Week 24: Baby talk

Leanne glanced at Peter, her own excitement tinged with anxiety as the sonographer moved the ultrasound wand slowly over her lower abdomen, before turning her attention back to the screen where her womb was displayed in splodges of greyscale.

"Is everything alright?" she asked the sonographer.

"Just getting in the best position to see the baby," she replied, her focus not shifting from her work. "Nothing to worry about."

Leanne turned to Peter again, in need of some reassurance, only to be met with a face even more troubled than her own. "What's wrong with you?" she quizzed him.

"Nothing, love," Peter said, quickly hitching a smile on his face and squeezing her hand in a show of support.

"There we go," the sonographer announced, pointing at an ill-defined shape on the screen. "There's your baby."

"Look, Peter," Leanne grinned in excitement. "Can you see?"

"Yeah," Peter muttered. "I can see."

"That sound?" Leanne asked. "Is that…?"

"That's your baby's heartbeat."

"Isn't it a bit… fast?"

"It's perfectly normal."

"Did you hear that, Peter?" Leanne turned and smiled at Peter. "Perfectly normal."

"I'm just going to take some measurements, confirm your dates."

"Right," Leanne said, her brow furrowed in concern. "How… umm, how accurate can you get with that? Knowing the date of… you know?"

"Conception? The good news for you is that a scan done between eight and ten weeks gestation is the most accurate. We can usually date the baby to within three to five days."

"Right," Leanne murmured, her mind whirring with the possibilities. "That's really, umm, specific."

"As for your baby, going by these measurements… I'd say he or she is nine weeks old."

"So, what you're saying…" Peter grinned. "Is that nine weeks ago, we…"

"Actually, it's seven weeks ago," the sonographer clarified. "We start counting from the date of the last period, so conception is usually two weeks after that."

"Seven weeks then?"

"That's right."

"Okay," Peter pondered for a moment. "What were we doing seven weeks ago…?"

"Peter," Leanne chastised him. "Do we really need to broadcast it to the whole world?"

"Don't mind me," the sonographer said. "I've heard it all before."

"I've got it!" Peter declared. "I know exactly when this baby was made!"

"You can't know," Leanne shook her head, dismissing Peter out of hand. "Not for sure."

"I can actually," Peter protested. "It's not like we were at it like rabbits back then. There's only one possible date."

"Congratulations," Leanne said. "Now, can we please talk about something else?"

Carla looked askance from Nick to their midwife who was sitting opposite them. "Are you seriously asking me that? I want as many drugs as you're allowed to give me. I'll take em all."

"But, darling," Nick interjected. "I thought you were going to think about a natural childbirth?"

"That doesn't sound like something I'd say."

"The other night," Nick tried to jog her memory. "When we were talking about your birthing plan, remember? I suggested a natural birth and you promised to think about it."

"I don't remember that at all. Are you sure I was listening?"

"Obviously not."

"I'm sorry, Nick, but you do tend to go on about these things. I think I switched off when you started talking about setting up a paddling pool in the flat so I could have a water birth."

"Which I still think is a–"

"I'm not giving birth in a paddling pool."

"So, you're not willing to take on board any of my ideas?"

"If one of your ideas involves taking away all of my pain, then yes, I'm up for it."

"This is my baby as well, don't forget."

"Is it you that's gonna be pushing this baby out of your vagina? No, it's not. So, can you please let me decide what's best for my body. Is that alright with you?"

"I guess when you put it like that," he sighed, not entirely convinced.

"There's a whole range of non-medical pain relief options I can talk you through," the midwife added. "If you'd like me to…?"

"That'd be great," Nick said, glancing at Carla nervously. "If that's okay with you?"

"Yes, that's okay with me."

Leanne couldn't take her eyes off her scan photo. She couldn't quite believe that this was real, that she was finally having a baby of her own. She smiled as she ran her forefinger over the photo, tracing the outline of her baby's tiny little body, still so small, still so fragile.

"Oh!' she gasped as she crashed straight into a person walking the other way to her. "I'm so sorry. Oh, it's you."

"Large as life," Nick said, his gaze flickering momentarily past Leanne to where Peter was following in his wife's footsteps. "Peter," Nick greeted him curtly.

"Nick."

"What are you doing here?" Leanne asked.

"We've been meeting with our midwife, talking about Carla's birthing plan."

"Haven't you forgotten something?" