Page 16 of Black Mark's Heart

Chapter Two

"You need to sit down and relax," Zander lectured me as I paced back and forth.

"Have you ever had an ultrasound, Zander?" Sophie asked sarcastically. Zander shook his head. "Then leave her alone."

I paced around the waiting area angrily. I was busting to go to the toilet after drinking the required amount of water I was told I'd need to. "This is insane. I'm going to the toilet!"

"You can't do that, Mrs. Blake." The receptionist gave me a filthy look of tried patience. "It shouldn't be that much longer. Please just take a seat and wait patiently."

"Wait patiently?" I growled at her. "I was here thirty minutes before my appointment time. I waited patiently. I have waited patiently thirty minutes after my appointment time, while you've taken a man in to ultrasound his shoulder, knowing full well I'm here with a full bladder and a baby pressing down on it. I'm going!"

The receptionist stood as I started towards the door. "You can't empty your bladder."

"Fuck that! I'm going to the toilet, and then I'm going home," I responded angrily. "They didn't have ultrasounds in my grandmother's day, and babies were fine back then."

I marched towards the door. A strong arm collected me and walked me forcefully back in. "Come on, Mora," Jeremy soothed. "I know you are tired and sick and just want to go home to bed, but this ultrasound is important." Jeremy looked pointedly at the receptionist. "I'm sure the nice lady here understands and is just going to find a sonographer to take you in immediately."

The receptionist grumbled and walked out the back, where you could hear half the staff gossiping loudly. Zander and Sophie were standing, watching Jeremy walk me towards them again.

Cassandra sat there with a humoring smile on her face. She'd already been in for her scan an hour ago, so of course, she was happy. They were having a little girl. Well, Cassandra swore it was a girl after the scan. You could drop bombs on England right now and Cassandra would sit there cooing while she rubbed her bump.

She was a week further along than me, but I was showing more already. Of course, my baby's father was easily six inches taller and had a broader build than Jeremy, so it was to be expected my baby would be bigger.

Jeremy looked at Zander. "You should have been ready for that, Zander. First fail as a father."

"Fair go, Jeremy," Cassandra admonished. "You've done this twice already with me. I remember you standing there unsure what to do the first time I freaked out while pregnant with Cody."

Jeremy smiled and winked at his glowing wife. "Come on, Cass. I have to make Zander feel inferior to me while I can."

"Mrs. Blake," A lady called at the side. "If you'll come with me please."

Jeremy gave me a squeeze and let me go. Zander and Sophie stood up and walked in with me. Zander took my hand when we walked in.

The sonographer started the scan, and, after a few clicks, asked me to go empty my bladder. I could have killed her. Zander gave me a hug, restraining me really, and led me to the toilet. When I came back in, the sonographer started the scan again.

"Okay, so you have a healthy baby," the sonographer smiled after ten minutes of me being a lot more relaxed and all of us cooing at the image of the baby inside me.

"Can we find out the sex?" Zander asked excited.

The sonographer shook her head. "It's too soon, I'm afraid. At your next scan in eight weeks, we'll be able to have a look."

"Wait, so how far along is she?" Sophie asked.

The sonographer looked surprised. She looked at the notes. "Your doctor thought you were sixteen weeks because of your last period, but I would say you are only thirteen weeks."

"I can't be. I didn't have sex that week," I replied.

The sonographer looked at Zander. "Well, we base our measurements on average sizes. You are taller than average and so is your husband. The likelihood is that you are probably only twelve weeks along."

Zander's face fell. "You fell pregnant at the wedding."

Sophie looked confused. "But I didn't think you had sex before the wedding?"

I squeezed her hand. "You know when we disappeared between the ceremony and reception?"

Sophie nodded, and then her eyes went wide. "Oh." She turned away, but I saw her wipe at her cheek.

Zander squeezed my hand. The sonographer was looking at us all confused, especially at Sophie's tears.

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