A bit of history - obstetric ultrasound was developed in the late 50's by a Dr Ian Donald and Engineer Tom Brown in Glasgow and was being used in Glasgow quite regularly by the early 60's. Wide use didn't start in Britain until the early 70's - I am taking a bit of liberty with this fact and imagine that there were probably some forward thinking doctors in Great Britain who would be able to see what a breakthrough this type of technology was and want to get their hands on it.

Chapter 4

"Patrick I'm so very sorry – this is a miracle and I feel like I have tainted it for us" Shelagh grasped her husbands hand as they walked to the car.

Patrick stopped and pulled her close. "You have nothing to be sorry for – that drug manufacturer though!" Patrick felt the well of guilt and anger rise in him again and quickly pushed it back down just as he had for the last few months since Distaval was recalled. Every so often it threatened to overwhelm him and he looked to Shelagh to keep him grounded – even if she didn't know it. The thought of his wife inadvertently poisoning her body with those evil little pills sickened him.

Patrick cupped her face gently with his hands. "This is a miracle Shelagh and we have to have faith that even God wouldn't be so cruel as to put something this precious in our grasp and then snatch it away."

Shelagh smiled through her tears. "Since when are you the one with faith Patrick Turner?"

Patrick leaned down and kissed her. "We are a team Mrs Turner and when you falter I will always be here to lift you up."

Shelagh smiled tentatively. "We're having a baby." She whispered.

"Indeed we are and I know a certain son of ours that we need to go home and tell because he is far too much like his father and is probably thinking the worst at the moment." Patrick opened the door to the car and made sure she was settled before slipping into the drivers seat.

….

Tim thundered into the house that afternoon. "Mum? Mum are you home?"

Shelagh came out of the kitchen and wrapped him in a hug. "All is well Timothy."

"What did he say? What is causing the mass?" Shelagh should have known he would be full of questions. Patrick was right, Timothy was so much like him and she knew in her heart that he would make a fine doctor in the future.

"Come and have some afternoon tea and by the time you have finished your father will be home and we can talk." Shelagh placed a large slice of cake and a glass of milk in front of him.

Timothy looked at the size of the cake and his stomach dropped. The only way he would ever get a piece this size if is she was really happy or there was something really wrong.

As if reading his mind Shelagh tried to put his mind at ease. "It's nothing serious, I am going to be around to embarrass you for a lot of years yet." She smiled.

Patrick came into the flat just as Timothy finished his slice of cake and Angela woke up from her afternoon sleep. "I'll get my angel and meet you both in the living room." Patrick called as he went into the nursery and scooped up his daughter who was clearly delighted to see her father.

Patrick walked into the living room and sat with Angela on his lap and began a game of peek a boo.

"Enough!" Timothy said. "Stop acting as if everything is normal. I want to know what happened today!" Timothy's outburst showed his parents exactly how worried he had been.

"A miracle happened Tim." Shelagh whispered.

"Well technically the miracle happened 18 weeks ago." Patrick smiled at his wife.

"Patrick!"

"Just stop!" Timothy said not understanding his parents at all. "Tell me what's going on." He demanded.

Patrick grasped Shelagh's hand. "Your mum is pregnant Tim." Patrick said quietly as Shelagh leaned into him.

Timothy's heart leapt at the thought of another baby in the house. Everything had been so wonderful since Angela had come into their lives. He was about to rush over and hug them both understanding what a miracle this was for all of them but he watched their faces and took in the way they were physically supporting each other.

"There's more though, isn't there?" Tim asked.

Patrick and Shelagh looked at each other questioning exactly how much they should tell him. It was Shelagh who knew they would not be able to keep him in the dark.

"You're right Timothy there is more. I took Distaval around the time the baby was conceived." She said quietly. She knew Timothy would understand the implications – he had observed both his parents' guilt and worry as they pieced together the implications of dispensing the drug.

Timothy was quiet as he absorbed what his mother just told him. "So there is a chance the baby will be born like Susan Mullocks?...Or worse?" He whispered.

Patrick squeezed his wife's hand before he spoke. "There is a chance, but a colleague of Ted Horringers' in Glasgow has developed a machine that uses sound waves to see the baby in utero. Mr Horringer has made an appointment for mum – so until we know otherwise we are going to have faith that everything will be fine." Patrick said more confidently than he felt.

"So when are you and mum going to Glasgow?" Tim asked.

"My appointment is on Friday." Shelagh told him. "Dad and I will fly up there on Thursday morning and come home again Friday evening. I've arranged for you and Angela to stay with Sister Julienne and Dad will get a locum in for a couple of days." Telling Tim of the plans they had already made. "Tim, Sister Julienne knows the situation but until we have come home from Glasgow we want to keep this news just between the family." She hoped Tim would understand.

Timothy stood and wrapped his arms around his mother. "Everything is going to be fine mum."

Shelagh returned his hug and sent up a silent prayer hoping he was right.