Jess got out of the car and waited for her Mum to sort the parking. Karen walked back over and stuck in the ticket before walking with Jess into the hospital building.
It was all that Jess could do to stop herself from gagging. There was something about hospitals that always made her uneasy. She couldn't help but wonder how her Mum would react when she told her the plans Jess had been making to have the baby at home. She smiled at the thought as they stopped at the clinic for the scan. It was probably a good idea to get the scan done and everything confirmed before even tackling that subject. Karen nodded Jess towards the reception desk and she smiled before walking over.
The middle aged nurse looked up at her. Jess could see from her eyes what she was thinking, but it just made her more determined to do this and prove everyone wrong. "Jessica Fisher. I'm here for a scan." The woman nodded and directed her to the waiting area. Jess sat down and found herself nervously playing with her hands. Now they were here everything seemed suddenly more real. Karen reached across and placed a hand on top of Jess'.
"Everything is going to be fine." She gently squeezed Jess' hands.
Jess looked up at her suddenly worried. "You are coming in with me Mum...right..." She looked up at her Mum.
Karen laughed before leaning her forehead against Jess'. "Of course. Your brains is making some really funny suggestions today sweetheart."
Jess breathed out. She felt less alone. Feeling her Mum so close and being so supportive gave her a sense of calm she hadn't felt for a long time. She trusted her more than anyone else.
A woman dressed in a uniform with a clipboard stepped out from one of the surrounding doors. She looked down at the clipboard once more before looking around the waiting room. "Jessica Fisher."
Jess took a deep breath before standing up and nodding. She squeezed her Mum's hand tightly before they both followed the midwife into the scanning room. Jess wasn't sure what she had been expecting, but she wasn't sure that it had been such a comfortable room in her mind. There was a sofa down the side and plants on the window-sill. Then she remembered that her Mum was paying for this scan privately. Maybe sofa's and plants were one of the differences between the NHS and the private sector?
"If you can hop up on to the bed for me Jess." Jess nodded and left her bag and coat with her Mum before sitting on the bed and swinging her legs around. She looked up at the currently blank screen. It was hard to believe that she was about to see her baby. The midwife walked moved Karen on to a chair next to Jess so she could hold her hand and see the screen.
"Are you ok Jess?" The midwife smiled as she bought a bottle of clear gel over from one of the cabinets.
Jess nodded. However her face told a different story.
The midwife laughed. "Maybe that was a silly question hey. Well I have to tell you that because this is the first scan and we don't know quite how many weeks you are that the baby may still be very small, but that's ok and we'll be able to figure out how many weeks you are from the scan."
Jess nodded at the woman. "Can I have a copy of the picture?"
"Of course sweetheart. I'm sure we can sort out an extra one for Grandma too if she would like."
Karen perked up at the mention of 'Grandma' stupid as it may sound, she hadn't yet linked the idea of Jess having a baby to her being a Grandma. "That would be really lovely, thank you."
The midwife nodded. "Well if you can lift your top up for me then Jess."
Jess did as she was told and lifted her top before undoing her jeans and pulling them down slightly.
"I'm sure you already know that this is going to be a little cold." The midwife smiled as she squeezed some of the gel onto Jess' stomach.
Jess gasped. She hadn't expected it to be quite that cold. However then she felt herself relax and she rested her head back onto the bed as she felt the probe move around her stomach.
The midwife kept moving the probe until she stopped and smiled at Jess. "There sweetheart, is your baby. From all the measurements I would put you at 6 weeks. Yep that looks about it, so six weeks."
Jess turned her head towards the screen. Now to some people they may have only seen a grainy black and white photo, but as the midwife pointed out different parts of the baby, Jess could see everything...that was her baby. She turned and looked at Karen who was sat with a tear running down her cheek. It wasn't long before Jess joined in. Once the scan was finished Jess was sorting herself out and the midwife was printing the scan photos. Jess turned towards her Mum. "I made the right decision Mum..."
