Page 70 of CHASE: Captive to the Dark

“Mrs. Walker.” The doctor came to an abrupt stop. “Father.”

“Just Chase now, Dr. Whitley.” He gave a smile as she walked in. I guessed her to be in her mid-fifties, and she was beautiful. She pulled a pen out of the front pocket of her white lab coat and traced it down my chart as she overlooked everything. She glanced up once toward Chase, but seemed to be more focused on what she was reviewing.

“The results from your bloodwork came back positive for pregnancy. From the HCG count, I’m guessing you’re still early. Around six weeks, like you implied. Going from the date of your last menstrual cycle, that puts your due date at December seventh.” She walked over, pulling a small box from her coat pocket. “We’re going to do a quick check for your baby’s heartbeat. It still might be too early, but it’ll give us a better idea of where we are.”

I nodded as she came over and lifted my shirt.

“If you’ll just unbuckle your jeans and pull them down to your hips, I’ll put this gel on and we’ll see what we hear.”

My pulse increased as I obeyed. Chase walked closer to the bed, reaching out to hold my hand. The doctor paused midway to my stomach and brought her attention to him.

“Is this...? I’m sorry, I shouldn’t ask, but are you the father?”

I looked between them, more focusing on Chase’s expression. He didn’t appear embarrassed or put off by the question.

“I am. You can say I had another calling. It’s why I left the church.”

She looked down to me, only to bring her gaze back to him. “Well…congratulations. Wow. I never would have thought. Do you know what you’ll do now?” Her hand lowered, squeezing the warm gel on my stomach.

“I’m not sure yet. I haven’t really had time to think about it.”

“He will guide you.”

Chase smiled. “I’m sure He will.”

What sounded like static began to fill the room as the doctor brought the wand down to my lower stomach. Subconsciously, I squeezed Chase’s hand, trying to hide my nervousness. As she moved the tip to the left, she stopped, throwing us a smile. There was no mistaking what filled the room.

Thump-thump. Thump-thump.

The beats were fast. Strong. I looked up at Chase, taking in the awe on his face. His eyebrows were raised, his lips parted as he gazed down at my stomach. What looked to be tears clouded his eyes and when they met mine, a smile stretched across his face. It was one I’d barely seen. It was real.

“That’s amazing,” he breathed out. “Absolutely…a miracle.”

“Yes,” the doctor agreed.

She removed the end from my stomach, wiping it off as she turned back to write on the chart. “Just a few questions before you leave. You wrote down on your information sheet that you weighed ten pounds heavier than you registered here today. How’s the morning sickness?”

“Bad,” Chase answered. “At least three times a day.”

“Kathleen?”

Chase twisted his mouth as she turned to me.

“It’s pretty bad. I think smells make it worse. They set it off.”

“It’ll continue until you’re around twelve weeks. For some women, it lasts a little longer, and others might not last as long. Three times isn’t excessive, but if it gets worse, I want you to come back. Also, if you continue to lose weight or get to the point where you can’t keep down water, come see me. Other than that, if you have any questions, I’ll do my best to help.”

My head shook. I couldn’t think of any. Chase shifted, drawing both of our attention.

“Should she be sleeping so much?”

The doctor smiled. “It’s common. Her body is adjusting. She’ll want to get lots of rest.”

“What about foods? Is there anything we can try besides the crackers? She can’t live off of those, but she can’t stomach anything else.”

“Try some ginger drops or ginger ale. Some women find that drinking or eating those helps soothe the stomach, allowing them to regain their appetite. Also, avoid anything spicy for the most part. Anything with bold flavors.”

I nodded, fixing my pants and easing from the bed.

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