"You're having twins. From what we could see, the first one is a boy. But the second is hiding behind the other, so we couldn't determine the sex. At the next ultrasound, we'll hope the baby isn't hiding anymore. Congratulations, Mom and Dad."
Tears of happiness stream down Liz's face. Henry is still in shock.
The doctor asks if he's feeling alright.
"I'm fine. Liz… we're having twins. Did you hear that?"
"Yes, I did. Why? Aren't you happy?"
"Liz, I'm the happiest man in the world."
Henry showers her with kisses.
"I love you so much, my love," he says, deeply moved.
"I love you so much too," Liz replies, crying with emotion.
Both of them are overwhelmed with joy.
"Liz, you can get dressed now. When you come back, we'll go over some recommendations."
"From now on, you'll need to slow down. Physical activities should be limited to swimming and walking. And your appointments will no longer be monthly—they'll be every two weeks, so we can monitor for any signs of premature labor. I'll be following your pregnancy closely and ordering additional tests. We'll pay even closer attention during the final stretch."
"Congratulations again, Mom and Dad. I'll see you in two weeks."
"Thank you," they both reply, still very emotional.
They leave the clinic euphoric.
"Liz, let's go home. I'm not going back to work today. I just want to stay home with you and watch the video of our babies again. I've never wished for anything more in my life. I can't wait to tell everyone."
"I know what we'll do. Let's gather everyone at our place tonight and share the news all at once. We can make a video call to your mom. What do you think?"
"I love the idea."
"Do you think your mom could lend us Dona Ema? I'll call her as soon as we get home."
"And we can invite our closest friends too."
As soon as they arrived home, Henry called his mother.
She agreed. Dona Ema would come over after preparing lunch. It was hard for him not to tell her about her grandson.
"I'll call Penne and let him know I won't be working this afternoon like I said I would."
And that's exactly what they did. They canceled all their appointments for the day and sent messages to their friends, inviting them to an intimate family gathering at 8 p.m. Henry also texted his mother, saying they would reveal the baby's gender later that night. Since she wouldn't be there in person, they would make a video call and asked her to invite Auntie and Antony as well. He said he would call after eight.
Afterward, the two of them went to their bedroom, took a shower, changed into comfortable clothes, and lay down on the bed. Henry played the video again, listening to the sound of their babies' heartbeats.
"Now we'll have to keep waiting before we can decorate the nursery," Liz says to Henry, while he rests his face against her belly.
"Liz, right now I'm not even thinking about the nursery. I just want to enjoy the three of you. You have made—and still make—me so happy."
"Can you imagine everyone's faces when we tell them? Our parents are going to lose their minds."
"And from now on, you'll work more from home. We'll start swimming together. I'll get in the pool with you—don't worry."
"Henry, I couldn't be happier."
"My mom said she'll take care of some simple but delicious dishes for tonight. So you don't have to worry about anything."
"Then take me out to lunch, and afterward let's stop by a baby store. I need to buy a few things to prepare a surprise for our guests."
"Alright. Let's go."