Brian sat beside her, hand clasped around hers, eyes glued to the monitor in front of the doctor. Jordan stood at the top of the bed, behind Elizabeth’s head, and Shaun skittered from one side of the room to the other, only permitted to move around the top and sides of the examination table as he documented on film everything that was happening.
And in that moment, despite her compromising position, it hit her how incredibly blessed she and Brian were to have this entire journey captured forever.
Thank you, Lord, for bringing these two young men into our lives at this time.
Dr. Kerr smiled down at Elizabeth. “No doubt about it, you are definitely pregnant. Seven weeks, zero days.”
Elizabeth covered her gasp with her free hand. She pulled her gaze from the ultrasound image to look at Brian. Tears streamed down his cheeks, and she could no longer contain her own tears of joy. “Oh honey, it’s a miracle.”
He nodded. “It is. That little bean shape is our baby. Finally.” He shook his head. “I–I can’t believe it.”
Dr. Kerr pointed to the measurement she’d just taken from one end of the fetus to the other. “This is the crown-rump length, or CRL. It’s measuring 8.6, consistent with the seven week gestation period.” She touched the screen and pointed to the center of the bean shape. “And you see this little flashing part… That’s the heartbeat.”
Jordan sucked in a breath then exhaled. “Oh wow, can we hear it?”
Elizabeth looked up to see him motion with his fingers for Shaun to zoom in closer.
“We’ll try.” The doctor tapped a few keys on the ultrasound machine’s keyboard. As she twisted one of the knobs, a square popped up beside the teepee-like image with its dark circle in the middle that looked like an opening. But it was no tent opening—it was their baby’s home for the next eight months.
Another image made up of lines formed in the new square, and Dr. Kerr took more measurements on that, as she’d done with the fetus. “Heartbeat’s 134.”
The image changed to a child’s rendition of cardiac monitoring, the lines thick and pronounced as they bounced up and down on the screen to the whooshing beat that filled the silent room.
Elizabeth laughed. “Sounds like my washing machine.”
Dr. Kerr smiled. “Your washing machine must be in good shape, then, because that’s one healthy heartbeat…which we wouldn’t have heard had we done an abdominal ultrasound.”
“Do you know my due date?” On a rough calculation, Elizabeth figured their baby could be born around her birthday. Wouldn’t that be fantastic?
“Give me a moment.” The obstetrician tucked her blond hair behind her ear. She flashed a smile Jordan’s way before giving the ultrasound machine her full attention once again. Tapping sounded from the keyboard. “March 11th.”
Elizabeth blew out a breath. “Aw, four days short of my birthday.”
“You never know, this little baby may stay put for a few extra days. Your child might still make his or her appearance at your birthday party.” Dr. Kerr removed the probe and patted Elizabeth’s legs. She smiled. “You can stretch out now.”
Without hesitation, Elizabeth obeyed, happy to feel less vulnerable with her legs down. She looked around for Shaun. “The rest of the room’s open for filming.”
Shaun seemed grateful for the opportunity to catch their faces from a different angle.
The rubber gloves snapped as Dr. Kerr removed them from her hands and threw them in the medical waste disposal bin close by. “Everything looks good, Elizabeth. For now. But you must know that a pregnancy at your age brings enormous risks, so I will need to monitor your progress very closely. I’d like to see you every two weeks. At eleven weeks gestation, just before you go into your second trimester, we’ll do a prenatal screening test.”
Brian tightened his grasp on Elizabeth’s hand. “For what, doctor?”
“The test can show the increased likelihood of Down syndrome. At age forty, the risks are about 1-in-100. Imagine how much higher they are at age sixty. The next time you come, Elizabeth, I’ll give you a script to have blood tests done prior to your eleven week appointment to check for certain proteins. At your appointment, we’ll do another ultrasound—abdominal this time—to measure nuchal translucency. At eleven weeks, the ultrasound can detect fluid at the back of the fetus’s neck, often an indication of Down syndrome. It’s a simple test—you’ve nothing to fear.”
