The Visionaries

37

Four weeks later....

Alma fidgeted as they waited for the doctors to arrive. He held her hand and gently carressed it. 

"Alma Hernandez?" A voice said. It was a nurse. Alma stood up with him. 

"Follow me this way." The nurse guided them into a room. She took Alma's height and weight, writing it down into a flat and thin tablet with a stylus. She applied a blood pressure cuff to her arm and checked her temperature. Then she took out a needle, a cotton ball, and a rubber band.

"We have to draw blood to run some tests." She said. "You'll feel a pinch." He watched as she inserted the needle into Alma's arm and drew blood, watching it fill up endless tunes. Finally they escorted them into their room. 

Within minutes, a doctor arrived. 

"Morning, I'm Dr. Marian River." She said. "So your labs indicate you're pregnant so we'll do a quick ultrasound to check how old the fetus is. I'm going to need you to undress from the waist down." 

She sighed and quickly pulled her underwear and pants down as the doctor pulled out an ultrasound machine and placed a condom full of lube or ultrasound gel into the tip. The nurse entered and turned the machine on. She inserted it and Alma made a huffing sound. Soon they saw it. It was a tiny little bean shaped thing. 

Alma leaned her shoulder over Duane's chest as he held her hand. He kissed her and stroked her hair. 

"It's got a good heartbeat. We'll be able to hear it next visit." She said. "In two weeks we can test it for genetic disorders and find out the gender or you can wait until the anatomy scan, your choice. Also we need you to answer some questions about your family medical histories." She said. "Any of you, epilepsy?" 

"No."

"Down Syndrome?"

"No."

"Sickle cell anemia?" 

"No."

"Tay-Sachs disease?" 

"No."

"Any heart defects?"

"No."

"Type I diabetes?" 

"No."

"Asthma."

"My sister, Charlie had it when she was younger." 

She scribbled on the thin tablet. Some pictures printed out of the baby. 

"To think in thirty two weeks, we'll have it in our arms." She said. 

"True." Duane looked at it. "It's so tiny." 

"What do you think it'll be?" He asked her. 

"Mom said a boy. I'm hoping for a girl."

"I wouldn't mind either. As long as the baby is healthy." He said. 

"And thats the important thing." Alma said. 

He kissed her in the cheek. The doctor sent them home with multivitamins, a list of medicines that Alma could and couldn't take, a tiny bag full of pamphlets and booklets on taking care of oneself during pregnancy and lists of food she couldn't have. 

When they got to the car, Alma held out four plane tickets. Two of them were from Phoenix to Mexico City. The next two were from Mexico City to Morelia, Michoacan.

"Where are we going?" He asked. 

"My hometown, Las Palomas." She said. "Figured we'd go back home. Also Mexico is doing way better now that the cartels got destroyed by the militia movements." 

"So you really want to move, huh?" He asked. "You know I'll go with you but I have to say goodbye to my family."

"Your father and sister wanted to come too. And since I sold the wedding rings Michale gave my mother, I had enough to buy two more tickets." She said. 

Duane kissed her. She smiled. 

 They headed back to the hotel where Aaron was hanging out with Lacey and his mother. Bree was in the swimming pool with her younger siblings and her parents watched them play. Norrin was tanning with Dany. 

"Hey, guys!" Dany said. "How'd the appointment go?" 

"Great. But we have some news for you." I say. 

"What is it?" Norrin asked. 

"I finally bought the tickets to go back home. And Duane's family is coming with us."

"Aww that's sweet. Are you ever coming back?" Norrin asked. 

"To visit, but probably not to live. I've been gone from there for years and I miss my homeland." I say. 

"I guess its a bad time to announce were heading back to our realm. To rebuild and do our sacred ceremonies with the deceased." Aaron said. "But I'll visit. What about you, Norrin?" 

"I'm going back to North Carolina. My people need me." They stretched out and sat back down. 

"We're moving back to Michigan." Bree said. 

"I guess this is goodbye then." Alma said. They got up for a group hug and Duane joined them. 

"I'll miss you all." Norrin said. 

"I'll miss you too." Dany said, sadly. 

"Same." Bree said. "We all need to get phone numbers or something to communicate with." 

"Right? Hold on." Dany takes her phone out and passes it to us. We type in our numbers. She makes a group chat and texts us all. 

"There." She said. "So when does your flight leave?" 

"Tommorrow." Duane replied. "Its not like we have much to pack. Also whatever happened to that house you guys used to have?" 

"We're going to use it as a hotel for our land protection efforts." Aaron said. "I'll send your stuff to your address in Mexico if you want."

"Thanks." Alma said. 

Duane looked at his friends. Patrick and Charlie came down with our suitcases. Dany sighed. 

"Guess you're leaving early, huh?" She said. "You better call me and send me pictures of that baby. And that goes for both of you." 

"I will. I mean he has to meet Auntie Dany at some point." I smile at her. 

"Damn right." She said. 

"I'll miss you, Al. I'll miss you too, Duane." Aaron said. "I hope your kid gets to hang out with their Auntie Dany and Uncle Aaron at some point." 

"Oh, they will." Duane fist bumped him and Alma hugged Aaron. 

"Yeah, call me. Text me. At least a hey." Norrin patted Duane in the back. "Take care of her for us. And of yourself, of course."

"I'm native Captain America, I'm sure we'll be fine." Duane smiled at them. Norrin and Alma hugged. 

"See you later.  And don't forget about us." Bree hugged them both. Charlie and Patrick waved goodbye as they loaded their suitcases into the car that awaited them in the parking lot. Duane and Alma got in. They waved as their friends blew kisses and waved goodbye. To the start of a new adventure, he guessed.