A Sense of Unease

Ashley sat on the couch, her 28-week-pregnant belly jutting out in front of her as she stroked it gently, waiting for the familiar kicks and jabs of her baby. But as the minutes ticked by, she started to feel a growing sense of unease. It had been hours since she'd last felt the baby move. She tried to recall the last time she'd felt those reassuring kicks, but her mind was a blank. Avan, sitting next to her, noticed her concern. "Hey, what's wrong?" he asked, putting a hand on her shoulder. "I haven't felt the baby move all day," Ashley said, her voice laced with worry. At first, she had dismissed it as the baby sleeping, but as the day wore on, her concern grew. She had been feeling the baby's movements regularly since Ender's excitement about becoming a big brother had started to wane, and now the sudden absence of those movements was unsettling. Avan's expression turned serious. "Let's go to the doctor," he said, already getting up from the couch. At the doctor's office, Ashley was ushered into an exam room, where she was greeted by a friendly nurse. "Let's take a look," the nurse said, applying a gel to Ashley's belly and pressing the ultrasound wand against her skin. The monitor flickered to life, displaying a grainy image of the baby. But as Ashley looked at the screen, her heart sank. The baby wasn't moving. The nurse and the doctor exchanged a concerned glance. "Let's run some tests," the doctor said, her voice calm but serious. The tests confirmed Ashley's worst fears: the baby's movements had slowed significantly, and the doctor was worried about the baby's well-being. Ashley felt a wave of panic wash over her as the doctor explained that they needed to monitor the baby's movements and possibly induce labor if the situation didn't improve. As they left the doctor's office, Avan put his arm around Ashley, holding her close. "We'll get through this," he said, trying to reassure her. But Ashley couldn't shake off the feeling of unease that had settled in her stomach. What was happening to her baby? That night, as they lay in bed, Ashley couldn't sleep, her mind racing with worst-case scenarios. She reached out for Avan's hand, her fingers intertwining with his. "What if something's wrong with the baby?" she whispered. Avan squeezed her hand. "We'll face it together," he said. "We'll do everything we can to make sure the baby is healthy and safe." But as they lay there in the darkness, Ashley couldn't shake off the feeling that their lives were about to change in ways they couldn't even imagine.