Today is the day of Nikki's 20-week scan, surprisingly they have both managed to get the day off work due to less work coming into the Lyell this past week. They had dropped Poppy off at school and Maddison at Nursery earlier that day and had spent the morning in town looking around shops and more importantly the baby shops looking at things to replace as certain things for when this baby arrives.
They are currently sat in the waiting room of the hospital, Nikki sits silently biting her thumbnail while bouncing her one knee, "Will you stop that" Jack whispers as it's starting to irritate him.
Nikki stops bouncing her knee but continues to bite her nail, Jack grabs hold of her wrist and moves her hand away from her mouth, "Stop!" He speaks as he holds her hand and runs his thumb across the back of her hand.
"Nicola Alexander," a nurse calls, Nikki stands and looks at Jack, just as nervously as she had the last time she was here. Jack takes his wife's hand in his as they walk through to the private room together. "I am Laura and this is your sonographer, Sarah." The nurse introduces before flicking through some notes while Nikki lays on the bed and rolls her top-up for the scan.
"You're here for your 20-week scan?" Sarah checks. Nikki and Jack both nod. "This you're first?" she continues.
Nikki laughs as she replies, "Third actually, we have two girls already. Hopefully a boy this time around."
"Oh well, so you know what to expect from this scan." Sarah laughs as she puts a small amount of gel on Nikki's stomach before beginning the scan.
Jack rubs his thumb over the back of Nikki's hand, while the sonographer and midwife take note of the baby's measurements, "Would you like to know the sex?" Sarah asks.
Jack and Nikki exchange an almost knowing look before nodding. "Yes please." Jack smiles.
"They do say it comes in three's, it's another little girl." Sarah smiles as she continues the scan. Nikki's face lights up in delight before she glances at her husband who looks less than happy.
"Your joking, not another one." Jack sighs rolling his eyes at Nikki who hits him playfully. "I'm kidding! As long as they are healthy, I don't mind, we can always try for a boy in a year or two." Jack grins.
Nikki raises an eyebrow at Jack and shakes her head. "This is our last, end of." She says bluntly.
"If you say so" He smirks.
"So, the baby is measuring at normal rates, we don't have any concerns, the baby is very healthy, strong heartbeat, and bang on twenty weeks." Sarah smiles as she hands Nikki a paper towel to wipe the gel off her stomach and hands her a couple of scan photos.
They leave the room after a while of booking appointments for blood tests and other things. They head out to the car and Nikki climbs into the passenger side and sits and looks at Jack who still has a face like a wet Sunday, "You know these scans can sometimes be wrong, she could be a boy" Nikki speaks softly.
When Nikki spoke like this Jack couldn't help but feel calm, she spoke like this to the girls when they were unwell and even when they're just upset. He loves Nikki no matter what and he started to warm to the idea that he would have to settle for another boy, he pulls his seatbelt over and puts the keys in the ignition without speaking a word to her.
"Jack... please speak to me" She sighs resting her hand on his knee.
"Okay" He speaks.
Nikki raises an eyebrow at him and strokes his knee, "So?" She asks.
"I'm happy, I was so convinced it was a boy this time, I can't help feeling a wee bit disappointed, but I love it, all the same, we're going to spoil her rotten" Jack smiles as he reaches over and rests his hand on her tiny bump, Nikki smiles happily a few tears in her eyes at how soft her husband can be, he turns to face her properly and learns in to give her a kiss.