“No, but I’ll have Lincoln.” Sadie tried to sound bright and positive. “Besides, the baby is basically a gummy bear at this point. And it’s not like Daddy can be there for every appointment, you know?”

“I can come along with you,” Renee said automatically. “As you well know, it’s pretty emotional hearing your baby’s heartbeat for the first time. I can call in a bit late for work.” At the word “work,” she blushed.

Sadie thought about how nice that sounded, having eternally calm and soothing Renee by her side. But Renee had work. And besides, she could do this.

“I’ll be fine. Promise. Lincoln, tell Miss Renee goodbye and thank you. We’ve got to go to the doctor’s office now.”

“We see Dr. Han…Dr. Han-don?”

Renee blushed one final time, and Sadie laughed as she picked Lincoln up and they waved goodbye.

As they drove to the OB-GYN’s office, Sadie wondered if she should tell Lincoln about the new baby. While it felt a little wrong doing it in the minivan, with Ethan not even there, they were also about to hear the heartbeat for the first time. The cat was out of the bag.

“Honey, I have some exciting news.” She turned down the Disney song that had been playing over Bluetooth. “Mommy and Daddy made another baby. You’re going to be a big brother!”

Lincoln’s eyebrows shot up. “Baby?”

“Yes! Isn’t that exciting? A surprise. Just like you were.” Maybe they’d find out the sex this time. Make it easier to plan. Naturally, she and Ethan hadn’t discussed it yet.

“Okay!” Lincoln called back, clearly not understanding the magnitude of this discussion.

Sadie parked the van in an expectant mothers spot for the first time of this pregnancy and was humiliated when she saw a woman waddle by just a few moments later, clearly in the last trimester of her own. And, on second glance, that woman was Maria Gonzales—who’d lived on Sadie’s block when she was growing up.

Even worse, she had to sit beside Maria in the waiting room.

“I’m so sorry I parked in that spot.”

Maria looked up from her phone. “Don’t worry about it, Sadie! I try to park far away. I’m aiming to get all the exercise I can. My friend told me I’ll have a much easier labor and delivery that way.” The woman nodded toward Lincoln. “Did you work out much with him on the way? Do you think it helped?”

“Um, yep! Absolutely,” Sadie lied.