Forgetting Charlotte

The Ultrasound

            “What was that for?” she asked, returning my hug.

            “I just hope I’m half the mother you are mom.” I giggled at my mother as she blushed.

            “Oi! Look at David hitting on Blondie over there.” Jolene’s voice broke the moment with my mom and I turned in the direction of the receptionist’s desk.

            We couldn’t hear the conversation but from where we seated it did look like David was hitting on Susie. He was leaning far over the counter and suddenly we heard Susie squeal, jumping up from her seat while loudly clapping her hands. She had a grin from ear to ear as she motioned for him to follow her. David turned and met our stares, calling us over to them.

David held the door as Jolene ran up ahead matching Susie squeal for squeal. My mother followed close behind shushing them as they walked through the long corridor.  I walked behind with David as he let the door swing close behind us.

            “Were you hitting on the perky little receptionist David?” Secretly hoping this meant Alicia was out of the picture.

            “No, I was informing her.” He answered with a slight smile.

            “Informing her of what?” I watched the rest of the group turn into the last room at the end of the hall.

            “That I was the man in your life.” His face went into a mock expression of me, as I stood stunned for a moment.

            “Why would you do that David?” I asked in shock.

            “So she would stop addressing you as her favorite single mom. I can see how it irritates you.” David gently grabbed my arm and began leading me towards the room. “Besides Charlie, it’s not like I lied, I am the man in your life, for right now at least.” David led me in the room where Susie was standing next to a large machine.

            “Okay mommy.” Susie giggled in David’s direction. “Let’s get into a gown so we can get this party started.”  

            Susie pulled a curtain hanging in the corner of the room.  With everyone seated on one side and me on the other Susie helped me out of my clothes and into a backless gown.

            With one sweeping motion she pulled back the curtains and helped me up onto the cold table. I was self-conscious of my rear hanging out of the back of the gown but Susie handed me a hospital cover and told me to cover the bottom half of my body with it.  She attempted to comfort me by telling me the doctor would be here in a moment.

She gave David once last glance and shrieked before dancing out of the room.

            Jolene and my mom sat in chairs next to me chatting excitedly, while David sat in a chair by my feet lightly tapping my toes.  We were all squished in the room and missing the cool air from the waiting room. Just as Jolene had made her third comment about the heat, Dr. Lee walked in.

            “Hi Charlotte. And who is all this?” Dr. Lee turned to the small posse in the room.

            “This is Charlie’s mum, this is David, I’m the kid’s future godmother, and you should know Charlie Doc.” Jolene answered the doctor’s question with as much innocence as her sarcasm could muster.

            “Okay then, baby’s first entourage, let’s get started shall we.” The doctor turned on the machine and reached over for what looked like an oversize tube of toothpaste.

            “This will be very cold Charlotte, just a warning.” He lifted the gown and lowered the cover slightly, right before he squirted ice-cold goo on my belly.

            My belly twitched from the freezing sensation as the doctor spread the gel around with an oversize wand.

“Let’s see what we have here. One, two, three… ten fingers, ten toes.” I started at the machine’s screen as he pointed out darkened images.

            “And that is your baby’s heartbeat Charlotte.”  The images began to come into focus and the whole room leaned in closer simultaneously.

            I watched the screen flicker back and forth.  The soft rhythm kept in time with the pulsing image on the screen and for the first time I felt connected to the being growing inside of me.  I watched in awe as the doctor pointed out parts on the screen, parts of my baby, softly moving about inside of me. I felt a tear escape my eye and gently trail down my cheek as I watched the images focus in and out of resemblance.  

            “Do you want to know the sex of your baby Charlotte?” Doctor Lee turned to me with a smile.

            I looked around the room at Jolene who was frantically waiving her head in a yes motion while David stared dumbfounded at the screen. I turned my eyes to my mom who just gave me a look I didn’t need voiced to understand.

            “Okay.” I said quietly, acutely aware of the change that had begun in my heart.

 “Congratulations Charlotte. You’re having a boy!”