Laura P.O.V.
Helena is bringing me back to the clinic for the third time. I doubt they will find anything, but who knows. Mum is trying to be positive, but I can tell she is just trying to put on a brave face so I don't panic. We arrive at the clinic and I fill out the paperwork. I'm called into the exam room a little while later with mum following me. The doctor from before is treating me again. She says "So Laura your symptoms haven't subsided?" "No." I reply. "we are going to run some tests. We are going to take blood and run an ultrasound." I nod my head and the doctor pricks my arm. I squeeze mum's hand. When the doctor is done she says "we should get results on your blood work by tomorrow. We are just going to run an ultrasound." I nod my head at mum and we follow the doctor into another exam room. I lay on the table with mum sitting in a chair next to me holding my hand and rubbing gentle circles on the back. While the doctor is setting up I look at mum and say "What if something is really wrong with me?" my eyes filling with tears. I notice mum has tears in her eyes, but I know she is trying to be strong for me. "Don't worry Laura you are going to be okay, I promise." she says kissing my forehead. The doctor squirts gel onto my stomach which is really cold and I shiver, which causes mum to giggle. The doctor applies pressure, pressing the probe to my stomach. I can see what looks like a baby on the screen, but I know right away, the baby isn't alive. The doctor is trying to find a heartbeat and one can't be heard. I can feel my eyes filling with tears and they are flowing silently down my face. "I'm sorry Laura, the baby has no heartbeat." the doctor tells me confirming what I already knew. I look at mum and can see she is crying too. Through her tears mum asks "So what do we do now?" "The best thing to do is to deliver the baby by c-section so it doesn't cause any damage. Once the baby is delivered we will give you as much time as you need." the doctor says looking at me. I nod my head tears flowing like a waterfall down my face. "I'll give you two a minute." the doctor says, leaving and closing the door behind her. I look at mum and can tell she is hurting for me. "Sweetheart I'm so sorry." she says. I sit up and hug her and cry on her shoulder. "What am I going to tell Tom?" I ask worried. "Don't worry sweetheart, I'll tell him." mum says. "He's going to hate me." I say, my eyes refilling with tears. "No he won't sweetheart, he might be angry and hurt, but he won't hate you." she tells me. I let the waterfall of tears continue as I cry on her shoulder.
A little while later I'm being wheeled into the OR with mum at my side. I'm afraid and mum is doing her best to try to calm me down, but its not working. I'm wheeled into the OR and am prepped while mum sits in a chair next to me, encouraging me. I can feel a new waterfall of tears flowing silently down my face. I suddenly hear a tiny yelp and then nothing. After about ten minutes the doctor hands mum a tiny pink bundle. I look for the first time at my beautiful little girl. The tears continue to flow as I am wheeled into a recovery room with mum at my side. She hasn't let go of the baby since the doctor handed her to her. Once I'm settled in mum gets a text on her phone. "Tom is here. I'll tell him before he sees you." she says. I nod my head as she hands me my daughter, I look at her and realize for the first time she had a little bit of hair on her head. I look up and see Tom and mum standing in the doorway. I avoid looking at Tom out of fear. Tom sits next to the bed and says "Laura look at me please." I slowly turn my head afraid of what he will say. "I'm so sorry." he says. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you, I didn't want to get your hopes up." I say. "Not to be rude, but we still need a name for this little peanut." Mum says, smiling for the first time today, "What about Mercy Grace." I say, looking at her and then at Tom and mum. "Its perfect." Tom says, mum nods her head in agreement. I look up and see the doctor standing in the doorway with a box in her hands. "Sorry for interrupting, I just wanted to see how our patient was doing?" "Okay." I say. "Do we have a name for the little peanut?" she asks. "Mercy Grace Felton." I tell her. "Beautiful." the doctor says, "I'll be right back." she then leaves the room and when she returns she is putting the lid back on the box. She hands me the box. I hand Mercy to Tom and I open the box. In the box there is a birth certificate with her name, weight, measurements, along with a tape measure, a pink hat and blanket and a card that says "Its a girl" with her name on it. I look up at the doctor with tears going down my face. "Thank you so much." I say, "You're welcome Laura and I'm sorry." she says, leaving us alone again. We then take a bunch of photos with her before we say our final goodbyes.
