boys. Then Dr. McDaniel could smile at them and tell them everything was fine. The high AFP test was nothing.
    But instead something changed in the doctor’s posture. She straightened a few inches, then shifted the paddle again, studying the picture. Ashley might’ve imagined it, but she was almost sure that Dr. McDaniel’s next breath was more of a sigh. A heavy sigh.
    “Everything okay?” Landon knew better than to ask. Doctors preferred going over the specific results of a test like this later on, after the test was finished.
    Dr. McDaniel ran her hand through her blonde hair and moved closer to the image. “Just a minute.”
    The grip Landon had on Ashley’s shoulder grew tighter. She didn’t dare move or say a word. She had to remind herself to breathe.
    A minute passed and another, while the doctor adjusted the paddle and clicked a series of pictures of their little girl’s head. Ashley squinted, trying to see what might be troubling the doctor. But the baby’s head looked normal as far as she could tell. Round with various shadows on and near it. Ultrasound pictures were always like this, right? Her daughter’s head looked the same as Cole’s or Devin’s.
    The nurse was still standing on the other side of the machine, watching the test also. And only then did Ashley realize that the young woman’s face was ashen, her eyes deeply concerned. She exchanged a look with the doctor and took a step closer to the door.
    Dr. McDaniel nodded at the nurse, and the nurse excused herself.
    Ashley peered up at Landon. He was pale and tense, and though his lips were parted, he remained silent.
    Dr. McDaniel wiped off the paddle and turned to them. “Ashley, why don’t you get dressed.” Her expression was impossible to read, except for one very obvious thing. She was no longer making small talk about her own children, no longer smiling. “I’d like to see you both in my office.”
    When she was gone, Landon helped Ashley up and cradled her head against his chest.
    “Landon, what’s happening?” Her heart raced at double its normal rhythm. “Did you see anything?”
    “No. She looked . . .” His mouth sounded dry, his words clipped and filled with fear. “She looked beautiful.”
    Ashley clung to him, nodding. She wanted desperately to agree with him. “She did, didn’t she? Her profile was perfect.”
    “Maybe the doctor’s just being cautious.” Landon stepped back so she could get dressed.
    She didn’t answer, didn’t say anything that could shatter the hope his words had placed between them. That was it. Dr. McDaniel was just being cautious. Of course. The AFP test had been high, after all. Now the doctor had to tell them the possibilities. That even with a normal ultrasound, there was still a chance of some rare problem. And that was her job, to tell them about the possibilities.
    But when Ashley was back in her clothes, she didn’t make a move for the doctor’s office. Instead she turned to Landon and fell into his embrace. As long as she stayed here in his arms, as long as she didn’t leave this room, they could hang on to everything that had seemed certain just moments ago.
    “We’re having a daughter.” There were tears in her eyes, but she smiled despite them.
    “She’ll have your eyes.”
    She kissed him, and the wetness on her cheeks spread to his. “And your heart.”
    They stayed that way for what