Read Online Positively Mine by Christine Duval - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Christine Duval
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4 th ?”
“Are you surprised?”
“No. It’s just…my last day of finals is May 3rd.”
“Oh? Well, babies rarely come on their actual due dates, so don’t put too much stock in that date. It’s just an estimate.”
She hands me a gown. “Everything off from the waist down. It ties in the front. The doctor will be in soon.”
I undress as told and put the gown on. It covers better than the cheap paper sheet at the clinic, thankfully. Looking around the room, the walls are a testament to what they do here. Two are covered with photographs of babies, notes of thanks, birth announcements. Did this doctor deliver all these kids?
Knock. Knock.
A thin, lofty man, who looks like he’s about my father’s age, stands in the doorway. He’s mostly bald and wears those glasses that don’t have any rims so they kind of disappear on his face. “May I come in?”
I sit up straighter, and he shakes my hand. “I’m Dr. Adler.”
“Laurel Harris.”
He opens up the chart the nurse has created for me, which at this point only has one page in it. “So you are nine weeks pregnant, which puts you at a due date of May 4 th .”
“That’s what she said.”
“And you are eighteen years old, correct?”
“Yes.”
“You are a young mother.” He says this non-judgmentally, more matter of fact. “Are you a student?”
“At Colman.”
He closes the chart. “Welcome to the practice. We’re happy you’ve chosen us. Today, I’m going to do a simple exam, and then we’ll do an ultrasound. Sound good?”
“I guess.”
“Great.”
After an internal exam, he wheels the ultrasound machine over, gels up my stomach, and moves the probe around. I watch the screen, and soon we’re both looking at the bean.
“There.” He smiles. He turns up the volume, and the room fills with the sound of the baby’s beating heart. It seems stronger than it did two weeks ago, or maybe it’s just my imagination.
“It’s perfect,” he says.
Perfect
. There’s that word again.
“Would you like a picture?”
“Can you do that?”
“Of course.” He presses a button and out prints a grainy black-and-white photo. “To show your friends.”
I know I shouldn’t need a picture to prove it, but holding it in my hands does make it seem more real.
Chapter Fourteen
Dr. Adler’s office is masculine creature comforts meets feminine anatomy. Posters of the female reproductive system and three dimensional models of various body parts decorate the room complemented by a black leather couch, mahogany desk and chair.
I sit as instructed by the nurse and wait. He doesn’t keep me there long.
“So,” he says as he closes the door and takes a seat, “I am happy to say that everything health-wise with you and the baby is looking good. As long as you continue with a healthy lifestyle and come for regular visits, things should go smoothly.”
“Okay.”
“I would like to talk to you about your situation, however. Although you are not the first teenager to come to my practice, you are the first Colman student.”
And why doesn’t that surprise me?
“I am very aware of how rigorous the academics are over there. I went there myself.”
“You did?”
“It is a wonderful school but let’s face it, there aren’t a lot of pregnant students walking around campus or many resources, if any at all, if you’re pregnant. So I’m curious how you’re planning on doing this.”
“I’m not sure yet.”
“There is a young mothers’ pregnancy support group affiliated with the hospital if you are interested. It’s a bit far from Colman, but there isn’t a lot in Milton, so you might have to travel for some services. It’s only once a month.”
He hands me a card with a woman’s name on it. “Alison Kelly is the nurse who heads up the group. Give her a call if you are interested.”
“I will.”
“Now, my second question is about your insurance.”
I feel my face getting warm.
“The receptionist told me that you
“Are you surprised?”
“No. It’s just…my last day of finals is May 3rd.”
“Oh? Well, babies rarely come on their actual due dates, so don’t put too much stock in that date. It’s just an estimate.”
She hands me a gown. “Everything off from the waist down. It ties in the front. The doctor will be in soon.”
I undress as told and put the gown on. It covers better than the cheap paper sheet at the clinic, thankfully. Looking around the room, the walls are a testament to what they do here. Two are covered with photographs of babies, notes of thanks, birth announcements. Did this doctor deliver all these kids?
Knock. Knock.
A thin, lofty man, who looks like he’s about my father’s age, stands in the doorway. He’s mostly bald and wears those glasses that don’t have any rims so they kind of disappear on his face. “May I come in?”
I sit up straighter, and he shakes my hand. “I’m Dr. Adler.”
“Laurel Harris.”
He opens up the chart the nurse has created for me, which at this point only has one page in it. “So you are nine weeks pregnant, which puts you at a due date of May 4 th .”
“That’s what she said.”
“And you are eighteen years old, correct?”
“Yes.”
“You are a young mother.” He says this non-judgmentally, more matter of fact. “Are you a student?”
“At Colman.”
He closes the chart. “Welcome to the practice. We’re happy you’ve chosen us. Today, I’m going to do a simple exam, and then we’ll do an ultrasound. Sound good?”
“I guess.”
“Great.”
After an internal exam, he wheels the ultrasound machine over, gels up my stomach, and moves the probe around. I watch the screen, and soon we’re both looking at the bean.
“There.” He smiles. He turns up the volume, and the room fills with the sound of the baby’s beating heart. It seems stronger than it did two weeks ago, or maybe it’s just my imagination.
“It’s perfect,” he says.
Perfect
. There’s that word again.
“Would you like a picture?”
“Can you do that?”
“Of course.” He presses a button and out prints a grainy black-and-white photo. “To show your friends.”
I know I shouldn’t need a picture to prove it, but holding it in my hands does make it seem more real.
Chapter Fourteen
Dr. Adler’s office is masculine creature comforts meets feminine anatomy. Posters of the female reproductive system and three dimensional models of various body parts decorate the room complemented by a black leather couch, mahogany desk and chair.
I sit as instructed by the nurse and wait. He doesn’t keep me there long.
“So,” he says as he closes the door and takes a seat, “I am happy to say that everything health-wise with you and the baby is looking good. As long as you continue with a healthy lifestyle and come for regular visits, things should go smoothly.”
“Okay.”
“I would like to talk to you about your situation, however. Although you are not the first teenager to come to my practice, you are the first Colman student.”
And why doesn’t that surprise me?
“I am very aware of how rigorous the academics are over there. I went there myself.”
“You did?”
“It is a wonderful school but let’s face it, there aren’t a lot of pregnant students walking around campus or many resources, if any at all, if you’re pregnant. So I’m curious how you’re planning on doing this.”
“I’m not sure yet.”
“There is a young mothers’ pregnancy support group affiliated with the hospital if you are interested. It’s a bit far from Colman, but there isn’t a lot in Milton, so you might have to travel for some services. It’s only once a month.”
He hands me a card with a woman’s name on it. “Alison Kelly is the nurse who heads up the group. Give her a call if you are interested.”
“I will.”
“Now, my second question is about your insurance.”
I feel my face getting warm.
“The receptionist told me that you
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