Child (Ish) Dreams

Chapter Fourteen

Sapphire was up early the next morning. She tidied around the already tidy area, made breakfast and ate that before cleaning away the dishes. She then sat down on the sofa and waited. She couldn't watch television. She couldn't sit still for long either. She paced the floor, pausing only to stare out the window and to continue pacing again. Lunch passed and Sapphire couldn't eat. She started to hum songs to help with her impatience. She was getting hungry but ignored her rumbling stomach. Suddenly at five, she turned in her pacing to face the window and saw the familiar Ford pull up. Sam got out of the car with her suitcase. She walked up to the front door of the flat but Sapphire was already there before Sam could buzz. Sapphire flung herself into Sam's arms, taking Sam entirely by surprise. Sam hesitated but then wrapped her arms around Sapphire in response. Sapphire backed away after a minute, smiling sheepishly.

"Sorry." She apologised. Sam smiled.

"No need."

Sapphire led the way up to the house as the Ford pulled off again. Sam followed Sapphire with her suitcase. The next half hour was devoted to Sapphire making some dinner (roast beef with herb boiled potatoes and vegetables) while Sam unpacked her stuff. Once dinner was served, they sat down to eat. It was a silent affair, maybe a little bit awkward. But that didn't stop them from sitting down together to watch movies and eat popcorn. That was a bit easier and they found themselves laughing and talking over the comedy and flinching towards each other during the horror. At one point, Sapphire shrieked at a jumpy bit and grabbed Sam's hand. There was a tense moment as both of them froze but it was recovered when Sam rubbed her thumb over Sapphire's hand. It seemed as if progress would be slow but Sapphire was determined to recover her relationship and secretly, Sam did too.

*************

It took a while for them to fall back into some form of routine but they had the whole summer holidays together. Then, Sapphire seemed to fall ill. She was being sick all the time. Worried about her previous alcohol poisoning, Sammie had Sapphire in bed for a week. She was tired a lot and sick only once during the day but Sammie was taking no chances. She got so bad with her sickness that even the smell of onions made her sick as she found out from Sammie's chicken hotpot. They switched to beef stew instead, skipping out on the onions as this seemed to be the only thing that didn't turn her stomach. Toast and butter got a bit boring after a while. Sapphire always felt a bit better after being sick. She kept needing to go to the toilet as well. After about three weeks of this, she gave up.

"I think I need a doctor. It's been two weeks. This isn't getting better. If anything, it's getting worse." Sammie sat on the edge of the bed and took Sapphire's hand.

"I'm glad you suggested it. I don't want to see you like this anymore." Sapphire nodded in agreement and squeezed Sammie's hand.

"We'll book an appointment tomorrow."

Sammie booked the appointment and it was the first thing the next day. Sapphire felt well enough to get dressed in jogging bottoms and a comfy t-shirt as well as to get in the car. Sammie drove all the same. It was a ten minute, impatient and nervous wait before seeing the doctor. The doctor was a middle-aged female called Dr Catherine Dame and she was extremely nice, telling all the patients to call her Cath.

"Sapphire! Not been doing so well so I've heard." Cath frowned as she looked up from her computer. Sapphire took the seat next to her desk and Sammie sat next to Sapphire, taking her hand.

"I know.. I think it isn't any better now either." Sapphire said.

"Right. You've experienced sickness and tiredness?"

"Yes."

"How long for now?" Cath asked as she started to type on her computer.

"About two weeks? Maybe more?" Sapphire looked at Sammie for confirmation who nodded.

Cath continued to type. She then turned back from her computer.

"Just to check, are you sure it's not food poisoning?"

"No, I've not been eating a lot."

"And you've had no fever? High or low pulse rate?" As she spoke, Cath placed a thermometer in her ear.

"No nothing. Just the sickness and the tiredness." Sapphire said, sighing softly. Cath narrowed her eyes as she checked the thermometer and typed on the computer. She then looked up at Sapphire and Sammie.

"I don't suppose it would be a possibility you're pregnant." Sapphire blinked. Sam froze.

"I don't... I haven't had sex in a while."

"Have you missed any periods? When was the first day of your last period?" Sapphire racked her brains but came up blank.

"I haven't got a clue."

"Could you do me a urine sample?" Cath asked as she handed over a clear plastic pot.

"Erm. Sure?"

"Toilet's down the hall." Cath smiled reassuringly. Sapphire stumbled out the room, absent-mindedly. She peed in the pot, her mind in a fuzz with possibilities and the dread of actually being pregnant from a man on her flings. Which guy?? Oh, God.....

She walked back into the room where Sammie had her head in her hands. Cath had been talking but stopped when Sapphire walked in. She took the pot and dipped in a pregnancy test.

"Let's just wait a few minutes. Please don't get your hopes up." Cath said as she examined the test. Sapphire moved Sammie's hand off her face. Her palm was sweaty but Sapphire held it tight. Sammie didn't resist, she looked quite pale.

"And the results are back..." Cath said. She nodded and placed the stick to one side. "If you could just hop onto the bed, Sapphire." Sapphire moved on to the hospital bed and lay down on the crackly brown paper. She put up her legs, pulled down her jeans and underwear as Cath prepared some instruments. Sapphire tried to look anywhere but at Cath.

"What does this mean?" Sam asked in a small voice as Cath prepared a monitor.

"I will tell you in just a minute. Sapphire this may be a bit weird and a bit cold." Cath said. Sam moved to stand next to Sapphire and held her hand. Sapphire inhaled deeply and nodded. Cath put on gloves and inserted something. Sapphire gasped. Indeed, cold and weird. Very uncomfortable. Cath pressed a button on the monitor, switched and flicked dials then nodded in confirmation and removed the weird cold rod or probe.

"You can dress now," Cath said. Sapphire did so and both sat down by the desk again. Cath brought the monitor screen close. They could see a black and white blurry scan photo. And inside was a blob. An oval shape that was a splotch that stood out.

 "You're pregnant, Sapphire. Congratulations."