The Problem with Dreams

Chapter 66 - The Appointment

Mildred Abernathy's prediction from the night before turned out to be absolutely right, for despite their late bedtime, Greg and Susan were up again by six the next morning. They talked together as they got themselves ready to leave for Susan's emergency appointment with Dr. Daniels.

"Did you sleep at all?" Greg asked his wife as she dressed in comfortable maternity clothes.

"Not much. I dosed some, but I couldn't push past what this might mean," Susan told him.

"I know what you mean. I didn't sleep much either. I kept thinking about all those things your mother told me, about the times you've been pregnant before," Greg told her. "I never properly realized before just how much you've been through."

Susan nodded. "I didn't really want her to tell you all that, but I suppose it's better for you to know. As difficult pregnancies go though, this one's gone better than most I've had," she soothed.

"How so?" Greg wanted to know.

"I'm at thirty plus weeks," Susan said, "and this is the first sign of trouble. With Zackary it happened much earlier."

"How much earlier?" Greg asked.

"More than a month earlier. I think I was at twenty five weeks when the doctor first picked it up. I remember doubting I'd ever get this far ... thirty-one weeks felt like an unobtainable goal with Zack ... and yet here we are, less than ten weeks from term, and this is the first sign of trouble," Susan said optimistically.

Greg looked at her in dismay but he didn't voice his concerns aloud. Instead all he said was,

"Let's have breakfast. We have to be there in just under an hour."

"Yes," Susan said and she hurried to the breakfast table.

"Good morning, Susan, Greg." Mrs. Abernathy was already up with the coffee brewing, laying the table for a quick breakfast.

"Good morning, Mom," Susan said as she kissed her cheek.

"How are you?" she asked.

"I feel fine, completely normal. My blood pressure is normal, I'm just a bit wetter than I should be," Susan explained. "So the doctor wants to see me right away."

"It's good you called him," her mother said approvingly as they both sat down. "You can never be too careful with these things."

"I know," Susan said soberly.

Breakfast didn't take them long. They took time to brush their teeth and were on their way, down the hillside, through the canyon and out onto the boulevard in Malibu, so close to Richard and Marion's house.

"Do you know when they'll be back?" Susan asked her husband as she looked wistfully in the direction of their friend's house.

"This Saturday, I think," Greg said. "Marion's mother wouldn't hear of them leaving any sooner. I think she feels they have deprived her of her grandchildren by not coming sooner, so she's insisted they stay longer."

"She did come for a visit when the twins were born," Susan recalled.

"She did, but she wasn't able to stay long. We're here, Susan," Greg announced as they pulled into the parking lot in front of the doctor's office.

Susan nodded. Her throat was growing dry. Part of her really didn't want to know. Part wanted to continue pretending everything was fine ... even though she knew that for her, it rarely was. She smiled weakly at Greg as they got out and walked into the office together.

c

Susan was immediately shown to an exam room and asked to change while Greg was busy answering questions. Dr. Daniel's arrived before they were finished, and the doctor asked Greg to accompany him into the exam room.