“Let me ask,” Yvonne responded, and bustled off.
Lingering at the counter, Leah realized she didn’t want to sit down and risk engaging in further conversation. Nor could she take an interest in any of the magazines. Especially not—she couldn’t help noticing—the large number that featured babies on the covers.
Yvonne reappeared a minute later. “She said to show you into her office. She’ll be right with you.”
The nurse led the way into the clinic’s interior. As Leah inhaled the medicinal odor that pervaded the facility, her stomach went into a tizzy, which reminded her all over again of her concern.
Probably just nerves, she thought sternly. Or the meat in the spaghetti sauce.
Yvonne ushered her into Jenni’s corner office. Since the doctor had only arrived at the beginning of June, it remained rather bare except for a couple of framed degrees, a scattering of reference books and a large painting of a woodland scene.
Jenni entered a moment later. The blond doctor, whom Ethan had dismissed as a California surfer-girl type before he got to know her, greeted Leah warmly. She pulled her chair from behind the desk so they could sit face-to-face.
“I knew this had to be important or you’d have waited for an appointment,” she said. “Unless it’s a social visit?”
Leah shook her head. “No. I…” She hesitated, trying to figure out a discreet way to broach the subject.
“Spit it out,” Jenni suggested. “It’s easier that way.”
Gratefully, Leah let the words fly. “I might be pregnant. Otherwise, I was afraid it could be even more serious—you know my family history. I figured I should come right in.”
“What are your symptoms?” Jenni listened to a recounting of her late period and upset stomach, and, as an afterthought, sore breasts. Her comment was, “I assume you have reason to think you could be expecting.”
“Unfortunately, yes. I realize how stupid that makes me look, when you urged me to use contraception. Well, we did…mostly.” Without going into detail, Leah explained how they’d forgotten the condom at first. “But he put it on before…climaxing.”
Unaccustomed to discussing such intimate matters, she stumbled over the term. Thank goodness Jenni didn’t ask about the circumstances.
“There can be semen present before ejaculation.” Her calm, professional demeanor never wavered. “It’s possible you’re unusually fertile. Since there’s an easy test, let’s rule out pregnancy before we consider any other possibility.”
Unusually fertile. That would be just her luck. “Does Yvonne have to know?” Leah’s cheeks burned at the prospect of her situation becoming common knowledge.
Jenni tilted her head. “Yes, but don’t forget, she’s been through a similar situation.”
Remembering how the nurse had held her head high during her pregnancy—and refused to this day to disclose the name of the father—Leah conceded the point. Besides, she had to trust someone.
Following Jenni’s instructions, she went off to give a urine specimen for testing. Then Leah changed into a hospital gown and underwent a physical exam.
The results came back just as Jenni was finishing. “The result is positive,” she reported. “That confirms my observation that your body’s showing the kinds of changes we expect during early pregnancy.”
Stunned, Leah hugged her knees as she sat on the examining table. She was going to have a baby. Will’s baby.
Chapter Three
This altered everything about Leah’s life and plans. Will, on the other hand, would never find out about it. She had no way to reach him even if she wanted to.
Nevertheless, in spite of the difficulties ahead, she felt a spurt of excitement as she sat on the examining table, trying to absorb the news. What she’d regretted most about staying single was that it meant never giving birth to a child. Part of her longed for that experience, though she would never have attempted it on purpose.
Now she’d have a tiny baby with fingers that would curl around hers. A little boy or girl toddling on chubby legs. An eager, freshly washed face like the ones she saw in her classroom each morning.
“I have no idea what to do next,” she admitted. “I mean, I’m happy in a way. I’ve always wanted children, but I figured I’d adopt.”
Holding her clipboard, Jenni leaned against the washstand. She’d had a difficult early life, shuffled from one relative to another because of neglectful parents, Leah recalled. The experience had given her a depth of understanding beyond her years, and it showed.
“Let’s talk about the father,” the doctor said gently. Her obvious concern and lack of judgmentalism dispelled the last of Leah’s hesitation.
“He’s someone I met in Austin,” she said. “We got carried away.” That seemed simpler than relating the whole ugly story, and less embarrassing.
“Are you planning to tell him?”
“I don’t know where to find him.” To cut off further inquiries, Leah said, “I really really really doubt he wants to be involved.”
Jenni accepted her statement. “It’s too bad your child won’t know his or her genetic heritage, not to mention having a father to help raise him, but apparently, it can’t be helped.”
“Thank you.” More than ever, Leah was struck by how much she could have used her mother’s support. Despite all her connections, she felt basically alone.
“As your physician, I’m concerned about your emotional as well as your physical health, so let’s talk about how you’ll deal with gossip,” Jenni said. “If you want to, of course.”
“Sure.” Leah shuddered. “In my position, things could get nasty.” She hadn’t forgotten Beau Johnson’s harsh reaction to Yvonne, or the unpleasant comments some of the students’ mothers had made within her hearing.
“You won’t be able to hide your condition for long,” her friend pointed out.
“I could leave town. It’s no secret that I’ve applied to other schools.” No sooner had she uttered the suggestion than Leah rejected it. “That’s all I need. I’d have no job, no friends and no place to live.”
“You’re more familiar with Downhome than I am.” Jenni frowned. “Is there any chance you could lose your job on moral grounds?”
“Not while Olivia’s the principal, but I hate putting her in a tough position.” An idea hit Leah. Much as she disliked lying, it might soften the criticism, and it would deflect questions about the baby’s paternity. “I could say that I had artificial insemination while I was in Seattle. I’ve mentioned plenty of times that I planned to adopt, so it wouldn’t seem totally strange. I’ll tell Karen the truth, but as far as anyone else is concerned, my private life is none of their business.”
She braced for objections. Jenni reflected briefly.
“Under the circumstances, I don’t see what harm it can do, unless the father shows up, demanding his rights,” she said.
“He has no idea where to find me.” For the first time, Leah considered that a good thing.
“Normally, we’d include a report from the Seattle clinic in your medical records. Obviously, we can’t do that. However, I can truthfully put down that the father is unknown and that you state that you were inseminated at an unidentified facility in Seattle. You are stating that, right?” she added teasingly.
“You just heard me.” Despite her anxiety, Leah appreciated