As Marie lay on the cold, impersonal exam table waiting for the doctor to return, she closed her eyes and let her thoughts carry her away.
"You know this is going to be a boy, right? Shraeder boys are strong, hard-headed. As much as I love Junior, it will kind of be nice to have someone to throw the old pigskin with every now and then."
"Oh,Hank. For all we know the doctor could tell us it's a girl. Kind of throws your macho football game every Friday night plan into a tailspin, won't it?" a very pregnant Marie teased as she lay on the exam table.
"Oh, it's a boy. You know it and I know it. And, lucky for you, he's going to take after his old man in every way!" Hank grinned.
"I can see that. After all, most babies are born bald," she laughed.
He instinctively ran his head against the smooth, shaved skin of his head. "Hey, this is a choice!"
"Whatever you say." Marie playfully rolled her eyes.
"Whatever it is, I want you to know I've been doing some thinking..."
She looked at him curiously.
"There's an opening in D.C. A desk job. We could get that little flat in Georgetown you've always been talking about..."
"You'd do that? For me?"
"More importantly I'd do it for our kid. I know how many nights you've stayed up worrying about me, and now with a kid on the way, I can't see putting you through that anymore."
She smiled and kissed his hand. "I love you, you know."
"Aw, Marie, don't get all mushy on me!"
"I can't help it. Night after night I do worry about you. With that job in D.C. It can be just the three of us; nothing to worry about other than whose turn it is to get up with the baby."
"We won't even have to worry about that. We both know it's the woman's job to take care of that!" Hank laughed.
She playfully hit him on the arm. "You're impossible, you know that?"
"But you wouldn't have me any other way!" he grinned.
"You're right. Thanks to you I have everything I've always wanted."
"You're happy, Marie?"
"More than I ever thought I could be."
Suddenly he turned serious. "I\ want you to know I'll do anything for our little family. You've given me so much, and now we have little junior to wait for..."
Her eyes filled with tears, which did not go unnoticed by Hank. "What's wrong? I thought you'd be happy."
"Thank you."
"For what?"
She didn't hesitate. "For being you."
He leaned in to kiss her, and she realized that life could not possibly get any better.
Just then the doctor came in and applied the cold gel in preparation of the ultrasound. At that moment she found herself hating Walter White very, very much. No, she told herself. This moment wasn't about that monster. Drying her eyes, she closed them and let the doctor do what he needed to do.
"I know this is cold and a bit uncomfortable; I'm sorry about that, Mrs. Shraeder. But it will be over in a minute." Just then the doctor's voice went from strictly professional to having a pleased tone.
"Would you like to see what I see?"
"What is it, is it deformed?"
"No, Mrs. Schraeder. Right now I'm looking at the image of your child's heartbeat. It's nice and strong, just what we wanted to see. Right there..." he pointed at the screen.
Marie strained her eyes until she saw what he was pointing at. "That...that's my child?"
"That's your child's heartbeat. Everything looks just fine. Are you feeling all right?"
"I just...I just don't know what to say."
"That's okay. Most first time parents are overwhelmed at this point. What you're feeling is perfectly natural. I'd like to put you on some prenatal vitamins..."
"That's okay. I already take them."
The doctor looked at her curiously.
"For my hair. I've heard that they can make your hair grow nice and shiny."
The doctor smiled. "Still, I'd like to give you a prescription. Everything looks just great from my point of view. I'd like to see you back in a month. Is there anything else you need from me?"
"No. I'll be okay."
"Oh, one last thing...here is your baby's first picture."
He watched as Marie studied the ultrasound picture in total silence. She traced her hand over the image of the heart, then quickly tucked it away in her purse.
"I'll let you get dressed, then stop by the front desk to make an appointment and also to pick up your prescription. Take care of yourself, Mrs. Shraeder."
After he left, Marie took out the picture and stared at it once again. Then she looked down at her wedding ring, and reality began to sink in. She was alone; yes, Skylar would help her, but she had her hands full with her own kids, so there was only so much she could do. If only Hank were here; he'd know what to do. But he wasn't, and more than ever, she was afraid of what her life had become.
tbc