Forced Marriage: Escaping Her Monster

The day for the ultrasound appointment came and Jeremy urged Jerlina to eat before they leave for the clinic. Jerlina couldn't don even a single bite as she was so stressed.

"What if there is something wrong with the baby, Joel? What if-"

"Idiot!" Jeremy kissed her forehead. "There is nothing wrong with our baby. Think only positive things! We are going to meet our daughter today!" he rubbed her forehead.

She was rolling around on the bed last night and didn't sleep well either. He tried to calm her down but nothing is working.

Yeah… she lost her baby around this time the previous time… It is understandable.

"Okay…But it could be a-" Jerlina rubbed her forehead with a smile.

"Don't say boy! I am going to have a daughter…" he rubbed her belly softy and Jerlina rolled her eyes.

Well… for him to be so sure… he could be right!

She didn't want her negative thoughts to affect her and the baby so she started thinking about the travel they are going to take pretty soon.

Hungary!

Her over-zealous great-grandfather told her that he has prepared everything for her stay there and hired someone for the photo-shoot. He didn't tell her who he hired, but Jerlina had a feeling that the photographer must be one of the top magazine photographers in the world.

Well, she didn't care who takes the picture. She is going to take the pictures with her husband – her lovely Joel. And that's all she cared about.

"Shall we?" Jeremy held out his hand and Jerlina walked outside. "Earl, I'll be back soon…" she petted her furbaby who follows her everywhere these days. With a whine, Earl stayed inside.

They reached the hospital and Jerlina didn't let go of Jeremy's hand. "How can you be this carefree?" she even got annoyed at Jeremy for being himself. She was so stressed. It didn't help her stress that her bladder was full as mentioned by the doctor so to have a clear image. She wanted to relive herself but she couldn't. Jeremy sat there and chuckled.

"Shut up!" she grumbled only for him to chuckle more.

Dr. Kruger took the ultrasound and she too was excited as apparent by her uncharacteristically bright smile. "Take deep breaths… It's not going to hurt…" The doctor gave the 101 in a very soothing voice.

Jerlina lay on the bed and the cool gel was applied, She feared to look at the monitor and kept on staring at the ceiling. As the probe moved over her abdomen she just hoped that everything is fine.? Because the last time she saw a twelve-week fetus was in a casket. Jeremy was holding her hand and that was the one thing that tethered her to reality. She truly wanted to slip away until it is clear that everything is fine around her.

"Alright…" Dr. Kruger's voice was cheerful bringing a happy expectation to her face. She turned to look at the monitor for the first time.

"There's your baby…" Dr. Kruger pointed at the little bean on the monitor. "There are his hands… do you see that? Jerry, come to this side to have a better view… You see that right… there's the head… Aww… look how he is moving his hand… two legs… Jerlina… see the length… it's perfect corresponding to your LMP… You have a perfectly healthy twelve-week-old… boy,? if I am not wrong…"

"Joel…" Jerlina held Jeremy's hand and her eyes clouded and she wiped her tears to have a clear view of her baby. "You see that…? That's our baby…"

"Yeah?" Jeremy pushed his head to the monitor. "You sure that is a boy, mom? I don't see anything between the legs…If that is a boy he's going to be the man with the smallest-"

"Oh, Shut up, Joel!" Jerlina hit him and he rubbed his arm.

"Ouch, that hurts, Jeryl…" he let go of her hand and pointed at the monitor. "Mom, are you sure it is not a girl? I want a girl…" he poked his head into the monitor once more. "Mom… have a closer look…It can't be a boy!" he sounded a lot disappointed. "It still could be a girl, right? This happens all the time, right? I've heard. You never get the baby you're promised. You always get another…"

He kept on blabbering.

Jerlina rubbed her forehead seeing him blabbering nonsense now. She knew this would happen. He was too sure he is going to have a girl and didn't heed her warning to have an open heart. She didn't even bother to console him. She was too happy that she has a healthy baby growing inside her.

Bless his heart! What an idiotic man I fell in love with! Hopefully, our baby inherits my brain and his heart…

"Yeah, I could be wrong!" Dr. Kruger had to relent to that enthusiastic son of hers.

She observed Jerlina's reaction. She had decided to hit her son in the head if his stupidity made his wife sad. Her son has the loveliest heart and always means well, but he can be a fool at times. He should be hugging his wife and congratulating and thanking her for the life she is nurturing but he is focusing on the crotch of his baby.

If he is acting like this during the ultrasound, how will he act during her labour?

Ugh! He is going to be impossibly difficult. I hope he faints so that we can drag him out of the delivery room…

What an idiot I raised!

But Jerlina appeared to have gotten used to the quirks of her abnormal son. Jerlina does have a lot more patience than she does. And that made her relieved. 𝐟𝐫𝗲𝙚ｗ𝚎𝐛𝙣𝐨𝙫𝘦𝗹.c૦m

"You can only be sure after twenty weeks. Now step back!" she grabbed his shirt and pulled him back. "Do you want to hear your baby?"

"Yes, please, mom!" Jerlina got excited and held his hand out of excitement.

Dr. Kruger placed the probe back on her abdomen and it rested at a particular spot. With some settings, Jerlina heard the most beautiful sound she has ever heard in her life.

*Boom* *Boom* *Boom*

She was speechless. There is a small living human inside her.

Jeremy heard the loud booming sound echoing in the room and his hold on her hand tightened. For the first time, everything felt real. There is a living thing growing inside his wife's belly. She is making a little human, inside her.

How incredible is she!

He bent and kissed her cheek. "That's our baby, Jeryl… That's our…" he couldn't speak all of a sudden as a lump formed in his throat. "You are manufacturing a baby!"

"Thank you…"

"Yeah?" Jerlina kissed his hand. "Thank you for your help in the process of manufacturing, I guess? The manufacturing wouldn't have commenced without your participation…" she stifled her laugh. Her husband is the best at not expressing himself properly.

Ah, I love him!

Jeremy hugged her. "But you are the one doing the most work… I love you, wife…"

"Yeah, that's true," she pushed him away.. "Get off! I have to pee."