"Come on Jess we're going to be late." Karen stood at the bottom of the stairs looking at her watch. It was the day of Jess' twenty week scan, and with the rush hour traffic Karen knew that getting there on time would be tight.
"Nothing fits..." Jess' voice came back from her bedroom. Karen sighed and ran up the stairs into Jess' bedroom where she found Jess stood in front of her wardrobe in her underwear. Jess had her hands on her hips looking at the wardrobe full of clothes.
"There must be something Jess." Karen was trying to be patient but it was hard when her day was so full and it was already running late. "How about leggings and a top, and I promise we'll go out on Saturday and get you some bits and pieces. Ok?"
Jess nodded and grabbed a pair of clean leggings and the loosest top she could find. She quickly sorted herself out. It was a squeeze but they both fitted. One final look in the mirror and she was ready.
...
Karen looked into the mirror. The traffic had been easier than she was expecting which had meant she was able to relax into the drive and spending some time with Jess. "I can't believe how much it's come out in the past two weeks Jess." Karen glanced at her daughters growing bump.
"I know...none of my school shirts fit either." Jess pulled a face, but she couldn't hold it for longer. She had felt more and more movement from her belly in the past two weeks and everytime she felt something new it bought her closer to her baby. "I can't believe this is halfway." She looked across at her Mum and smiled. "It feels like yesterday that I was telling you about it."
Karen nodded. "I know...you still going to find out?" There had been an almost constant discussion between the two of them about whether Jess was going to find out if the baby was a boy or a girl.
"I think so...I really want to know now, it'll just make it seem even more real." She looked down at her bump and giggled. "Not that having this growing ever day could let me forget how real it is."
Karen shook her head. "Nope...it's a little bit obvious now darling." Karen looked across at Jess. "I'm sorry that these both came on the same day..."
Jess knew that her Mum was talking about the custody hearing that was happening that afternoon. It had been put off several times, but it had finally gone through far enough. Charlie was still pushing for custody of his children. They had all given their statements, today would decide if there had been a clear decision made. Jess shrugged. "It's alright..." She looked across at her Mum. "Are they going to make any decisions today Mum...just because if they are then I want to be prepared..."
"Nothing will be decided today Jess unless they feel that there is only one clear cut option...they just need to listen to the options." Karen looked at her. "If they've decided that either me or your Dad.
"Charlie." Jess cut across her Mum.
"Sorry. If they've decided that me or Charlie have full custody of any of you then that will be announced today..." Karen looked towards her again. "It's going to be ok Jess...whatever happens."
Jess nodded. "I believe you." She put both of her hands on her bump. "So does this little one. We both know that your going to be amazing."
...
"Jessica Fisher." The nurse came out from the side door and called Jess' name. They both stood up and walked towards her.
"Hi." Jess looked towards the nurse and took a deep breath. She wasn't sure why she was so nervous. She was putting it down to what was happening later, but part of her was still scared of something going wrong with the baby. She had put so much focus and attention into it that she wasn't sure how she would cope if something went wrong now. She got up on to the bed and grabbed her Mum's hand.
Karen looked at her daughter. It always amazed her that when she was worried about something she lost the hard front so many people saw of her. She went back to being Jess. She smiled at her. "Excited?"
Jess took a deep breath before slowly nodding. The nurse gently lifted her top before talking her through the scan. Jess was barely listening, and this time she was expecting the coldness of the gel as it hit her belly. The probe moved around her stomach before the nurse settled on a spot. She turned the screen towards Jess smiling. "There's your baby. Head, back." The nurse traced the figure on the screen to make it clearer.
Jess looked at the black and white image before starting to cry again. She didn't know what it was but seeing her baby so close made it so much more real. She looked towards her Mum and mouthed "Thank you."
Karen nodded, she too was feeling emotional, it had really hit home that her baby girl was going to be a mummy.
"So." The nurse spoke again. "Do you want to find out the gender?" She turned the screen away again.
"Yes." Jess spoke with the definite answer. She watched the nurse move the probe before she found the correct position. Then she turned the screen back again. Jess looked at it trying to make it out.
"Say hello to your little girl." Once again the nurse traced the image. Jess burst into tears again. She was going to be a mummy to her baby girl. This was really happening.
Karen giggled. "Well at least we'll balance up the house again, we couldn't have too many boys around." She squeezed Jess' hand before gently standing up to kiss her forehead. "You're going to be amazing Jess."
Jess smiled at her. "A little girl..." They were all the words she could manage. She was having her own little girl.
