It's always been you

Chapter 44 - The Aftermath

LUCY POV

We had buried Oliver a week ago. When the burial was done, we'd gone back in go the house where I told our families I was having Ollie's baby. As expected no one cheered or congratulated me. Sarah wept into Richards chest as he stared at me in what looked like horror. My dad held me as my brother held mum.  Nikki's hand flew to her mouth and she looked like she might be sick. Camille turned to Joe who of course had known since the night Oliver died. "Joe you're not surprised?" He hesitated before I nodded at him indicating it was ok for him to tell them. "I've know for two weeks. She told me the night Ol-.....on that night."

Joe still hadn't gone back to the flat he shared with Nikki and Camille. He stayed with me every night, Camille sometimes staying with him. He was there for every bout of morning sickness, got me what ever food I was craving, and took Freddie for several walks a day.

Freddie had changed. Mine and Ollie's sweet and excitable dog that would constantly get the zoomies had become a quiet boy. Rarely leaving my side. He'd lie with me, the silence only occasionally punctuated by a deep sigh from him.

Here I was 14 weeks pregnant and about to go to an appointment with my obstetrician. Alone. I started thinking back to my first ultrasound that Ollie joined me for.

FLASHBACK

"Harris let's go or we'll be late!" "Olls the appointment isn't for another hour!" "LET'S GO!"  He was ridiculously excited. I was having my first ultrasound today and Ollie had managed to get the day off from filming to be there with me.

As I pulled on my jacket and bent down to pick up my shoes he stopped me. "Whoa whoa whoa what're you doing?!" "Putting my shoes on? What's it look like?" "Isn't that dangerous?" I snorted at him and said "you're joking aren't you?" He just raised his eyebrows at me. "Ollie. I'm not made of glass. I won't break because I bent over to pick up my shoes."

He kept his eyebrows raised and led me to the couch forcing me to sit down, before picking up my shoes and tying them on to my feet for me, ending each one with a kiss to my leg before he leant up and planted one on my mouth.

"From now on Sweetheart I'll be your shoe boy." I laughed at him as he led me to the car and we drove to the private hospital. When we'd checked in with the receptionist and were waiting for my name to be called I glanced around the room and saw all these women in different stages of pregnancy.

My heart began to flutter at the thought that pretty soon I'd be starting to show and Ollie would hopefully be able to feel some kicks. "Lucy Blake!" My name was called and Ollie leapt to his feet before reaching for my hand. The obstetrician met us in a darkened room and guided me to lie on the examination table and asked me to push my shirt up over my belly.

"Is this your first?" "It is. For both of us." "Congratulations! That's so exciting! Oh I just realised who you are Oliver." Ollie's face fell. "Oh please don't worry. Your privacy is of the utmost importance. Won't tell a soul I promise. You're also newlyweds! Congratulations on the wedding!" Ollie and I grinned at each other. We liked this doctor. "Thank you! We honestly weren't expecting to fall pregnant this quickly after I went off birth control. We think it's a honeymoon baby." "Well let's have a look shall we and we'll see how big this little peanut is." "Doctor Jackson?" "Please call me Kate. I prefer a more informal approach with my patients." "Kate, will we see or hear the heartbeat today?" "Depends on how big the foetus is. Based on the information about your last period you think you're about 7 weeks?" "I think so yes." "Then it's unlikely there'll be a noticeable heartbeat yet. But I'll know more once I start the ultrasound."

Kate squirted the gel on to my belly and I flinched at the feeling of the cold goo. "Sorry. Feels awful I know. I've got three kids of my own and I never got used to it either." She began moving the wand over my still flat stomach and then stopped all of a sudden. A smile grew on her face and she said "hello baby." She pointed at the screen and said "see that tiny little flutter there? That's your baby's heartbeat."