Into the Ether - Complete

Spring, When New Things Grow: Part 2

"This will be cold Miss Hathaway," the Obstetrician warned, squirting gel onto my lower stomach. He'd already done a physical examination, including an internal exam. Not the most pleasant experience, particularly given the doctor seemed to be disapproving of my situation. I wonder what Dr. Olendzki had told him? "Do we need to wait for the father before we proceed to see if your baby is viable?" he said, the faintest hint of a sneer in his voice. It was so slight; I wondered whether I'd imagined it.

"That won't be necessary, thank you, doctor," Celeste said immediately in an unambiguously frosty tone of voice. "My brother is currently deployed overseas. As he's unable to be here, I'm here to support Rose."

You could see the Dr. stiffen with the subtle rebuke.

"That must be difficult for you all," he murmured.

I nodded. "Can you please...?" I said looking at my stomach. I just wanted to know whether our baby was ok.

Celeste grasped my hand, and the Obstetrician moved the wand across my skin, pressing harder than I expected. He was moving it up and down and then started fiddling with the machine. I didn't dare look at the monitor until I heard a whoosh whoosh whoosh sound. The most beautiful sound in the world, I recognized it instantly. It was the sound of my baby's heart beating! My eyes flicked open, and I looked at the screen. I could see the outline of what was unmistakably a baby. Junior.

The sight was unbelievably moving. My miracle baby was there, and for the first time, I could see it. My eyes looking at the screen in wonder, I could see its arms and legs and even movement as it repositioned itself unfelt inside me.

"It's good news. Your baby is alive, and that's its heartbeat. I'll need to check out the placenta and blood flow, but it's looking good. I still want you on bed rest and observation for a week, but for now baby looks fine."

I looked to Celeste and burst into tears. Alberta came in at just that moment. She'd been outside taking care of all the paperwork. It turns out the Academy had insurance for all their students, so the medical expenses were going to be covered.

"Oh no!" she gasped, misunderstanding my tears.

"No – it's ok! Can you show us again?"

Alberta stood at the head of the bed and stroked my hair while the Obstetrician placed the wand on my belly a second time. The beautiful sound of Junior's heart beating filled the room. I looked up at Alberta and smiled.

"Oh, Rose! That's wonderful!" she grinned.

"I need to take some measurements now," the Obstetrician advised. "Would you like me to talk you through it? I can record the ultrasound on disk too if you'd like? So you can send it to the father?"

"Yes, please!" I said, unable to wipe the smile and tears from my face. The Obstetrician wasn't to know I had no idea where to send the disk – but I would keep it in the hope I'd be able to play it for Dimitri one day.

For the next twenty minutes, the Obstetrician measured the head, legs, heart, abdomen and pretty much everywhere else on Junior. He pointed out the heart, kidneys, bladder and other body structures as well as measuring blood flow in the heart and even in the umbilical cord. Celeste, Alberta and I were all staring at the screen, listening carefully to what the Obstetrician was explaining to us.

"Hmm..." the Obstetrician muttered at one point.

"What?" I asked, instantly alarmed.

"Well everything is on track, but the baby is quite long," he said.