Turning Of the Tide by Diana Sander

In the blink of an eye, half a month had passed.

During this time, Frank was constantly by Ava's side, rarely leaving her alone. At night, while waiting for her to fall asleep, he would send messages to Grace, seeking help with handling scompany matters.

Tomorrow is the start of school, and before that, Frank planned to take the little girl for a comprehensive check- up at the medical center.

Bright and early, Frank accompanied Ava to the medical center, where they initiated a series of examinations, including blood tests, urine analysis, and an ultrasound.

As Frank perused the extensive list of tests, his brow furrowed in concern, examining each item meticulously. It wasn't until Ava underwent the blood draw that his expression turned grim. With each tube of blood drawn from the young girl's arm and deposited into the nurse's collection box, Frank's face darkened. He looked pained, his heart aching for Ava as he witnessed her discomfort during the procedure.

"Are all of these necessary? Are you sure they're all useful?" Frank blurted out subconsciously.

The nurse, taken aback by the query, instinctively glanced up. Was this person joking? Why would they draw blood if it wasn't necessary, for a keepsake perhaps? However, upholding the medical center's professional decorum, she politely responded, "All these tests are required. Each tube contains samples for different specific examinations." With that explanation, Frank found himself at a loss for further words. Gently pressing the cotton onto Ava's arm, he helped her up from the seat. Before leaving, he stole one last glance at the five tubes of blood belonging to the young girl, neatly arranged in the box.

Ava observed the furrowed brows of the man around her, feeling quite concerned. "It's okay, it doesn't hurt at all, | don't feel a thing," she reassured him, her worry evident.

Frank remained silent, pressing his lips together, guiding her to proceed with the other tests.

They arrived at the entrance of the ultrasound room.

Both stood there, awaiting the doctor's call from within. Ava, wearing a mask, held Frank's hand, feeling the perspiration in her palm. She hoped fervently that there wouldn't be any issues with the child. She was overly anxious, hoping to avoid any unforeseen complications. Sensing her tension, Frank noticed, gently squeezing her neck and softly rubbing it to comfort her. "Don't be nervous, I'll be with you inside," he reassured.

"But isn't it only for ladies?" Ava tried to force a smile, pointing at the few words embarrassedly written at the door.

"We have permission," Frank asserted seriously. "For a wife's examination, the husband can accompany. What kind of rule is that? Moreover, this is our own place." During their conversation, a couple emerged from the room—a well-off pair, judging by their attire adorned with luxury brands from head to toe: designer clothes, bags, and shoes.

When Ava's turn arrived, Frank indeed walked in with her. Inside the ultrasound room, the hospital staff noticed Frank but didn't immediately ask him to leave. Frank completely disregarded the two doctors, assisting Ava as she lay on the bed.

After a brief moment of confusion, the doctor spoke up, "Could you help your girlfriend take off one leg of her pants?" Ava, who had already educated herself on this procedure, knew that the purpose of the ultrasound was to determine if the pregnancy was intrauterine or ectopic, single or multiple, and to measure the size of the gestational sac.

Cooperating, Ava began to unfasten her pants. Frank assisted, and though she felt a bit embarrassed, the difference between removing one leg or the whole garment didn't seem substantial.

After they finished, Frank calmly clarified, "She's not my girlfriend, she's my wife." The doctor glanced up at Frank, also wearing a mask, and paused for a few seconds.

Then, looking at Ava, also masked, the doctor reassured her, "There's nothing to be embarrassed about. This is a necessary part of being a mother. The more tests you undergo, the more accustomed you'll become." Speaking in a casual, almost conversational tone, the doctor seemed nonchalant, likely accustomed to such situations.

"Relax, don't be nervous. Keep your abdomen relaxed, don't tense up. Clench both your hands into fists and place them under your buttocks," the doctor instructed Ava.

Following the instructions, Ava complied. Frank, concerned about her, subtly tightened his grip to assist, but the doctor intervened, "Her position is quite standard. As a husband, you also need to relax. The two babies are both in good condition. You haven't had an ultrasound before, | assume?" Two babies? Ava didn't catch onto this detail; she merely heard the term "ultrasound" and shook her head in confirmation, "I've only had blood tests." However, Frank, squinting at the screen, couldn't help but ask, "Two?" As the doctor tidied up, the receptionist next to them was still inputting data. The doctor gestured to Frank to assist Ava in putting her pants back on. "Get dressed. It's twins. Twins are good, you get two babies while only experiencing the pain once." "Take the paperwork. Remember the follow-up checks; the doctor should have noted the schedule for each checkup," the doctor added.

Neither Ava nor Frank had fully grasped the mention of twins. Even with one child, Ava was already quite anxious; the prospect of two made Frank start to worry.

Seeing that neither of them had taken the paperwork, the doctor shook the papers abruptly, creating a jarring sound. "Speechless with surprise! Twins are rare. Take this, and take your tto accept it. Both of you seem stunned. Follow the doctor's advice." Frank regained his composure and expressed gratitude, "Thank you," taking the paperwork and guiding Ava out of the examination room.

If it weren't for the rustling of the papers, his excitement might have been less noticeable.

Internally, a myriad of emotions surged within. Excitement, surprise, concern, and anticipation, all blended together and flooded their chests, rendering them speechless.

Exiting the examination room, the two remained momentarily silent, simply locking eyes. As they gazed at each other, Ava broke into a smile. Initially planning to give birth to just one child for Frank, she was now faced with the delightful surprise of expecting twins.