Elizabeth’s heart pounded against her chest. Nothing to fear? How can she say that? She’s not the one lying there wondering whether her baby might not be…perfect.
God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
The scripture had a supernatural calming effect, and she exhaled a slow breath. She squeezed Brian’s hand. “It’ll be all right. You’ll see.”
Chapter 7
Elizabeth sucked in her stomach as she lay on the bed, trying against all odds to get the button of her jeans fastened. She’d managed to get the zipper almost all the way up, but that button refused to close.
“Let me help.” JoAnn moved closer to the bed.
Elizabeth bolted upright before JoAnn climbed on top of her to have a go at that fastener. She groaned as the zipper slid back down. “This is no use.”
Arms folded, JoAnn tapped her foot against the carpet. “I know. You’re going to have to face facts—you need to get some maternity clothes.”
“Already? I’m only eleven weeks.”
“Happens to some pregnant women. They just puff out almost immediately.” JoAnn shrugged. “You would have started to show naturally in three weeks or so, anyway.”
Elizabeth sighed. “So how do you plan to help me? And don’t say you’ll get that button closed—we both know I can’t have you over here every day to help me get dressed.”
“Ha, don’t be silly.” JoAnn rolled her eyes. “I’m merely going to buy you some time until you can get clothes that’ll fit over that ever-expanding waistline. Do you have an elastic band?”
Elastic band? What on earth was she up to?
“I–I think so.” Holding onto her pants so they didn’t fall to her ankles, Elizabeth walked over to her cupboard and scratched inside until— Yes!
She turned and threw the elastic band to JoAnn. “There you go.”
“Thanks. Now get yourself over here, woman.”
She obeyed.
Stooping, JoAnn slipped the elastic band through the buttonhole of Elizabeth’s jeans, and then looped the ends over and around the button.
“That’s a jolly clever idea.” Now she just needed to find a longish top to cover that open zip. She flipped the hangers in her cupboard until she found a lightweight cream jersey that covered to her thighs. The weather outside was cool—this would work perfectly. How had her waistline thickened so fast? At her nine week appointment, and first abdominal scan, her stomach had still been quite flat. And with Jordan and Shaun there as she bared her belly for the world to see, she’d never been quite so glad for those four months in the Over Sixties spinning class. But that was all over now. From here on out her abdomen would just grow, and grow. One of these days she’d no longer be able to see her toes.
She rubbed a hand across her tummy. But I don’t mind, little one. Really.
Elizabeth turned and smoothed the soft woolen jersey over her hips.
“Thanks, my friend. You’ve bought me a few weeks at least.”
“You’re welcome. And now I have to run or I’ll be late for my spinning class.” JoAnn planted a quick kiss on Elizabeth’s cheek. “I do so miss you when you’re not there.”
“Thankfully it’s only every second Friday.”
“Yes, thankfully.” She turned to go then paused. “I–I just wanted to tell you how incredibly proud I am of you…being prepared to go through all of this at your age. And— I hope everything goes smoothly with the screening test today. Have faith. I’ll be saying a prayer for you.”
She would? Was God using this little ba
by to get through to JoAnn?
Brian strolled into the room and whistled. “Look at you.” He flashed a grin at JoAnn and pointed his thumb toward Elizabeth. “Doesn’t she look simply radiant?”
“She does. Pregnancy suits her.”
“You don’t look so bad yourself, Mr. Dunham.” Elizabeth grinned. “Matching me with your jeans and cream pullover…” She waggled her brows.
“Uh-oh. That’s my cue. Besides, I really do have to go. Bye.” JoAnn brushed past Brian. She waved at them both before her heels clicked up the passage.
Brian’s gaze followed her exit, and then he swiveled his head back to Elizabeth. “Was it something I said?”
Elizabeth laughed. “No. She has spinning classes. Sans me.”
“I see.” He coughed then cleared his throat. “Are you ready?”
She nodded.
“Excited?”
“Yes, and no.”
