Doctor's Visit

Ben & Liana

The waiting room of the obstetrician's office was full of women in various stages of pregnancy. With some, you couldn't tell if they were pregnant or not. Some were obviously somewhere in the five to six month stage. A few looked as though it could be any moment. The fathers who were present all looked nervous.

As she looked around, Liana squeezed Ben's hand tightly. She was a little nervous herself, this being her first visit. They'd only arrived in Sydney from Scotland yesterday. Ben had suggested that they stay over a couple of days and see the obstetrician, who was supposed to be the best in Australia. Ben himself looked as though he did this every day.

When they were finally shown to an examining room and Liana had changed, she sat on the table with Ben standing next to her. The doctor introduced himself, talked to them for a few minutes and then performed the exam, with Ben holding her hand constantly. After he left the room, she sat up, aware of Ben's eyes on her the whole time.

"What you so nervous about, darlin'?" he asked her, one hand rubbing her back gently.

"I don't know." She smiled at him. "Maybe all women are this nervous the first time they're pregnant."

Ben smiled at her. "Nothin' to be nervous about."

The door opened and the doctor stepped in again, reading from Liana's chart. "Well, Mrs. Wade," he said heartily. "You're healthy as a horse!"

"Good choice of words, doc," Ben told him with a chuckle.

"And the baby's healthy as well," the doctor went on, with a smile for both of them. "You're a bit over two months along. You say everything's been feeling all right so far?"

"Yes," Liana told him. "Not even any morning sickness. Shouldn't I have had some by now?"

The doctor smiled again. "Count yourself lucky," he told her. "Some women never have any. You may develop some problems with it. You may not. Don't go looking for trouble, young lady!" The last sentence was delivered in a teasing, scolding manner.

After giving her some vitamins, basic instructions on her diet, and telling her when to come for her next visit, the doctor gave Ben a smile on his way out.

"And you, Mr. Wade- You make sure you take the best possible care of her!"

"No problems there, doc. I always do." Ben put his arm around her protectively.

"And don't go buying up too many teddy bears and baseball gloves just yet." The doctor patted him on the back.

"How about a pony?" Ben asked, mock-seriously.