Reaching for Happiness

Chapter 67

A week later, me and Aston were sat at the hospital waiting for my name to be called.. We'd decided to come to the hospital instead of the local doctor's practice, so we could talk to a doctor who specialized in pregnancy.

'Miss Smith?' a female doctor called out from an adjoining corridor to the one we were sat on.

'That's me' I smiled, standing up.

'If you'd like to come this way?' she said, flashing her welcoming smile. Me and Aston followed her down the corridor, to a small appointment room.

'Take a seat' she smiled one we were in the room. Me and Aston sat beside each other, a desk separating us from her.

'So, how can I help you?' she asked.

'Well.. Me and Aston have been trying for a baby for about two and a half weeks now.. And we think I could be pregnant' I smiled.

'I see' she smiled, looking at her computer screen.. She must have been looking at my details or something.

'It says here you were pregnant recently, but lost your baby?' she asked.

'Yeah' I said, looking down at my lap. Aston grabbed my hand under the desk and squeezed it.

'Well, I'm sorry for your loss.. That must have been really hard for you' she said sympathetically.

'Yeah, it was.. But we want another shot at a family' I smiled, my gaze returning to her face.

'Now, the thing is.. Usually, it takes about 3 months for a woman to conceive again after giving birth.. It's been just over 5 weeks since you lost your baby, so you probably AREN'T pregnant.. But it isn't impossible. Some women can conceive in as little as two weeks, but the majority of the time, it takes 3 months for your body to return to normal. But we'll scan you anyway, to see if you're one of the lucky ones' she smiled.

'Okay' I sighed.

I laid down on the hospital bed, which was situated in the appointment room. Aston stood at one side, gripping my hand, while the doctor stood at the other side with the ultrasound monitor. I squeezed Aston's hand lightly as she squirted the cool gel onto my stomach. She picked up the probe and moved it over my stomach. Me and Aston watched the screen intently, hoping something would appear, but nope.. Nothing.

'I'm sorry.. You aren't pregnant' she sighed, turning off the ultrasound monitor and handing me some paper towels to wipe the gel off my stomach. I sighed, sitting up and pulling my top down. After being so hopeful I was pregnant again, we were shot down.

'Now, I need to ask you some questions' she said, ushering us to take our seats again.

'Okay' I said, sitting forward in my chair.

'What drew you to suspecting you were pregnant?' she asked.

'Well.. We looked up pregnancy symptoms online, and I was having five of them' I explained.

'What were they?' she asked.

'Um.. I was really tired all the time.. I felt sick, and threw up a few times.. My breasts were sore and appeared swollen.. I was having mood swings.. And some foods tasted differently' I informed her.

'Okay.. When did you discover these symptoms?' she asked.

'About a week ago.. But they're all stopped now, apart from my breasts being sore' I said.

'Okay.. Well, it was probably just flu or something. But we need to find out what it making your breasts sore. Would you like to follow me?' she asked, standing up and making her way to the door. Me and Aston linked our fingers together, making our way down the corridor, following the doctor.

'Now, you're going to have to remove all items of clothing and put this gown on.. There are some changing rooms down there' she said, pointing down the the end of the large room we were stood in, which was almost like a hall.

'Okay, thanks' I half smiled, taking the gown off her. Once I was changed, I was instructed to get into I large scanner/monitor. I wasn't really sure what it was, but it was big and intimidating.. It kinda scared me. I laid down on the board and was strapped in. It then moved me into the machine.

'Mr Merrygold, we need to stand in the other room.. You're gonna have to come this way' I heard her say. I couldn't see them though. I was knocked out of my thoughts by the machine roaring to life. The lights inside it flashed, and a scanner spun round my body inside the machine. I felt like I was in a spaceship. After a while, it slowly came to a stop. The board moved back out, and the doctor was back, and unstrapping me.

'You can get changed, and then you'll have to wait for the results to come through' she smiled, handing me back my clothes.

'Thanks' I sighed, getting changed again.

Me and Aston were sat in the waiting room, anticipating the results.

'I'm scared' I said quietly.

'Why?' he asked.

'I dunno.. I just don't know what to expect' I sighed.

'Don't be scared baby.. Everything will be okay' he smiled, but I could see the anxiousness in his eyes; he was scared too.

'Miss Smith?' the doctor called out again. Me and Aston both followed her down to the appointment room, and sat in our seats.

'Well, I have the results' the doctor said.

'And..?' I pressed on.

'Miss Smith.. I'm very sorry to tell you this.. But you have breast cancer'