Golden Luckenbooth

Twenty-One

Pregnancy Week 14

"Anna?" Cara asks while I'm examining a shih tzu with eye issues.

"Hmmm?" My murmur is quiet because I'm distracted by the corneal ulcer in the right eye of Mr. Gordon's Bailey.

"This box arrived, and I assumed it was clinic supplies, so I opened it to unpack them and check the invoices..."

"Yeah?" I remove my gloves and grab a pad to prescribe some eyedrops for the shih tzu. Only tangentially am I connected to the topic of conversation.

"It's, um..." She pauses nervously, and when I glance at her and spy her wringing her hands, I stand up straight. "... it's not for the clinic."

Shit. What had he done?

"Thanks," I nod. "Let me return Bailey to Mr. Gordon, and then I'll come check the box. Probably a mistake of some sort if it's not for the clinic."

But my stomach is churning because I'm sure it's not a mistake. He bought me something. And from my cousin's reaction, it's baby-related. Suspicions are confirmed when I spy her eyes dropping to my stomach where the pooch that looks like I've eaten too much is attempting to be a full blown pregnancy, but not quite.

I have to fight the urge to put my hand there to symbolically protect the foetus from her gaze.

Carrying the dog to the waiting area, I explain to Mr. Gordon that Bailey's eye has been damaged. "Don't worry. It will heal on its own. This –" I hold out the prescription "-- will keep her comfortable while it's healing. You need to put one drop in the affected eye twice a day."

Nodding, he takes both the dog and the paper from me. "Thank you, Dr. Anna."

Crap. That nickname has spread like wildfire since Anne's visit with me to see Rainbow.

Before the door has closed behind him, I've got my phone out to call Harry. It rings twice as I wave at Kai in one of our exam rooms where he's using plaster to cast the leg of a greyhound, and I continue moving to the office at the back where Cara works.

"Anna! How are you feeling? I was thinking –"

"What did you send me?" My teeth are clenched, and the words hiss out angrily.

"Nothing." His voice conveys sincere confusion, and for a moment I'm unsure of my convictions. Maybe the package has nothing to do with our little bean. "Why? What's happened? Are you okay? Is she okay?"

He means the foetus of course. His assertion that our baby is a girl never fails to make me smile. Except this time.

"Oh. I'm sorry I snapped at you then." Arriving in the office, I spy the box in a corner near the door to my house. "Maybe I'm completely wrong. It's just that Cara –"

"Yes?" Her voice is behind me, and I've opened the flap on top of the box to find clothes. Not just any clothes. And not baby clothes either.

Maternity clothes.

Turning, I stare at my cousin, my jaw alternatively clenching and relaxing.

"Anna?" Harry's voice comes to me through the phone which is near my hip because my hand has dropped away from my face as I stare at my cousin slash secretary.

"I'm here. Hang on." My face twists to the box. Reaching in, I rummage until I find a note.

Dr. Anna – I guessed at your size, so I hope I'm not too far off. Bought these secondhand for you. If they don't fit, feel free to put them on Depop or donate to a charity shop. So excited for my new niece or nephew! No matter how awkward. Love, Gemma