Until they reached the maternity ward and Melinda saw the whiteboard with her name on it, in the column marked EMERGENCY. ‘Porca miseria!’ She clapped a hand to her mouth, sounding horrified.
‘It’s written up there because they’re expecting you in and I asked for an emergency scan,’ Dragan said quietly. ‘All it means is that you didn’t have a pre-booked routine appointment. There’s nothing to worry about, cara. I promise.’
He led her over to the reception desk, where one of the midwives was busy writing notes. ‘I’ve brought Melinda Fortesque for a scan and to see Mr Perron.’
The midwife looked up and smiled. ‘Have a seat. I’ll let him know you’re here.’
The wait seemed endless. And Melinda was still shaking even as the consultant came over and introduced himself, then took them into a small treatment room.
‘I understand you’re a vet,’ he said.
She nodded. ‘I didn’t know I was pregnant when I helped out with the lambing. It was a few weeks ago, and my boss tells me the farm’s been hit by EAE. We don’t know the cause yet, but as chlamydiosis is the most common…’ Her voice faded.
‘You’ve done the right thing in coming here,’ Mr Perron said. ‘I know it’s hard, but try not to worry. It’s pretty rare that women are affected by chlamydiosis, and even rarer that the baby’s affected—there are fewer than ten cases a year nowadays.’
‘Because people are aware of the risks.’
‘Even so. Try not to worry,’ he said gently. ‘And this is your doctor?’
‘Her partner,’ Dragan corrected.
‘Sorry.’ The consultant checked the notes. ‘Must be crossed wires. It’s down here that you’re her doctor.’
‘I’m a GP, yes,’ Dragan said, ‘but not Melinda’s. I just rang through to save time.’
Mr Perron nodded. ‘So you know what we’re going to do.’
‘Blood test and an ultrasound to give us some dates,’ Melinda said.
‘We’ll do the nasty bit first,’ Mr Perron said. ‘Can you make a fist for me, Ms Fortesque?’
‘Melinda.’
‘Melinda,’ he said with a smile, checking for access to a vein in her inner elbow. ‘Pump it for me…That’s good. Now, sharp scratch…’ She flinched, and he took the blood sample and then labelled it. ‘The results won’t be back for a couple of days, but do try not to worry. Have you had any flu-like symptoms at all?’
‘Nothing. No chills or fever, no cough, no headache.’
‘How about a sore throat or any joint pains?’ Mr Perron asked. At her shake of the head he added, ‘Any problems with bright light?’
‘Nothing.’
‘Sickness?’
Melinda dragged in a breath. ‘Oh, Dio. I thought it was morning sickness. And it’s only been this week.’
‘Then it probably is morning sickness, and it affects women in very different ways,’ he reassured her. ‘There’s no guarantee if you have morning sickness in one pregnancy you’ll have it in the next—and vice versa. Now, let’s have a look at the scan. Can you get onto the couch for me and bare your tummy?’
She did so, and Dragan sat next to her, holding her hand tightly.
‘I’m going to put some gel on your stomach—I’m afraid this is the portable scanner so the gel’s going to feel cold. The gel’s always warmer in the ultrasound department than it is here.’ He smiled at her. ‘Right. Then I’m going to stroke this over your abdomen—you might feel a little bit of pressure, but it shouldn’t hurt at all. Can you both see the screen?’
‘Yes,’ Dragan said.
‘And…Voilà.’
Dragan gazed in wonder at the screen.
Their baby.
Two arms, two legs, a head. Definitely alive and kicking. And he could see the heart beating.
Mr Perron did some measurements. Without even needing to look at a chart, he smiled. ‘I’d say from this you’re about ten weeks.’
‘And everything’s all right?’
‘Two arms, two legs, a head, a nicely beating heart.’ He moved the scanner round. ‘Your placenta’s in the right place, too, so nothing to worry about there.’
Dragan couldn’t take his eyes off the screen. A little life. Something he and Melinda had created. The beginning of their family. His fingers tightened round hers.
‘Could we…? Is it possible to have a picture, please?’ Melinda asked.
Mr Perron shook his head regretfully. ‘This is the portable scanner and it’s not hooked up to a printer. I’m afraid you’ll have to wait until your dating scan. Unless…’ He paused. ‘Do you have a mobile phone?’
‘Yes, and I switched it off before we came into the hospital,’ Dragan said.
‘Does it have a camera?’
‘Yes.’
Mr Perron spread his hands. ‘Well, then. There’s the solution.’
‘But—I thought you weren’t supposed to use mobile phones in hospitals? In case it interfered with the equipment?’ Melinda asked.
‘It really depends on the area. I’d stop anyone using one in Intensive Care, the special baby care unit or where there’s a lot of equipment being used—places where there’s a high risk of electromagnetic interference or where a ringtone might sound like an alarm tone on medical equipment and there’s a chance it might be missed.’ Mr Perron gave her a rueful smile. ‘And I have to admit, it drives the staff crazy if phones are going off all over the place, disturbing patients’ rest or drowning out a discussion about someone’s health-care plan. But you’re taking a photograph of your own scan so it’s not breaching patient confidentiality—and you’re far enough away from any other equipment that it’s not going to hurt anyone. Go ahead.’
‘Thank you,’ Dragan said, pulled his phone from his pocket, switched it on and took a couple of photographs.
‘I’ll be in touch with the blood results,’ the consultant said. ‘I think the chances are that you’ll be fine, but if there is a problem we can start treatment immediately.’ He handed Dragan some paper towels.
Dragan cleaned the gel off Melinda’s stomach and restored order to her clothes. When she sat up, he held her close.
‘I’ll give you a minute or two,’ Mr Perron said softly. ‘It’s always emotional, the first time you see the baby on a scan.’
Melinda had no idea how long they stayed like that, just holding each other. But when they pulled apart and she looked at Dragan, she could see that his eyelashes were wet, too. The scan had moved him just as much as it had moved her.
‘I’ve missed you so much,’ she said. ‘And I didn’t do this on purpose, Dragan.’
‘I know that now—and I’m sorry. I thought you were using me.’
She shook her head. ‘I’d never do that. And besides, we didn’t make the baby that night. It was long before then. I know we used condoms, but you know as well as I do that the only one hundred per cent reliable method of contraception is abstinence.’ She looked at him. ‘I wouldn’t use you like that. I love you.’
He stroked her face. ‘I love you, too. Volim te.’
‘Do you?’ She wasn’t so sure. He’d walked away from her.