Being Alive: A The Queen's Gambit Story

Chapter 10

Benny had plans to go with Beth to her first ultrasound, but New York gets hit by the worst blizzard in years and his flight gets cancelled. He proposes driving, but Beth immediately tells him no, imagining him stranded on some highway between New York and Lexington.

"You'll be there for the next ultrasound," she says.

"I'm really sorry, Beth. I hate that you'll be there alone."

"I won't be alone," she says.

"You better not ask Beltik."

Beth smirks. "I'll have Jolene go with me. Maybe going to my first ultrasound will make up for her not being at our wedding."

"Good luck with that," Benny says, and she can hear the smile in his voice. "You'll call me right after?"

"I will," Beth promises.

"I want to hear about everything. I mean it. Even the boring stuff."

"I promise to give you a minute-by-minute account."

Jolene agrees to go with Beth to the doctor, and when the nurse comes out to the waiting room to bring them back, she stops short and asks, "I'm sorry, are you two together?"

"Yes. You got a problem with that?" Jolene asks pointedly.

Beth suppresses a grin as the nurse pales and takes them back to an examination room without another word. The nurse quickly takes Beth's vitals, and then only addresses Beth when she says, "Dr. Woodland will be back shortly to see you."

When she's gone, Jolene leans back in her chair and asks, "So, do you think that was because she thought I was your partner or because she thought your partner was black?"

Beth considers this. "Probably a bit of both."

"Just when we think we got some progress."

"Thank you again for coming with me. It means a lot to me. And Benny. He was pretty unhappy about not being here."

"I bet he was," Jolene says. "You guys figure out what you're going to do about the whole living in two states thing? Because, I'm pretty sure that won't work once this baby comes."

"I know," Beth sighs, looking down at her feet. "We're working on it."

"You've got time," Jolene says. "Not a lot. But you've still got it."

Dr. Woodland comes into the room, grinning wide, and says, "Beth, it's good to see you again. No Mr. Watts today?"

Beth shakes her head. "He's out of town."

"So, she brought the next best thing," Jolene says.

Dr. Woodland grins. "I can see that. Support is very important during a time like this, so I'm glad she has you." He turns his attention back to Beth. "Are you ready for your ultrasound?"

Beth nods, and he gestures for her to lay back on the chair. He lifts her shirt and squirts a clear gel onto her protruding stomach. It's cold, and she can feel her abdominal muscles contract. Dr. Woodland places the transducer into the gel and slowly begins to move it across her abdomen. Beth watches the images on the screen, not understanding the shapes and shadows that she saw, but then he stopped the transducer and turned it to the right.