Doctor Steve paused, hesitating. He looked at Ryan and Lora before asking, “Should I tell you the news here or you want to hear it in private?”
Lora and Ryan shared a look and when Lora gave him a small nod in acknowledgement, Ryan glanced at the doctor and said, “Like Dad said, we are family. You can say the news in front of everyone.”
“What’s the good news, Doctor?” Charles asked. His lips suddenly curled into a grin. “Is it what I think it is?”
All eyes were glued to the doctor as they waited for the news.
Doctor Steve cleared his throat and announced, “Mrs Kingsley, you are pregnant. Congratulations!”
Dead silence fell upon the place for a few seconds before Charles exclaimed, “Yes! Another great-grandchild! Well done, Ryan!”
Ryan hugged Lora, his heart thundering in his chest as he stated, “Lora... this is wonderful news! I love you so much!”
The rest of the family showed their excitement and congratulated the couple. When they were done, Ryan looked at Lora whose eyes were blurred with tears and smiled at her.
Now that the initial joy had passed, he thought about their predicament and what it would mean for Lora to have a child in the coming months.
Was he going to make her a single mother again? Guilt crept into him at the thought.
“We are going to have another child,” he remarked, sadness creeping into him. Would he be able to live long enough to meet his third child?
He was thrilled to find out that Lora was pregnant but knowing he had limited time made his heart ache. Ryan was worried that he might not be there when their third child is born.
“Hey,” Lora said, cupping Ryan’s face. “I know right now it seems like all hope is lost but I think our baby will bring us the miracle we’ve been praying for.”
Ryan nodded. He grabbed Lora’s hand from his face and placed a soft kiss on the back of her hand as he remarked, “You’re right. The twins and our new baby need me, I don’t intend to die anytime soon.”
The couple were given space to have a little moment before Doctor Steve uttered, “I think we have a high chance of finding another donor. Since it's already in the open, how about we start a campaign to look for a donor, Mr Kingsley?”
Diane chipped in, “That’s a great idea. There’s nothing that social media can’t do nowadays. We can put up posts to look for volunteers. Of course, we will add a reward as a thank-you token. It can actually work!”
The family agreed about their next course of action in looking for a matching donor for Ryan.
When they were done, Charles proclaimed, “Now it’s time to check the baby’s gender. Let’s go to the obstetrics department!”
Lora, “....”
Ryan, “....”
“Grandpa, it’s too early to know the gender of the baby,” Lora explained.
Charles frowned. He then shook his head and replied, “It’s fine. We can have an ultrasound to check if the baby is ok.”
A little while later, the two Davis and Kingsley families were gathered in an ultrasound examination room.
Everyone was there, so it was a little crowded.
Ryan felt like time stopped for a moment. His eyes were glued on the screen and even though he could only see two small circles, his heart was filled with love.
The doctor suddenly increased the volume of the equipment, letting everybody hear two thumping sounds.
Ryan dropped a tear as he asked, “Are those the babies’ heartbeats?”
The doctor smiled and responded, “Yes, Mr Kingsley. There are two healthy heartbeats. The babies are developing well.”
Ryan broke down, tears soaking his face as he listened to the sound.
It was the sound of life. Two lives.
He and Lora had made two human beings again.
Looking at his wife, he leaned down and kissed her forehead as he said, “Thank you, my love. You've made me the happiest man on earth.”
“I don’t know whether I should be happy or sad,” Lora remarked. She really hoped she could donate her stem cells to Ryan, however, since she was pregnant, she wasn’t allowed to.
Ryan grabbed her hand and squeezed it, saying, “I want us to be happy. I’m happy and thankful for this double blessing. I promise I won’t give up on myself.”
He placed a hand on Lora’s stomach and added, “These babies have given me hope that miracles do happen.”
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