Pretty Amazing Grace {Ryan Blaney || Sequel to Sweet Caroline} ✔️

twenty

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"Lydia Fitz?" The nurse looked down at her clipboard, scanning the waiting room.

Ryan squeezed Lydia's hand as they stood up. Butterflies thrashed around his stomach, the excitement whirling around his chest. He had been looking forward to this day since the day at the hospital when the nurse told him that the baby was fine.

There was something about seeing this baby -- their baby -- on an ultrasound. It was already real but now they would have a tangible piece of this baby to hold on to made it even more real.

Ryan followed behind Lydia as she chatted with the nurse. He wasn't really paying attention to what they were saying but he couldn't help but notice how beautiful Lydia looked, the way her brown eyes lit up every time she glanced back to him, the slight curve to her belly that was starting to form. It wasn't very noticeable but Ryan could see it.

His mind drifted to how beautiful she would look as her belly expanded. How beautiful this baby would be -- he hoped that this baby would look like Lydia with her button nose and her Cupid's Bow top lip.

They would be complete then, a perfect family of four. Ryan couldn't help but grin at the thought of Caroline being a big sister and how much she will love and dote on this baby. They all would.

The best part was that he was going to be there for all of it.

Ryan's leg bounced as he leaned back in the hard plastic chair. The nurse was taking Lydia's vitals and asking about her medical history.  Ryan knew that was important but his eye kept wandering to the portable ultrasound machine that was sitting in the corner of the room.

"Are you okay?" Ryan snapped his eyes towards Lydia as the nurse stepped out of the room to get the doctor.

"Why wouldn't I be?" He furrowed his brow, clueless as to why Lydia was asking.

"Your leg..." Lydia's voice trailed off.

Ryan's leg froze. "Oh. Sorry. I'm just excited."

Lydia's face lit up, a grin spreading across her face. "I think they're going to do the ultrasound next."

Ryan couldn't help but grin back, moving his chair closer to Lydia's head. Her hand slipped into his as the doctor entered the exam room.

After a brief introduction, Lydia lifted her gown as the doctor turned on the portable ultrasound machine.

"The images won't be the best but it's something." She was enthusiastic as she grabbed a little bottle of gel, squirting it onto Lydia's stomach. "Are you guys ready to see your baby?"

Both Ryan and Lydia nodded, exchanging excited glanced. She squeezed Ryan's hand as the OB pressed the ultrasound wand to her belly.

"Alright." The doctor moved the wand around. "Oh."

Ryan looked at Lydia, her face pale as she studied the screen. He didn't know what was going on but his stomach was twisting in knots as the silence grew longer -- the OB still moving her wand around Lydia's abdomen.

"I'm so sorry." The OB murmured, the sadness in her voice made Ryan's stomach drop. "It looks like the fetus stopped growing around eight weeks gestation, there isn't a heartbeat."