A New Life

26.

(Brittany's POV)

I have been home a few days, Jax has kept himself busy and out of the house. It's hard to nail him for a conversation, I haven't given up on things but I know I need to give him time with everything. Santana on the other hand...I can't keep her off my back. Phone call after phone call, email after email. I guess it's not helping that I am screening her entirely. I know she is still mad, but I don't have the energy to be dealing with her. 

Today I have an appointment with my obstetrician about my birthing plan, I am hoping I don't run into any of the regular hospital gang, I can't get into conversation with anyone that is remotely connected to Santana. If I know my ex wife, I know she would have been on their case to be on mine if I step foot in the hospital. I throw on a baggy hoodie, big glasses and a beanie. "Where you off to?" Jax says a little coldly as I head to the front door. "I have an obstetrician appointment with Carina." I say, hovering near the door. "Oh." he says shortly. "You can come if you want?" I ask with very little hope. "I-I ummm..." I roll my eyes at his clear procrastination to saying no. "Forget it." Without another word I turn and walk out the door and get into my car to drive myself to my appointment.

---

"Ciao Brittany!" Carina ushers me into the examination room. "Mio Dio, you're getting so big!" she says placing her hands on my stomach with a beaming smile. "I know right, it's crazy! I can't see my feet anymore." I laugh as I take a seat on the examination bed. "So how are you doing momma? You taking your vitamins, exercising, eating right?" Carina asks me. "Yes to it all." I smile. "Keeping stress at bay?" I laugh nervously. "Brittany...we said about keeping your stress low, it's not good for the baby." Carina takes my legs and swings them up onto the bed so I am lay down. "Try having Santana Lopez as your ex wife, then tell me to keep my stress levels low" I say rolling my eyes. "Ah come on Brittany, she's not that bad. She's passionate, she cares. You have kids together, she will always be in your life. And forgive me...but weren't you the one who left Jax and flew across the pond to turn up at her apartment on Christmas Eve. You can't blame Santana for that." Carina says in almost a parental scolding tone. 

"Can we just get on with this please?" I say as nicely as I can. I know Carina is right, I bought all this current stress on myself. I lift up my shirt and hiss out at the coldness of the gel being put on my stomach. "Hmm everything looks good." Carina says as she scans my stomach. "How's things with you and Jax?" Carina asks innocently. "Don't even ask." I scoff. "That bad huh?" she says stating the obvious. "I asked him if he wanted to come today and he couldn't even think quick enough to come up with an excuse. He just isn't interested in this baby, but is happy to still live in the house I pay for and live the lifestyle he's become accustom to." I say with a heavy sigh. "Jeez Mama...you need to nip that in the bud asap." Carina says, lightly scolding me. "I know but-" Carina soon stops me mid sentence. "But nothing Brittany, soon...in fact very soon you will be bringing life into this world, the most precious gift a woman can give. Do you really want this baby being born into uncertainty, confusion. They may only be tiny humans, but these tiny humans are like sponges. They absorb everything. And I know you want what's best."

I remain in silence thinking on Carina's words. "So..do you want to know the sex of your baby?" Carina says lightly, changing the subject entirely. "I-I.." Now it's my turn to procrastinate on my words, I want Jax here with me to find out this news, but that just simply isn't going to happen. "Yes." I say meekly. "You're having a little girl Brittany!" my face instantly beams. Santana and I always wanted another girl and now I am having one, the sad thing is...it's not with Santana. "I hope they're happy tears Mama" Carina says wiping my belly of the jelly. "Th-they are" I choke on my words. "Congratulations Brittany, now it's time to talk birth plans..."

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(Santana's POV)

"Have you managed to get a hold of Brittany?" Grace asks, she is growing further frustrated after what I told her Mateo asked me. She isn't frustrated that he asked, more so that we cannot get a hold of Brittany to discuss this. Grace was way more open and accepting of the idea than I thought she would be. "Not yet, her phone rings out then goes to voicemail." I explain matching her frustration. "Well, do we contact a lawyer?" Grace boldly asks. "Babe, a lawyer? Seriously.." I say not quite believing Grace has suggested such a thing. "Yeah, why not? Mateo is clearly unhappy, he wants to be here with us. His opinion counts for something. No in fact it counts for everything! We have a great family lawyer at the firm, I could talk to him. See if he could get the ball rolling?" A small part of me thought Grace was kidding, but by the serious look on her face, she is fully invested in this idea.