Chapter 30: A Busy Bean

Sam's POV

Posy stood on a step stool beside the exam table with both hands gripping the edge.

She had been told to be quiet, and she had been quiet for almost a minute.

"Is that it?" she whispered.

On the screen, a pale gray shape curled and uncurled.

"That's it," the colleague said. She had come in on her day off, and she had put her reading glasses on a cord around her neck. "That's the baby."

"It looks like a bean."

"It's a very busy bean."

"Is it a boy or a girl?"

"We can find out soon, if your mother wants to."

Posy looked at Tillie, who was lying back with her sweater rolled up.

She had a hand pressed over her mouth, and her eyes were full.

"Do you?" Posy asked her. "Want to know?"

"I think I want a surprise," Tillie said.

"Good," said Posy. "Then I get to guess."

Margo stood at the foot of the table with her arms wrapped around herself, and I saw her watching the two of them.

She looked steadier than she had all week, and she smiled at Posy.

The colleague turned the dial, and the galloping filled the room.

Posy's mouth fell open.

"That's its heart," she said. "That's so fast."

"Like a horse," I said.

She whipped her head around.

"A horse! Tillie, it's a horse."

"I always knew," Tillie said, and laughed with the tears running down her temples.

Posy leaned over the table and set her small palm on Tillie's stomach, very carefully, and held it there.

"Hello," she said, to nothing. "I'm Posy. I'm going to be your sister, sort of. I'm good at horses."

I looked away at the wall for a moment.

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