The joy in her heart was unmistakable.

"Frank, do you think they'll be two boys, two girls, or perhaps a boy and a girl? Which combination do you prefer?" The old Ava might have been leaping for joy, but now she was quiet, cautious, delicately caressing her belly.

It felt so magical, as if the umbrella's numerous holes had sparked this marvel.

Frank's breath quickened, his heart pounding like a drumbeat. Gently, he pulled her into an embrace. Though they stood in a corner, they couldn't escape the glances from passersby. "Baby Ava." "Yes?" For a while, the man's heartfelt confession echoed above, his voice soft and sincere, saying, "I love you." Upon hearing this, the young girl's grip around Frank's waist tightened more and more. Internally, she felt fulfilled and amazed by herself, having sneakily engineered things and ended up expecting two children. "I love you too. Let's head home." Frank loosened his hold but encircled her waist instead, his other hand intertwined with hers. Ava felt enveloped in his chest, cocooned in a sense of security.

Back in the car, Frank meticulously fastened Ava's seatbelt, double-checking its tightness before settling back into the driver's seat. He offered reassurance, "Baby Ava, relax, don't be nervous." Ava replied confidently, "I won't be nervous with you here." In reality, Frank was just as nervous as Ava if not more. He concealed his nerves well, however, fearing that his anxiousness might affect the young girl.

His palms were sweaty on the steering wheel. Before starting the car, he glanced at the passenger seat, "Baby Ava, do you want to tell Grace?" Ava nodded, excitedly saying, "Yeah, you drive, I'll tell our moms about this." Focused on driving, Ava messaged her own mother, Emma. The text read, [Mom, we got the test results. Guess what? It's twins. We'll have two babies. | can't believe it. Are you surprised? Are you happy? it's amazing, right?] Emma had full faith in the expertise of the medical team. She texted in reply, saying, [Congratulations, Ava! Mom is thrilled. Don't worry. Stay relaxed. A good mood is essential for the babies' well-being; emotions can impact both little ones.] Ava replied, [Okay, Mom, | know. I'm not nervous now. I'll pay attention to my emotions. By the way, we're on our way back.] Emma replied, [Alright, I'll be waiting for you to return.] After sharing the surprise with her mother, Ava began searching for Grace's nin her contacts. With a smile adorning her lips, she typed, [Grace, | have sgreat news to share. We have twins!] At the stime, in Roberts Group.

Grace noticed her phone vibrating nearby. With the recent flurry of activities, she couldn't afford to miss any messages. Unlocking her phone, she saw it was from her daughter-in-law.

After reading the message, Grace lifted her head, casting a meaningful glance at William, who had an office but inexplicably frequented hers daily.

Sensing the intense gaze, William looked up, meeting Grace's puzzled expression. He asked, "What's wrong?" He hadn't made any mistakes today, or so he thought.

Grace abruptly asked, "Do your ancestors practice tarot or something?" William promptly responded, though unsure of his wife's implication. "Impossible! My ancestors were hardly fortune-tellers. Even if they were bandits, they wouldn't resort to that. Otherwise, why would we strive and work hard? We'd just make predictions and becrich." His reasoning left no room for rebuttal. Grace pressed on, her expression cracking with excitement. "Then how did you know Ava would have twins?" "Well, | was just making things up in front of Charlie. If | hadn't..." He meant he didn't want Charlie to be too proud in front of him.

However, he stopped abruptly, realizing his mistake mid-sentence. His eyes widened, and the hand holding the pen began to tremble. "Wair. What did you say? You mean Ava is pregnant, and it's twins?" His voice escalated significantly in the second half of the sentence, filled with intense excitement.

He had a pleading look in his eyes as he looked for Grace's confirmation.

Seeing William on the verge of bafflement, Grace nodded in affirmation.

In the next moment, William was about to grab his phone, halted by a stern look from Grace. "William, guess what? | advise you to calm down. Ava is already kind of anxious. She is afraid of losing the baby by accident. If you want to show off, you'd better give up this idea." With Grace's warning, William set down his phone. "I forgot, forgot. | almost wanted to share with Charlie in excitement. Oh right, | see. | won't say anything for now." After a moment, William calmed down a little bit, He found it peculiar. "When Rose was pregnant, she never worried about losing the baby. | even noticed Edward always seemed anxious, fearing something might happen to the child in Rose's womb. Ava has a cheerful personality, so why does she keep thinking about this?" Meanwhile, Grace was typing on her phone, [It must be hard for you to have two babies in your belly, Ava. Mom is very happy to have an additional daughter like you. Let Frank handle things in Sapphire City for the wedding; I'll help with the arrangements. If there's anything you'd like to add, just text me. It's your wedding. We will definitely hold it the way you want.] After sending the message, Grace finally responded to William's query. "Ava may be outgoing, but she's still young, lacking in experience. Plus, it's her first pregnancy; there's always a sense of uncertainty and nervousness." Ava also messaged her sister, informing her of the test result, telling her that she actually was pregnant with twins.

With the imminent reopening of Ava's school the following day, Joseph meticulously organized for a female companion to accompany her, all despite Frank's earnest offer to take her himself. However, despite Frank's willingness to provide support, there remained a practical hiccup: the inconvenience of Frank, being male, entering the girls' restroom. This consideration prompted Joseph's thoughtful arrangement, ensuring Ava's comfort and ease during her return to school while balancing the boundaries of propriety and practicality.