12. The Doctor Part 1 (Jan, 2013)
The morning
of Kate’s first doctor’s appointment was very cold, and to most people, quite
dreary. The sky was grey, the ground was wet, and the air was frigid, and Kate
assented that the cumulative effect was less than ideal. But lovely little
white flakes of snow drifted lazily down from the sky and scattered over the
earth beneath. Kate loved watching the snow. Usually she would enjoy it more,
but doctors made her tense and nervous. She was glad that her checkup was the
first thing in the morning so she would be able to enjoy the rest of the day in
peace.
But it was
not to be. Just as she was about to leave, the office called and said, because
of the snow, could they reschedule her appointment for the afternoon? Inwardly,
Kate was peeved. But audibly, she was calm and gracious (no small feat the
first thing in the morning.) When she got off the phone, she grimaced at Mister
who was hovering nearby. “They had to move the appointment to three o’clock
because the office isn’t opening until ten,” she said. Mister scrunched his
nose and said that he had a meeting he wanted to go to for his PhD program at
the university right around that time.
Kate
frowned. “You don’t want to go with me?”
“I do, but
I don’t want to miss this either.”
Kate
decided on a direct approach. “This is important to me. Please come. I really
want to have you there. Please?” She grinned and nuzzled against him,
“Pleeeease?”
Mister gave
her a tolerant smile and promised that he would come.
However, when
the time came, Kate was worried that Mister was constantly wishing that he had made
a different choice. There they were at the office, waiting in the foyer. Kate
was filling out reams of paperwork (the receptionist said it was required with each new pregnancy! Outrageous, Kate thought) and Mister was reading his books for
class and research. Finally they were called to the back room, for the first
sonogram of the baby. The stenographer came in, introduced herself as Jenny, and
requested that Kate undress from the waist down. Mister sat in a chair and
looked uncomfortable. Would he really
rather be at school right now? Kate wondered. But a lot of my friends said that it was their (and their husband’s)
favorite appointment. I’d hate for him to be missing it…
“Are you
okay?” she said aloud.
“Sure. I’m
fine.” Mister said stiffly. “I just feel like I don’t really belong here.”
Kate raised
her eyebrow and pursed her lips. “You totally belong here. It’s normal and
expected for the husbands to come. This
is where you belong.” She gave him a
grin, “Own it.”
When the
stenographer came back and began the sonogram, all tension and awkwardness fell
away in the wonder of actually seeing their baby. It was so tiny. (About a week
smaller than expected, Jenny said.) But there it was, with its wee arms and
legs and enormous head, wiggling around all on its own. Kate looked at Mister to
share her amazement. He was leaning forward, looking at the screen, drinking in
the magic.
“Ready for
the heartbeat?” asked Jenny.
Were they
ever! Kate just bit her lip and nodded eagerly.
It took a
moment, but the heartbeat came through loud and strong, 177 beats per minute.
Kate shook her head. Life is a mystery,
she thought. In marriage, two people
become one, and in pregnancy, one person becomes two. How bizarre…but totally,
wonderfully awesome.
Kate and
Mister walked to the car holding hands. It was a long appointment, but a good
one. “That sonogram was incredible.” Kate said.
“Yes it
was.” Mister echoed emphatically.
“Are you
glad you came?”
He smiled
and nodded in his calm, deliberate way. “Definitely.”
She sighed
and grinned. “I’m so glad I didn’t just imagine it. I really have a baby!!”
I love this! You write so beautifully!
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