Brian tipped his head. “The yes part I understand, but the no…”
“Just struggling against the fear. Sort of sucks the joy and excitement right out of me.”
“Oh, my love.” Brian pulled her into his embrace. How safe she always felt in those arms. “God will never give us more than we can handle. Have faith.”
This pregnancy was as much as she could handle, if anything were wrong with the baby…
Releasing her, Brian grabbed her hand. “Hey, we have fifteen to twenty minutes to spare. Come with me.”
“Where are we going?”
He pulled her close then kissed her. He smiled. “For a walk on the beach. Or we can just sit and look at the ocean. It’s always a great reminder of how big and awesome our God is.”
“I’d like that. The pastime is always soothing to the soul.”
Brian chuckled. “Why do you think I’m out there on those rocks so often?”
Elizabeth slipped off her shoes. “Guess those will only fill with sand and get in the way.”
“They will. In fact…” Brian sat down on the edge of the bed and pulled off his shoes and socks. Then he rolled up his pants, shin height. “Just making sure I don’t return with wet trousers. We’ve a doctor’s appointment to get to, and afterward, I’m taking you out for lunch and a milkshake.”
“The baby will like that. Very much. My expanding waistline, eh, not so much.”
Brian led the way to the patio sliding door.
As Elizabeth was about to step outside, she paused. “What about Jordan and Shaun? Won’t they be here any minute to collect us?”
He shook his head. “I told them we’d meet them there, if they didn’t mind. I figured you wouldn’t want a camera filming you before this appointment. I told them we needed this time alone.”
Sliding her hand into Brian’s, Elizabeth gazed up at him. “You are the most thoughtful husband in the world. Do you know that? How did I get so lucky?”
“Ah, you see, I thought I was the lucky one.”
The beach sand was cool beneath their toes. Elizabeth stooped to roll up her jeans, too. She walked toward the water rushing up to greet her and shrieked as it washed over her feet and ankles. “It’s cold.”
Brian laughed. “It’s still winter.” Although the holidaymakers that had descended on their patch of paradise but a few weeks ago—in mid-winter—hadn’t thought so. To be fair, they didn’t get that many cold days in July and August on the Dolphin Coast. Their winters were really mild, especially when one considered the temperatures most of those on holiday were escaping.
Elizabeth edged her way back up the beach, far enough from the shoreline so as not to get wet, and sank down onto the soft sand.
Brian lowered himself behind her. He wrapped his arms around her waist, and she leaned back into his embrace.
She released a sigh as the angst she’d been feeling over this appointment receded like the tide. She stared out over the ocean. “This is so beautiful. And God is so good.”
“Have faith, my love.”
That was the third time in the last fifteen minutes she’d heard that phrase. Have faith. Was God speaking to her?
She nodded, and then whispered, “I will.”
“Us three, we’re going to be just fine. Aren’t we little one?” Brian brushed his hands over Elizabeth’s belly then moved his fingers to tickle her sides.
She burst out laughing. “Brian, stop that, before I wet my pants. You know how untrustworthy my bladder is these days. And it took a lot to get me into these jeans, so it’s only the doctor’s appointment that’ll have me out of them again.”
“Oh, I don’t think you need to undress for this appointment. You’ll probably only need to unhook that elastic band.”
“You saw?”
Brian chuckled. “No. I felt.”
He snuggled his face into her neck as he leaned his head on her shoulder. “Can I pray for you before we go?”
“Yes, please.” Elizabeth closed her eyes as Brian cleared his throat.
“Abba Father, giver of all life, we thank You for this gift that You have blessed us with. We know and acknowledge that You have a special plan for this little one’s life. Help us to be obedient, accepting of anything You bring our way on this journey.” He gave a soft chuckle. “Even a certain producer and his cameraman whom we’ve grown rather fond of. They’re a constant reminder to me that often when something seems so bad, or is so bad, that You bring good out of it. And so this morning, Elizabeth and I promise to walk into that screening test with the same knowledge that, no matter what happens there today, whether the results are good or devastating, we will trust You to bring something good out of the situation. Because You are good. We bow to Your sovereignty, Lord of our lives. Amen.”
