Sing For Me

Bumps and Beats

Ben's point of view

"Mrs Langley" the reception calls across the waiting room and Lisa still just sits there "Mrs Langley" she hasn't quite got used to her new name yet its rather cute really 

"Sweetheart" I say and she leaps up from her chair 

"Oh god I'm sorry" she says causing me to laugh gently at her. 

"Room two on the left" she tells us 

"Thank you" I say. Lisa is nervous she has been all morning I caught her staring into space over her bowl of cereal at breakfast and she was quiet when we dropped the kids off.

I take her hand giving it a reassuring squeeze making her smile though still unable to hide her fear. I knock on the door and a gentleman answers, I wasn't expecting that "Come in" he calls we walk and sat at a desk is man of about my age a little shorter than me with short black hair dressed in what look like scrubs the sort you see on Holby City, which Lisa has got me into without much choice as she never misses it, personally I think she likes to drool over the hunky doctors, not that I'm jealous much!!

He stands up comes from behind his desk and puts his hand out to Lisa "Good morning Lisa, lovely to meet you, My name is Harry Carter and I'm going to be your midwife" I'm not sure I like this he seems very pleasant speaking with a very broad Scottish accent, a decent looking guy but I'd just assumed that Lisa would have a female midwife. 

"Hi, nice to meet to you" Lisa says to him 

"You must be Ben" he knows my name 

"Yes, good morning" he points towards the chairs at his desk 

"Please take a seat" he has notes in front of him and he glances at them "I've had your notes from your last two pregnancies sent from your last midwife back in Aberystwyth" where Lisa was born he laughs as Lisa does trying to pronounce it. He reads down them again and his mood changes slightly "I see you had a pretty tough time when you had your last baby" he says with understanding and sympathy. Lisa grips my hand bringing it all up again is hard for her and she gets a little teary. "I can understand why you are worried honey, but I will do my best to make sure that doesn't happen this time" honey????

Lisa seems comfortable with him which is all that matters I guess. "We will give you regular check ups and see how Baby is doing and how your feeling, I received a memo from Dr Radley at the York district hospital you attended the A and E there a few weeks ago yeah" Lisa answers telling him about her sickness and our visit there. "How are you feeling sickness wise now Lisa?" he asks 

"I'm OK I still have to take the tablets though" he smiles 

"That's fine if they help then keep taking them" he asks her lots of other questions about how she's feeling her history she finds it hard to talk about her pregnancy with Ellie causing old wounds to open but she gets it out. Harry seems to understand and is aware of her situation he's certainly read up her file before we came.

"The main thing is Lisa you need to rest when you can, take care of yourself and I see no reason why you cant have an easy and straight forward delivery" she smiles at Harry then me "And don't worry, something tells me you are a worrier am I right Ben?" he asks 

"She is I'm afraid" I tell him putting my arm around her. 

"Well that's where you come in, we need to keep mother and baby relaxed but I can see you do a pretty good job of that" he laughs and I do too 

"I try" I start to warm to him a little more. 

"Have either of you any questions you would like to ask?" he asks us "Ben I sense that you were shocked when you found that I was a man, is it something that bothers you?" talk about being put on the spot it was like being back in school. "Be honest" I look at him 

"I was surprised I wont lie, I just want wants best for Lisa, sorry I didn't meant it like......" Lisa is looking at me rubbing my arm stop worrying Langley. 

"Ben I've been a midwife for fifteen years delivered hundreds of babies" he makes me feel bad now "I promise you that I will take the greatest care of your wife and child and I'd like to think that together we can see Lisa through this" 

"Sweetie its fine" she tells me and yeah I think it is 

"Deal?" he says putting his hand out to me 

"Deal" and we shake on it.

"Right Lisa we need to just do a few tests, take some blood and check your blood pressure then we will have a little feel of your tummy OK" he asks Lisa to pop onto the bed and pops a chair next to it 

"Here you go Dad if you come and sit here" I sit next to her she's smiling at me she seems to have calmed down a lot and is now excited. "How are you with needles Lisa" she pulls a face 

"Not great" she tells him and he agrees to be quick and gentle as he can. I see her tense so grab her hand while he takes blood from her other arm, she flinches and it obviously hurts as she grips my hand that little tighter but its soon over. 

"All finished Lisa Well done" he checks her blood pressure which was slightly high but he said nothing to be too concerned about at the moment just meant I had to encourage her to relax more, if she'd let me. "OK Lisa if you'd like to lift up your for top for me we will check your tummy" as she lies back I notice this tiny little bump in her usually flat tummy, she had lost weight through being sick which made it more obvious but I felt bad that I hadn't noticed it before. It was there our little baby was growing. Harry presses on her tummy pleased with its size, he rubs some jelly onto her tummy and runs the scanner over her, there's lots of crackling and noise as he searches for a heartbeat "Come on little one where are you?" he says Lisa gets a little agitated as times go by and looks at me 

"It's OK Sweetheart" I tell her. It picks up a strong steady beat 

"That's Mummy" he says then all of a sudden there's this little sound quicker and slightly fainter "And there's baby" he says timing it against his watch "Good strong heartbeat guys" he says I turn to Lisa and she has tears in her eyes and so do I, I lean down and give her a kiss, she is just smiling that gorgeous smile that lights up her face, she's glowing, its beautiful.

"OK then guys I'd like to see you again in two weeks time and we will do an ultrasound and take a look at baby OK" he hands Lisa a booklet with her notes that she needs to keep with her and bring to her appointments. 

"That's Great thank you very much Harry" I tell him 

"Yes thank you" Lisa follows 

"My pleasure see you soon" he says as we leave.

We stand in the corridor taking in what just happened I run my hand over her tummy, feeling that ever so tiny bump that's keen to make itself noticeable. "I love you" I tell her she steps up on her tip toes kissing me transforming me to that teenage boy with just a brush of her lips. 

"I love you too" we head off wrapped in each others arms the first step of our incredible journey complete, Baby Langley's first performance carried off perfectly.