“Well, I guarantee that you’re in safe hands with me. Now, why don’t you hop up on the table so that I can examine you?” She closed the file and stood, tucking her long highlighted blonde tresses behind her ear as she moved closer to the bed that was hidden behind the curtain. Pushing up the sleeves of her cashmere sweater, she pulled some rubber gloves from a little box on the wall and snapped them on.
I gulped and moved to sit on the bed.
“Sorry, but you need to...” She nodded to my underwear.
Cringing, I undressed and laid back, praying that everything with the baby was alright.
A vertical crease appeared between her brows as she pressed my stomach.
“Does this hurt?”
I shook my head.
“How’s this?”
“No.”
“This?”
I nearly jumped through the roof.
“That’s it!” I winced.
“Hmmm.”
Okay, what did Hmmm mean? Was it good, like Hmmm, that’s nothing to worry about, or was it bad, like Hmmm, that’s the end of that!
I bit my lip and swallowed down my panic.
“Alright.” She pulled off the gloves and disposed of them in a bin. “You can get dressed now.”
Sitting up, the pain subsided.
“So, what’s the verdict?” I asked, my voice shaky even to my own ears.
“Everything seems just the way it should be.”
“Really?” I jumped from the bed and my knees started to shake as relief took hold of me.
“Yes. Take a seat and I’ll explain what I think is happening.”
I was grateful for the chair as I was unsure if my legs would continue to hold me up.
“There’s a lot of changes in this stage of pregnancy. The womb is expanding, ligaments are stretching, and everything is just softening up. All of which is contributing to what you’re feeling. However, I believe most of your pain is wind pain.”
“Pardon?” I asked, heat flushing my cheeks.
“You need to pass wind.”
“Oh. So, I’m not losing the baby?”
“No. It’s perfectly safe and well. We will need to get some blood tests done, but they’re routine and nothing to concern yourself with. Until then I need a list of what you’ve been eating.”
“I’ve been trying to eat only healthy foods. I’ve upped my intake of fruit and vegetables and have cut out all sugar.” Except for the muffin I had this morning and the biscuit I had last night, but it was stress related and didn’t count. Right?
“All very good. However, just cut back a bit on the fiber. I think you’re consuming far too much of it.”
****
Well that was embarrassing in more ways than one.
Danny and Andrew stood as I approached. Danny was repeatedly clasping his hands tight at his side, as Andrew frowned, worry oozing from his every pore.
“What happened?” Danny asked before I could even open my mouth. “Are you losing the baby? Are you okay? You’re not dying, are you?”
“Give her a chance to breathe.”
I gave Andrew a grateful smile, and looked for the exits, wondering if there was a way out of this where I could still keep my dignity intact.
“I’m fine. The baby’s fine.”
Andrew’s shoulder relaxed and Danny let out a huge breath.
“So, what were the pains about?” Danny asked.
“Ummm, nothing to worry about,” I reiterated.
“But something must have caused it. Is there any future danger to the baby?”
“Danny, we’re both fine.” I pushed my shoulders back and smiled at the receptionist, whose name tag read Adele.
The crinkles around her eyes deepened behind her dark rimmed glasses as she smiled back at me and slid an invoice across the counter. I read it and wondered if my sudden chest pains were actually a heart attack. My hand shook as I handed her my credit card.
“Don’t worry too much dear,” she said sweetly. “You’ll be surprised how much your private health insurance will cover.”
Adele had the same piercing green eyes as Doctor Jensen and I figured she was the mother in the mother/daughter working team.
“You were in there a long time,” Danny pushed. “What were you doing? And what’s all this?” He took the pile of paperwork the doctor had given me regarding nutrition and started to flick through it as my credit card was swiped through the machine.
“We just discussed my medical history, this pregnancy and what to expect with future visits.” I didn’t add that as I’d just had my thirty fifth birthday, I was considered a geriatric mother. That had been a hard fact to swallow and one that Danny would tease me about forever.
“Something is wrong! I know that look Molly, and I know when you’re hiding something from me. And look at this list of tests you have to have done!” Danny squealed and I wondered where his testicles had gone.
“Nothing is wrong! The tests are routine, and I just had, well...”
Andrew touched my shoulder. “You can tell us anything. You know that we’re here for you.”
I let out a breath and hissed, “I had wind, alright? It was wind.”
Danny’s shoulders slumped along with his bottom lip. “So, all this because you needed to far...”
“Yes!” I cut him off before he could finish his sentence.
Andrew’s grin was huge and matched Danny’s outburst in its wattage.
“You’re kidding me!”
“Danny, let’s just be grateful that Molly and the baby are okay.”
He huffed. “Sure. But remind me not to find myself in a confined space with her. You just never know when that’s going to blow.”
****
The week went by in a bit of a blur. Thankfully my stomach pains had subsided since I’d given up Brussels sprouts, but that cramping had just moved to my heart whenever I thought about Matt.
Other than a quick reply he sent me letting me know that he made it safely, the radio waves between us were silent. I tried not to worry about the lack of communication, but it was difficult. Matt and I usually chatted several times a day and to not hear his voice was causing the crack in my heart to deepen.
“Ow!” I cried as Danny dug his fingers into my scalp as he washed the organic shampoo from my hair. It was Thursday evening and the salon was closed, but Danny had promised me that he would pamper me by doing my hair.
“Hush! You’ll have Andrew thinking I’m hurting you.”
“You are hurting me!”
He stopped mid massage. “Do you want to do this yourself?”
“No.” Maybe.
“Good. Then be quiet.”
I bit back a retort and winced.
“Have you heard from Lizzie today?” I asked, hoping a change of topic would make me forget the pain he was inflicting. “I meant to phone her but got caught up with some editing.”
“She called earlier. You heard that policeman who was guarding her was attacked, right?”
What? I jolted up straight and water ran down the back of my neck. “What happened?”
Lizzie had been having a terrible time since her stalker had been released from jail.