Consequences – Chapter 8: Surprises!
The doctor's office stood on the 7th floor of the tall glass building situated on Main Street. Barbara eyed the building feeling a little uncertain; she looked over toward Cody and he extended his hand. A moment later they walked into the lobby together, searching the floor for the nearest elevator.
When they walked into the doctor's waiting room, it wasn't anything like they had expected. The office had a soft welcoming undertone to it, and in some odd way, Barbara began to feel comfortable in this place. Gone was the basket case from a couple of hours before, and in her place stood a more relaxed young girl.
As Cody went to sign her in and get her the forms she needed to fill out, Barbara looked around at the décor in the room. They were mostly pictures of young children with their parents. They were playing and laughing and enjoying the closeness they shared with one another.
As Barbara turned to look at the wall above her, she saw the most beautiful picture she'd ever seen, and a small lump formed in her throat. It was a picture of a woman and her daughter; they were dressed in early 20th century attire. The woman was obviously the little girl's mother. But what left her bewildered were the feelings it invoked inside of her. She placed her hand on her stomach and felt an over whelming sense of unconditional love, and a hope for the future.
Cody walked over with a clipboard in his hand. He had been watching Barbara as he waited for the nurse to hand him the paperwork, and he immediately realized something had changed, something had happened. It's as if, whatever was weighing Barbara down had suddenly been lifted off of her and for a moment he was awestruck, for she looked no less then radiant.
Forty-five minutes later the forms had been filled out and signed, and Barbara was sitting up on the examining table while Cody looked around the room. He couldn't believe his eyes; some of these items looked like something he would find in one of the magazines his brother loved to buy. (Not that he ever read those magazines.) :)
While gazing on top of the counter that sat on the opposite side of the room, Cody noticed a small model replica of a woman's reproductive system. He couldn't contain his curiosity as he walked over and picked it up, examining it as if it were a foreign artifact from another planet. A moment later when the model split into three parts in his hands he freaked out and tried frantically to put it back together.
"Cody try turning the larger piece…no the other way….no not that one." Barbara encouraged, all the while, forcing herself not to laugh. Just then there came a soft knock on the door and as the doctor walked in, Cody dropped the item in his hand, and it hit the floor with a loud thud.
The doctor looked at the model at his feet, then at the young lady on the examing table, and finally at the young man standing before him with a face that would rival the deep red found in Rudolph's shiny bright nose, and laughed.
Cody forever the gentlemen, decided he would do the right thing. So he picked up his hand, and pointed a finger in Barbara's direction and simply stated, "She did it!"
Barbara playfully slapped Cody's stomach with the back of her hand as the doctor smirked. "Young man, if you would be so kind as to help me pick up the pieces, I'll make believe I believe you." Cody nodded and with a grin, helped the Doctor pick up the replica on the floor.
When everyone was seated and ready, and introductions were exchanged they began. "Now Miss, Brownstein normally we…." Dr. Claiborne began.
"Please Doctor; I'd really rather you called me Barbara. It will make me feel more comfortable if you do so." Barbara shyly asked of her physician. Dr. Claiborne smiled at his patient and agreed.
"Now as I was saying, normally we've seen our patients by this stage, so we are able to have a clearer picture as to how the fetus is advancing along. But, unfortunately with your pregnancy this isn't the case." Dr. Claiborne explained. The doctor noticed the worry embedded on Barbara's face, and tried again. "Barbara, there is no need to worry it just means we have to see you a little more often these next couple of months. Just to make sure you're both safe and healthy." He explained as he watched his patients face slowly begin to relax.
Cody watched from the side lines as the doctor explained everything that would take place during today's office visit and sighed in relief. He liked this man and trusted him to take care of his family, and prayed, he wouldn't let him down.
As the doctor exited the room for a moment, Barbara slipped out of her blouse, and with Cody's help, slipped the hospital top on, that the doctor had placed on the table in front of her. When she was ready, he returned and began the procedure.
"Now, we'll set up the machine in a moment, so do me a favor and lay back, Cody you can stand beside her if you'd like, this way you're able to see the screen on the monitor." The doctor exclaimed, as he motioned for Cody to come closer. Cody picked up Barbara's delicate hand in his, as he watched and waited, feeling scared, and excited at the same time.
Cody and Barbara exchanged a loving glance. "So are you ready?" Barbara asked her boyfriend. "You bet!" Cody replied, hoping she didn't catch on to the small stitch of fear in his voice.
The doctor dabbed a small amount, of a jelly like substance, over Barbara's belly and proceeded. Barbara gasped, not realizing how cold it would be on her warm skin. "I must apologize, I didn't warn you that this might be slightly cold to the touch, just relax, this won't hurt, I promise." Doctor Claiborne assured her as he gently rubbed the probe over her stomach.
The three people in the room impatiently waited as the screen adjusted itself and a picture began to form. The three occupants looked closer, while the doctor explained what he was pointing to on the monitor. He then turned up the sound on the machine, so that Cody and Barbara could listen to the baby's heartbeat.
As the volume was turned up a bit more, the doctor seemed to be listening a little more intently. Cody and Barbara exchanged a look, and listened, trying to figure out what was going on.
"Doctor…?" they both stated in unison, now they were getting worried. What seemed like an eternity passed by, and finally the doctor broke out in a big grin.
"I'm sorry if I scared you. I wanted to make sure that I wasn't making a mistake." He stated, as he continued. "You see the heartbeat; I was listening to wasn't a heartbeat at all." He supplied, Cody and Barbara again looked at each other, confusion apparent in their expressions.
"They were heart beats." He emphasized the last part for the benefit of the two people facing him. "What do you mean, isn't a baby supposed to have more than one heartbeat?" Cody asked the doctor, making the older man chuckle.
"You misunderstand me, heartbeats, as in two. Cody, Barbara, I do believe your having twins!" The doctor explained as his smile widened.
Barbara was stunned by the news they had just been given. But not even that could prepare her for what happened next, a second later they both watched in surprise as Cody Martin slumped to the floor unconscious….yes, Cody had fainted.
*AN: Interesting….Zack is going to have fun with this! :) I was going to divulge the sex of the twins in this chapter, but then realized, I won't have any fun writing chapter 9! :)
Thanks again to all who are reading my story, it keeps me writing! (No really, that's a good thing!) Take Care, smiles. :)
