The receptionist welcomes me with a smile and directs me to the examination room, where the doctor is already waiting. Silver glints in her otherwise dark bob, but instead of making her appear older, it makes her look experienced and authoritative.
“How are you feeling?” she asks after some pleasantries.
“Fine, actually. No morning sickness or anything.”
“Excellent. No mood swings?” she says.
“Maybe a little? I don’t know.” I let out a hollow, overwhelmed laugh. “There are so many things happening right now with my job, the wedding… Everything.”My baby’s father doesn’t really seem to care about any of it, regardless of what he says. Actions count more than words. I just want to hide somewhere and cry for a while. Except I’m hardly ever left alone. Huxley moved me into his house and put a team of guards on me, and Tilda isalwaysaround. She said Huxley asked her to stay with me until he returns.What a lucky girl you are to have such a solicitous fiancé!the glint in her eyes said. But I know better. He probably wants to make sure I don’t do anything he won’t like, such as inviting Adam over.
The only positive thing about being at Huxley’s place is that Nelson and his family can’t just come over and harass me. Mick tucked tail and slunk away, but he doesn’t have the patience to lie low for long. His ego demands he gets the outcome he “deserves,” and that means he’s going to put me in what he deems to be my place.
Dr. Silverman’s face softens with sympathy. “You have a lot going on, including all the hormones surging and your body changing. Don’t be so hard on yourself. You’re doing the best you can, given the circumstances. And don’t be afraid to ask forhelp, or take time off to get sufficient rest. A lot of women simply don’t ask because they’re afraid of imposing, but if we don’t ask, nobody’s going to know to offer. That includes the baby’s father.”
I nod, not bothering to share that Ididask, and Huxley made it clear he was only interested in providing monetary support for the life in my womb. “I understand.”
She asks a few more questions, makes notes. She records my weight and blood pressure. Then she has me lie down for the ultrasound.
The black-and-white image is still a big mystery to me, but she has no problem pinpointing the baby or measuring its length. “Here it is. It’s about the size of a large blueberry. Isn’t it adorable?”
I blink at it, a feeling of awe replacing my blue mood. The fetus is tiny on the screen, but even smaller in reality. How it will become a baby I can hold in my arms in a few months is a miracle.
She turns to smile at me. “Ready to hear the heartbeat?”
I nod with a grin.
“Want to record it? I can send it to you so you can forward it to your fiancé, parents, grandparents and anybody else who might be interested.”
Dr. Silverman’s offer breaks my heart. Huxley won’t bother listening, and Nelson and Andreas won’t be interested, either. But my mother… Hearing her grandchild’s heartbeat might help her recover faster. I pray the miraculous life growing inside my belly will help Mom wake up.
“Sure. My mom would love that.” I smile wanly.
“Okay.” Dr. Silverman taps a couple of buttons on her equipment control. “This helps us hear the heartbeat,” she explains as she puts a wand over my belly.
Suddenly the rapid whooshing sound fills the room. “Oh my God,” I say, a hand over my mouth. My eyes grow hot with tears as an inexplicable surge of emotion takes my breath away.
The door to the room suddenly opens. “What did I miss?” Adam appears, his hair slightly disheveled and tie askew.
“Adam!” I say, then start laughing with joy that he came as he steps forward and holds my outstretched hand. I didn’t realize until now how much I wanted someone who cares to share this moment with. Although Mom will hear the recording later, it won’t be the same with her being so far away and unable to hug, laugh and cry with me. “You’re here.”
“Sorry I’m late. The deposition ran later than I expected.” He takes my hand and keeps holding it as he pulls a chair over and sits down.
The doctor looks pleased as she watches us. “Perfect. You’re just in time. Hear that? That’s the heartbeat.”
“First time hearing it,” I add.
“Wow! A strong baby.” Adam smiles, looking at me.
“I know.”
Dr. Silverman lets us listen for a few more moments, then she turns to him. “I’m glad you could be part of this. It’s important for the father to start bonding with the baby as early as possible.”
The tips of Adam’s ears turn red. He runs a hand down his face as he glances at me.
“He’s just a good friend,” I explain softly. “He offered to be here because my fiancé is out of the country.”The baby isn’t on his priority list.
Sympathy crosses Dr. Silverman’s face. “I see. Well. I just sent you the recording, so…”
“Thank you.” I hope a forced smile can hide the burning sensation in my gut. Right now, I couldn’t hate Huxley more for making my baby an object of pity.
