Charlie sat in the waiting room. She was lucky enough to get an appointment. She had never been to an OBGYN before so it felt awkward.
As she looked around there were many expectant mothers. She didn't belong here. She was too young. Some of them looked at her and Charlie felt like they were judging her. She tried to ignore their stares.
"Charlie San Marcos," a nurse called out.
'Finally,' Charlie thought. She had some trouble standing. This body was so knew.
One of the patients helped her.
"First kid?" she asked.
'First kid,' Charlie thought. Hearing that sounded strange.
Charlie nodded and the woman nodded.
"Well don't worry, you'll be okay."
Charlie just smiled and made her way where the nurse was waiting.
In the back the nurse did the usual check that Charlie was used to whenever she was at the doctor's: temperature, pulse, height, and now the most embarrassing part, weight.
The nurse led her to a room.
"The doctor will be in shortly," she said.
Charlie remained silent and found a chair in the room.
It took the doctor fifteen minutes.
"Miss San Marcos," he said.
Charlie cleared her throat.
"Charlie, got it. I'm Dr. Rush," he said. "So, this is your first visit. Who was your doctor prior?"
Awkward question.
"I uh, I never had one."
"Not a single one?"
"No sir."
"It says here you're sixteen and you had a birthday yesterday, well happy birthday."
"Thanks," she said awkwardly.
Dr. Rush could see Charlie's nervousness and fear. He smiled at her. This wasn't his first teen pregnancy and it certainly wouldn't be his last so he was used to seeing scared girls.
"Can you get on the table please?"
Charlie nodded and made her way to the table. She always hated the crinkly sound from the thin paper.
"Charlie, I know this is scary but I have done this many times before so you have nothing to worry about okay?"
Charlie suddenly couldn't stop tears from running down her eyes. Dr. Rush got her a tissue and waited.
A nurse entered the room carrying a small bucket.
"What's that?"
"We're just going to draw some blood and you'll need a urine culture."
The nurse handed her a cup. Charlie looked at it with a sense of discomfort.
"The restroom is down the hall."
*****
When Charlie returned she took her place back on the table.
The nurse took five vials of blood.
Once that was completed Dr. Rush smiled.
"Okay, I need you to sit back and roll up your shirt please."
Charlie did as she was told. She felt embarrassed having to show her belly.
"This is going to be cold," he warned as he placed some blue jelly across her belly.
With a wand he rubbed it around. He stopped and pointed.
"See there?"
"Is that my baby?" she asked.
'My baby,' Charlie thought. Already she felt a connection to it. As if it had been there all along.
"Would you like to know the sex?"
Charlie nodded yes.
"It's a boy."
'A boy,' Charlie thought. She was having a son.
Dr. Rush wiped the gel off her belly and then lowered her shirt. He printed out a couple of photos from the ultrasound and handed them to Charlie.
She stared in awe. She placed her left hand on top of her belly. She didn't care how she got pregnant or that she was only sixteen. This baby was real and it was hers. She loved her son more than anything now.
"I'm going to need to see you every two weeks from now until the baby is born."
"Um, Dr. Rush, I forgot to ask. Just um... just how far along am I?"
"You don't know?"
Charlie thought, 'Of course I don't know.'
Out loud she said, "I just want to be sure."
"You're seven months along."
Seven months?
No that wasn't possible. That would put her due date around...
Charlie laughed. "No, no I can't be due in a couple of months. It's the last month of school and I've got finals that month."
"I'm sorry Charlie but you're going to have to work something out especially since I'll be putting you on bedrest the next time I see you."
The next time. She would be at the start of her eighth month since today marked her second week of the seven month mark.
"So you're saying I'll be out of school for the rest of the year?"
"We'll get to that bridge later okay? Hey, you've hit got this. Two weeks."
Charlie nodded and Dr. Rush left the room.
