"I wasn't aware this was a party." Ella Reid says brightly, smiling at the three women.
"These are my friends, Ginger and CJ, Leo's not feeling well." Margaret says not wanting to confess of the whole truth.
"Give him my best wishes for a speedy recovery." Ella smiles. "Well you're fifth month, have you been shopping for new clothes yet?"
"I haven't needed to." Margaret says getting up on the table for the ultrasound.
"Well that's about to change because you're baby is now ten inches long and eleven ounces in weight. The skin is less transparent and is covered in a fine downy hair we call lanugo." Ella explains smearing the jell over Margaret. "Your baby has some hair on its head and he or she has eyebrows but it's eyelids are still shut. The internal organs are becoming more mature but at this stage your baby's lungs couldn't cope with life outside the uterus."
"Neither can I sometimes." Ella adds as a little jokes.
The picture blinks onto the screen drawing Ginger and CJ closer, they sigh transfixed by the quick but steady heartbeat.
"Have you felt it move?" Ella asks excited pointing out the head arms and legs.
"I'm not sure." Margaret says vaguely realizing the possibility that Ginger caught all of her call for Leo the other week to come and feel the movements, not just the end. She doesn't doubt Toby would have told her when Margaret went back upstairs. Ginger keeps her mouth closed and Margaret's secret safe. What she can't tell anyone is she hasn't even told Leo about the movements or given him a chance to experience them for himself. Each time she's seen him he's been so sick she doesn't even think he'd be able to comprehend what's happening.
"Well your baby should become very active floating around in the amniotic sac, a bit like an astronaut. We call it 'quickening' because it was once believed that the baby only became alive at this time, it's reflected in the Biblical reference to the 'quick and the dead.' You might notice periods of rest and periods of activity, your baby's limbs stretching cause the activity, and unfortunately they can sometimes pick their time...like the middle of the night. " Ella explains.
"It's always the middle of the night." CJ pipes up.
"The voice of experience." Ella smiles.
*
"Come on we're going shopping for clothes." Ginger smiles as the three women step outside the building.
"I've got to get back to the hospital." CJ says kissing Margaret on the cheek. "I'm going to stop by and say hello to Leo."
"Tell him I'll be there later this afternoon." Margaret asks.
"I won't tell him you're going to use his credit card." CJ teases.
"Give the man a heart attack." Ginger grins.
"Jack Callan's in for Leo and I've got some gossip for you from Donna." Ginger giggles leading Margaret towards her car once CJ has left them.
*
"How is he?" Margaret asks the doctor on duty outside of Leo's room.
"He's progressing well, you can go in he's not asleep he's just resting his eyes." The doctor informs Margaret.
"Hi." She whispers taking Leo's hand in hers and sitting next to the bed.
"How long have you been here?" Leo asks blinking his eyes open.
"Twenty days." Margaret answers.
"No how long have you been here?" Leo repeats.
"I just walked in." She smiles because for the first time he looks better since being admitted.
"They let me walk around the room." Leo says pushing himself to sit upright, Margaret reaches behind him fluffing up the pillows expecting him to say something more but he lets the silence hang thick in the air.
"I'm sorry." It comes quietly but sincerely and Margaret feels a little choked up.
"It's all right, you just get better and come home soon ok." She requests kissing him on the forehead.
"How's my baby?"
"Healthy, happy and growing bigger everyday." Margaret smiles but biting her lip, knowing there's one other thing she needs to tell him.
"Are you all right?" He asks, the same question each day she's been to see him.
"Yes, Toby and Ginger are driving me bananas."
"And eating me out of house and home." Leo adds with a cheeky grin.
"I'm putting on weight with Ginger's cooking, I don't know how she and Toby stay the size they are." Margaret laughs continuing till she starts to cry.
"Hey, what's wrong?" Leo asks obvious concerned.
"It's just so good to laugh, with Emma not responding absolutely to chemo, you in here sick and Toby and Ginger having sex in one of our beds every night while I sleep alone, I just can't believe how good it is to see you sitting up and talking and..." Margaret confesses continuing to cry.
"Toby and Ginger are having sex in one of our beds, which one?" Leo reiterates. "Wait!" Leo pauses. "This is still your second trimester, I'm missing the best bit."
"How about the birth!" Margaret says with mock astoundedness.
"Just don't be getting any ideas about wandering down the corridor into Toby and Ginger's room when you're feeling a bit...you know." Leo warns her.
"It's bedroom number four." Margaret smiles teasing him.
"When they're gone the bed gets burnt along with everything else." Leo instructs unable to stop smiling.
"I do miss you next to me at night." Margaret tells him and Leo's face drops.
"I know, I'm sorry." He says quietly.
"Sitting the rest of the second trimester out is your punishment." Margaret jokes.
"It was you walking through the door with your belly showing, all happy and glowing that made me feel better." He confesses.
"Thank you." Margaret says caressing the side of his face. "Oh!" She protests as she's kicked playfully from the inside out.
"What?" Leo asks confused, Margaret drawing his hand to her belly as the playful pushes continue.
"Is that..?" Leo asks amazed.
"Yes." Margaret nods a new batch of tears pool in her eyes.
"He's quite rough." Leo comments and Margaret doesn't let it pass.
"He?" She questions.
"You don't think it's going to be a boy?" Leo asks looking right at her.
"Honestly I don't care as long as he or she's some of you and some of me." Margaret says tenderly.
"This is the first time this has happened?" Leo asks moving his hands across her belly.
"First time." Margaret says without hesitation.
"I haven't missed anything."