gently placed her hand on the small bump at Ashley’s waist. “Maybe you’re right and you’re having a girl too!”
“You’ve got Kari convinced.” Ryan stepped inside. He laughed and shook his head. “She already has the two girls dressing alike for the first day of kindergarten.”
Ashley giggled and placed her hand over Kari’s. “I can’t explain it.” She lifted one shoulder. “I just had this feeling we were both having girls. I even told my doctor that at my appointment last week. I asked if it was true that sometimes a mother just knows what she’s having.”
“And?” Ryan seemed amused by the planning and dreaming going on between the two sisters.
Ashley made a face. “She said there was no way to tell until the ultrasound.”
“Which is in a week.” Kari kept her voice low. The sleeping boys were across the living room, side by side. “I can’t wait.”
“Landon says I’m obsessed. I’m counting down the hours.” Ashley grinned. She and Kari talked for a few minutes, and then Ashley left.
Over the next few days when they walked the track, Ashley allowed herself to dream aloud about the possibility that they were each having a girl. “They’ll be closer than sisters. Like twins almost.”
Kari easily got caught up in the excitement. “I can picture us helping them buy prom dresses and remembering back to this time.”
They talked about everything from the babies’ first steps to the weddings the girls might have in the same year, and as the days grew closer for Ashley’s ultrasound, she was convinced. Something about this pregnancy was different, and that could leave just one explanation. She was having a girl.
The night before Ashley’s test, Kari called before she turned in. “Jessie’s thrilled about having a sister. Well, actually, thrilled doesn’t touch it. She was bouncing all over the house. She made up a song about finally having a sister.”
Ashley was already in bed, more tired than usual, but she smiled in the dark. “I wish I could’ve heard it.” She thought for a few seconds. “If I’m right about this one, Cole’s reaction will probably be a little more subdued.”
“Hmmm.” Kari’s laughter faded. “He still wants a brother?”
“He wants an entire basketball team.”
They both giggled, though the topic stayed with Ashley after the call ended and as she tried to fall asleep. She’d even tried to broach the subject with Cole again. “God might have a sister for you, Coley. That would be okay, right? Even if she didn’t play basketball?”
“Well—” Cole had been digging into a bowl of Cheerios—“I already asked God for a brother, so thanks, Mom, for trying to make me ready for the bad news. But I think you’re wrong.” He pointed to her stomach. “That’s a boy in there. I’m pretty sure.”
Landon told her not to worry. “Cole would love a girl. He’d be the best big brother ever.”
She fell asleep praying that her son would understand if the news in the morning wasn’t what he was hoping for.
When the alarm went off Monday morning, Ashley hit the Off button and reached for Landon’s hand. “It’s here. The first ultrasound.”
“Mmmm.” He turned onto his side so he was facing her. “We don’t need the test, Ash.” His eyes were still closed. “It’s a girl. You already called it.”
Ashley grinned and put her hand on her abdomen. She felt like shouting for joy. The day had finally come. Today she would know whether she was right. She climbed out of bed and slipped into a pair of stretch pants. She was ready in half the time it usually took, but even in her rush, she felt calm and relaxed. Cole might be right. She might be having a boy. And even if she was carrying a girl, Cole would of course get used to the fact. She had nothing to fear.
Ashley was buttoning her sweater, checking her look one more time, when the phone rang. From the kitchen, where Landon was making breakfast for the boys, she heard him
“You’ve got Kari convinced.” Ryan stepped inside. He laughed and shook his head. “She already has the two girls dressing alike for the first day of kindergarten.”
Ashley giggled and placed her hand over Kari’s. “I can’t explain it.” She lifted one shoulder. “I just had this feeling we were both having girls. I even told my doctor that at my appointment last week. I asked if it was true that sometimes a mother just knows what she’s having.”
“And?” Ryan seemed amused by the planning and dreaming going on between the two sisters.
Ashley made a face. “She said there was no way to tell until the ultrasound.”
“Which is in a week.” Kari kept her voice low. The sleeping boys were across the living room, side by side. “I can’t wait.”
“Landon says I’m obsessed. I’m counting down the hours.” Ashley grinned. She and Kari talked for a few minutes, and then Ashley left.
Over the next few days when they walked the track, Ashley allowed herself to dream aloud about the possibility that they were each having a girl. “They’ll be closer than sisters. Like twins almost.”
Kari easily got caught up in the excitement. “I can picture us helping them buy prom dresses and remembering back to this time.”
They talked about everything from the babies’ first steps to the weddings the girls might have in the same year, and as the days grew closer for Ashley’s ultrasound, she was convinced. Something about this pregnancy was different, and that could leave just one explanation. She was having a girl.
The night before Ashley’s test, Kari called before she turned in. “Jessie’s thrilled about having a sister. Well, actually, thrilled doesn’t touch it. She was bouncing all over the house. She made up a song about finally having a sister.”
Ashley was already in bed, more tired than usual, but she smiled in the dark. “I wish I could’ve heard it.” She thought for a few seconds. “If I’m right about this one, Cole’s reaction will probably be a little more subdued.”
“Hmmm.” Kari’s laughter faded. “He still wants a brother?”
“He wants an entire basketball team.”
They both giggled, though the topic stayed with Ashley after the call ended and as she tried to fall asleep. She’d even tried to broach the subject with Cole again. “God might have a sister for you, Coley. That would be okay, right? Even if she didn’t play basketball?”
“Well—” Cole had been digging into a bowl of Cheerios—“I already asked God for a brother, so thanks, Mom, for trying to make me ready for the bad news. But I think you’re wrong.” He pointed to her stomach. “That’s a boy in there. I’m pretty sure.”
Landon told her not to worry. “Cole would love a girl. He’d be the best big brother ever.”
She fell asleep praying that her son would understand if the news in the morning wasn’t what he was hoping for.
When the alarm went off Monday morning, Ashley hit the Off button and reached for Landon’s hand. “It’s here. The first ultrasound.”
“Mmmm.” He turned onto his side so he was facing her. “We don’t need the test, Ash.” His eyes were still closed. “It’s a girl. You already called it.”
Ashley grinned and put her hand on her abdomen. She felt like shouting for joy. The day had finally come. Today she would know whether she was right. She climbed out of bed and slipped into a pair of stretch pants. She was ready in half the time it usually took, but even in her rush, she felt calm and relaxed. Cole might be right. She might be having a boy. And even if she was carrying a girl, Cole would of course get used to the fact. She had nothing to fear.
Ashley was buttoning her sweater, checking her look one more time, when the phone rang. From the kitchen, where Landon was making breakfast for the boys, she heard him
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