Different Is Good

Chapter thirteen

As Stevie sat in the waiting room at the doctor's office, her nerves were getting the best of her. She could feel Lindsey looking at her as she got into the car. He was sad, she couldn't look at him. That played on her mind more than she would like. His tears, the look in his eyes...

"Stephanie Nicks" a nurse called, shaking Stevie from her thoughts.
Barbara stood and tugged Stevie along, following the older nurse into the exam room, "Change into the gown and a doctor will be with you shortly," the nurse left the room, Stevie turning to Barbara.

"Why do I need to change into a hospital gown?"
"They have to check you, dear." Barbara said and Stevie blushed a deep crimson. "Come on, you can't be shy. At some point, the baby is going to have to come out. Despite what we're told, we aren't brought by the stork."
"Mom..." Stevie said nervously, "I don't want to do that...."

"You have to, Tee. That's a part of having a baby. The doctor needs to make sure that everything is perfect."
Stevie looked at her mother and knew she was right. "Okay"

"I will be right outside the door so you can have some privacy."

Stevie nodded, turning around to change as her mother left.
"Mama, can you stay in here with me? I'm dressed now..." Stevie called out, Barbara opening the door seconds later with the Doctor trailing behind her. Stevie gulped at the instruments that there wheeled in... to her the looked like torture devices
"Are we ready?" The Doctor asked. Stevie nodded, terrified. "Lie back on the table for me. I will bring up this sheet so you can lift your gown to your bust." Stevie looked toward her mother who nodded encouragingly.
"Will this hurt?" Stevie bit her lip, laying back on the table and pulling up her gown.

"Not one bit!" He smiled cheerfully
He felt around her belly and though it was uncomfortable, it wasn't painful. She was able to relax. "Well, you feel right on track."

"What does that mean?" Stevie asked.

"When you're about 12 weeks, the uterus grows to around the size of a grapefruit. It will then start to grow up and out of the pelvis and into the abdominal cavity" She looked confused and he smiled. "Your baby is very healthy and you have nothing to worry about."
Stevie smiled brightly, "Thank you!"

"Right, pelvic exam or ultrasound next?" The doctor asked not wanting to feel u comfortable

"I would suggest the exam first," Barbara whispered to her daughter

"Okay...exam first..." Stevie said quietly
The doctor sat on the small stool and Stevie's feet were placed in stirrups. Barbara kept her distracted while the exam was going on but she could tell by the look on her daughter's face that she was nervous.
"Stephanie, I need you to relax for me. Take a few deep breaths," The doctor instructed. Stevie closed her eyes and inhaled deeply before releasing it, not feeling any more relaxed
"All done" he said, releasing her legs form the stirrups. "How are we?"
the doctor asked and Stevie managed a small smile. "Good."

"Am I healthy?"

"Yes, yes. You're going to be just fine."

"And as far as travel, are there any concerns?" Barbara asked.
"Not any they I can think of, she seems absolutely fine." The Doctor smiled happily, "Let's take a look at baby, shall we?"
Stevie grew excited, smiling at her mother who stood by her side.

"We didn't have things like this with you or your brother." Barbara smiled as well, taking her daughter's hand.
"Then we get to do this for the first time together," Stevie chuckled, wincing as the Doctor squirted the cold gel onto her stomach
"Does it hurt?" Barbara asked, seeing her wince.

"No, it's just really cold..."
The doctor began his exam and Stevie waited eagerly to see the screen. It was a brand new technology and though the image was just a silhouette, she was dying to see what her baby looked like.

"Ready?" The doctor asked.

"Yes!" Stevie exclaimed.
He pressed the transducer onto her stomach, Stevie worried that he was hurting the baby, the doctor assured her that he was not. "See that?" The Doctor pointed to a fair sized spot on the screen, "That's your baby."
"My baby, that's..." Tears welled up in Stevie's eyes. She looked up at her mother and realized she was in tears as well.

"Oh, Tee!" Barbara said, looking at the imagine on the screen.
"Everything is measuring perfectly, would you like to hear the heartbeat?" The doctor asked her

"You can do that these days?" Barbara gasped
"Of course. We can do a lot of incredible things now."

Stevie nodded eagerly. "I'd love to hear the heartbeat."
Stevie watched as he reached over and flipped a switch...a fast pace thump rang out and Stevie immediately gasped, "That's it? That's the heart beat?"
"That's it." The Doctor smiled.

"It's so fast!"

"It is. A baby's heartbeat is fast but then, as the baby grows up, the rate will slow to something around the same pace as your own."

"Wow..." she said dreamily. The Doctor handed her tissue to wipe the gel from her stomach and she fell silent. Her mind was swimming with thoughts and ideas.
"Would you like some pictures?" The Doctor smiled softly, knowing that with Stevie being so young this was not an easy thing to go through. He admired her for being so positive.
"Yes please." She knew she would send Lindsey one in her first letter to him once she got to school and settled in.
The doctor prescribed her prenatal vitamins which her mother described as horse pills, "Lovely," Stevie said sarcastically
"They're important so no matter how unpleasant they may be, it will be worth it for the health of the baby, right?"

"Right." Stevie agreed. Leaving the building, Stevie was both nervous and excited. She was happy the baby was doing well but scared about going to Texas where she had no friends or family. She would be alone for the first time.
"Lets go, Tee," Barbara placed her hand on Stevie's back as she led her out to the car.
Stevie opened the car door and got inside, staring out the window as they made their way down the road. The drive was quiet and Barbara knew she was anxious.

"Stevie, would you like to see if we can stop for ice cream on the way down to Dallas?"

"No...I'm okay," she said quietly, staring out the window. The further they're drive from Lindsey the more her heart ached.

"Are you sure?"

"I just want to get to Dallas..."

"Honey, I know it's hard."

"I don't want to talk about it. I'm kind of tired." Stevie laid her head on the window, pulling her jacket around her.
Barbara sighed and looked over at Jess, praying that things would be different and Stevie would perk up...