Brian pushed to his feet, then held out his hand and pulled Elizabeth up, straining as he did. “Ooh my, but you’re getting heavy these days.” A grin swept across his face, still so handsome for his age.
She smacked his arm and laughed. “Oh you… Wait until I get to nine months. How will you get me up then?”
“Easy. Errol told me that the Town Council has some bulldozers they use to fix the beaches after heavy storms. I’ll just borrow one for a few months.”
“Oh, you will now?”
They laughed and joked as they walked back to their house, the heaviness they’d taken to the beach swept away in the ocean of His love.
But lying on that examination table, her abdomen slippery with gel as Dr. Kerr glided the ultrasound transducer over her skin, the somber atmosphere in the room palpable, it was hard not to feel that their burden had beached itself like a whale. Even Jordan and Shaun stood quiet, eyes—and camera—glued to that display and their growing baby. With every visit, their little bundle took on more shape, looking less alien and more human.
“Did you see the first airing of Life Begins at Sixty, two weeks ago, Dr. Kerr?” Elizabeth asked, trying to lighten the mood. She refused to be sucked into the dark vortex of doubt.
Dr. Kerr nodded then glanced up at Jordan and Shaun. “You guys did a great job.”
Elizabeth turned her head to look at them. From her angle, they were upside down. “I especially loved the recreation of that first night when we told your parents, Jordan. And of course, I didn’t mind eating chocolate orange humble pie again.” She laughed.
A smile brushed Jordan and Shaun’s lips.
The room became quiet again.
“Size of a fig now?” Elizabeth was willing to say anything to break the awful silence.
Dr. Kerr glanced at her, smile pinched. “Yes. Just over one and a half inches from head to bottom.” She returned her attention to the ultrasound. She’d been subdued from the moment they had walked into her consulting room. Something was wrong.
Elizabeth turned her gaze to Brian and squeezed his hand.
“Is everything all right, Dr. Kerr?” Brian asked the question she couldn’t bear to.
Dr. Kerr inhaled, her expression momentarily inscrutable. But she needed no words to answer Brian—her exhale said it a
ll.
“I’m so sorry, Elizabeth and Brian. The blood results…the screening…it doesn’t look good. There’s a 1-in-30 chance your baby has Down syndrome. We need to proceed with diagnostic testing. I’d like to schedule an amniocentesis in four weeks’ time. The sample of amniotic fluid drawn will be tested for the extra genetic material from chromosome 21 which causes Down syndrome. But the test does carry the risk of a miscarriage.”
Head bowed low, Brian pressed his thumb and index finger against his eyes. No. This wasn’t what they’d hoped for, prayed for. How could this be happening? He lifted his head to look at Elizabeth on the examination table. Tears rolled from the sides of her closed eyelids, down her temples, wetting her hair.
He turned his gaze to Dr. Kerr. “Could we have a moment in private, please?”
Jordan and Shaun moved to the door with the obstetrician.
Brian held up his hand. “Shaun, you can stay.”
If they were documenting this journey, then people needed to see the agony along with the ecstasy and the joy.
Shaun nodded and shut the door, keeping to the shadows in the corner of the room.
The low lighting reflected their aching hearts.
Raising himself off his seat, Brian leaned over Elizabeth. “Hey. It’s only 1-in-30. There are twenty-nine chances that this baby is healthy and normal. Our odds are good.”
A weak smile graced Elizabeth’s lips. “Oh, honey. Always the optimist. Glass never half empty.” She reached out and palmed his cheek. “We can’t do anything to put this baby at even more risk.”
He nodded. “I know. But can you bear the wondering for the next six months?”
She exhaled a long breath. “It’ll be hard, but what difference would it make if we knew? It won’t change anything. It’s not like we’d even consider an abortion. We would still have this baby, and we would love him or her with all our hearts—perfect or not.”
Love at First Laugh: Eight Romantic Novellas Filled with Love, Laughter, and Happily Ever After Page 73
