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“Uh, yeah.”
“And your alcohol intake?”
“I’m eighteen,” I replied with a shrug. “When I went out, it was a matter of go hard or go home.”
“And during this pregnancy?”
“God no,” I spluttered. “I would never knowingly drink while I’m pregnant.”
“And baby’s father?”
“No.” My palms began to sweat. “He’s not a big drinker.”
“What about birth control?”
“I was on the pill,” I explained. “Obviously, I stopped taking it once I found out.”
“Do you use condoms?”
“No.”
“Any vitamins and supplements?”
“I’ve been taking folic acid and these multivitamins for pregnancy that my mam bought in the chemist.”
“What about recreational drug use?”
Oh Jesus, here we go.
“I’ve never taken anything stronger than a paracetamol in my life.”
“Uh-huh,” she replied, scribbling down everything I told her in my folder. “And your partner?”
I hesitated.
“I’m not here to judge, Aoife,” she said, noticing my reluctance. “Everything I’m asking is for the benefit of your baby.” Her eyes were warm and full of kindness when she said, “It’s all in confidence.”
“He’s fine,” I squeezed out, heart hammering wildly in my chest. “I mean…yeah, he dabbled a little in the past, but he’s fine now.”
“And when you say he dabbled?”
I shrugged, unable to get my voice to comply because talking meant betraying him, and my heart strings refused point-blank to do that.
“Aoife, if there’s a pattern of drug abuse in”—she paused to glance at her notes before adding—“Joey’s history, then that’s necessary information for your unborn baby.”
“A little weed,” I finally came out with, deciding that weed was the lesser of evils in this instance. “But like I said, he’s fine now.”
“Okay.” Setting my folder down on the chair beside her, she leaned forward and rested her elbows on her knees. “I’m going to ask you some questions, and I want you to be completely transparent with me.”
“Okay.”
“Does your partner have a history of alcohol or substance abuse?”
“No, I already told you that he’s not a big drinker.”
“Aside from marijuana, does your partner consume other illegal substances?” she pushed. “Substances that could put you at risk?”
“Like what?”
