springing into my mind.
Sheridan walked towards an examination table, patting the blue tissue running down its length.
‘Haven’t you worked it out? It’s time for your three-month scan. Come on, hop up.’
Her smile was off-kilter. The kind of smile that told me to hurry up before it cracked. I clasped my hands tightly together. I wasn’t prepared for this.
‘But . . . who’s going to do the scan?’
My question was answered as a short, bald man shuffled in from the corridor. Where had he come from? Was there another entrance to this room? He grabbed a lab coat from the back of the door and slid his arms inside. He must have been in his mid-seventies, and he barely acknowledged me. So much for New York’s best ob-gyn. His full attention was on Sheridan, and I caught the look of undisguised admiration on his face. It was not just Daniel who had members of the opposite sex falling at his feet. Sheridan had many male and female admirers, and it appeared that the doctor was one of them.
‘This is Dr Blumberg,’ Sheridan said, not waiting for him to acknowledge me. ‘C’mon now, hurry up,’ she ordered for the second time, patting the examining table with a perfectly manicured hand.
I stiffened. They may have been using me as an incubator, but I still got embarrassed at the thought of stripping off in front of strangers.
‘Don’t be shy,’ Sheridan said. ‘You only need to roll your top up over your stomach.’
I did as instructed. Dr Blumberg leaned over me, his breath smelling of garlic and mints. Glancing over the doctor’s shoulder, I squirmed as I noticed Daniel walk in. His hands deep in his trouser pockets, he acknowledged me with a smile and a gentle nod of the head.
I sucked a breath between my teeth as freezing cold gel was applied to my stomach.
‘You must be dying to see the baby. I know I am.’ Sheridan flashed me a smile.
I couldn’t believe that she was talking to me. Seeing the baby would be so hard, given I was about to give it up. She was a mother; she had given birth. Why didn’t she understand that?
As if reading my thoughts, Daniel spoke. ‘Roz is bound to be apprehensive in the circumstances.’ He looked pointedly at Sheridan. ‘But it will be good to know the baby is healthy and well.’
I made a concentrated effort to keep my expression impassive, but my thoughts were whipped away as a thump thump thump echoed in the room. It was fast; much faster than mine.
‘It’s your baby’s heartbeat,’ the doctor said – not to me, but to Sheridan as he turned up the volume on the machine. ‘Nice and strong.’ He had yet to look at me, which I found odd. Daniel stepped forward, staring expectantly at the screen.
My heart skipped a beat as I followed his gaze. What if something was wrong with my baby? What would happen to us both then? I had not even considered this until now. From the corner of my eye I saw Sheridan take Daniel’s hand. I felt a pang of longing. This was meant to be a momentous occasion, but I was in a room full of strangers. Just me and my little bean. Daniel hovered over me, his closeness making the blood race a little faster through my veins.
‘What’s that?’ Sheridan pointed to the screen. The doctor slid the probe back and forth on my stomach until it picked up a grainy grey image on the screen. A few clicks later and he was describing the chambers of the heart, showing fingers and toes. Hello, little one, I thought, the image blurring as I blinked back the tears. My breath was shallow as I took it all in. I could not let them see how emotional I was over this baby. The doctor explained each body part, making measurements and giving comforting nods of the head.
‘Baby is perfectly healthy, as far as I can tell.’
I exhaled a sigh of relief.
‘And it’s a little girl?’ Sheridan said.
‘It seems that way.’
‘Wait, what?’ I said, returning my gaze to the screen.
‘The eight-week blood tests said you were carrying a little girl, but it’s nice to have it confirmed,’ Sheridan said. She was glowing now, her eyes dewy as she stared at the screen.
A mixture of hot anger and amazement welled up inside me. A girl. I had been right all along. Sheridan had known the sex of my baby for weeks. I