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The doctor smiled at me. She was the OB-GYN used by the women in the Società, so she would be used to dealing with Made Men, yet she still looked grateful for my intervention. Made Men were notoriously demanding and difficult to handle.
“Normally, the baby will take what it needs first from the mother’s body, which is probably why Jessica is losing weight. Women often lose weight when they have morning sickness—the body prioritizes the baby’s nutrition, therefore the baby will normally still get enough nutrients. However, we will just check on it to make sure everything is going as it should. We’ll run bloodwork and also do a scan today.”
“We’ll get to see the baby?” I asked excitedly. “But the baby hasn’t reached twelve weeks yet.”
“Yes, we’ll be able to see the baby,” smiled the doctor. “We have to do the scan slightly different at the pre-twelve-week stage. Instead of using an ultrasound sensor over your stomach, I will have to use an internal probe, however, it won’t be painful. The baby will be tiny, although we will be able to see it in the womb.”
I looked at Rafael and I could see he was just as eager as me to see our baby. Suddenly my morning sickness was forgotten and I perked up, and although my stomach was fluttering, it was with butterflies of excitement.
My blood was taken and although I normally hated needles, today I was keen to have the blood taken so that we could get to the scan.
Once the blood draws were complete, the doctor asked me to change into a gown behind a screen. I practically ripped my clothes off and flung them to the side as I hurriedly changed into the unbecoming blue paper gown.
Coming out from behind the screen, the doctor asked me to lie back on the examination table and got her equipment ready. As the doctor conducted the scan, Rafael held my hand as we looked in anticipation at the monitor screen.
An image of my womb and the tiny baby moving around in it came up on the monitor. I gasped, lost for words at the sight of the tiny human being growing inside me.
“It’s quite active inside you by the look of it,” Rafael said, as he looked down and smiled lovingly at me.
I giggled with him as we watched, captivated by the image on the monitor.
My eyes flicked to the doctor, and I noticed she had a serious expression on her face. “What’s wrong, doctor?” I tried to keep my voice steady.
“It’s nothing to worry about.”
Rafael’s expression became deadly serious. “Doctor, if there are any issues I want to know—don’t sugarcoat it.”
Dr. Chiara looked from my file to me. “The baby’s fine and is healthy.”
I knew there was something wrong. “What is it, doctor? What is it then? Why are you concerned?”
“Perhaps I should speak to Jessica alone,” the doctor announced.
“Why?” demanded Rafael.
“Jessica is my patient, and my duty is to her.”
“You are a Società doctor,” said Rafael in a low voice. “Your duties are to the Santino family and that includes me.”
“Mr. Santino, you know as well as I do how the doctor-patient relationship works under law. I really have to insist that I talk to Jessica in private.”
“To hell with the law. The Società makes its own rules—including what we do to people who aren’t loyal to us.”
I intervened then. “Doctor, it’s okay. Anything you need to say to me can be said in front of Rafael.”
“Mr. and Mrs. Santino, I really would prefer to speak to Jessica—
“Doctor, please,” I said. “I want Rafael to hear whatever you have to say.”
The doctor looked doubtfully at me, but she could tell that I wouldn’t be persuaded otherwise.
“It’s just…” The doctor looked uncomfortable and tailed off.
“For God’s sake, doctor, just spit it out.” Rafael was almost out of patience.
The doctor looked at me. “You were married eleven weeks ago, correct?”
“Yes, that’s right,” I answered. “You were at our wedding yourself.” Dr. Chiara was always invited to Società weddings, and she loved seeing all the children that she had delivered over the last few years.
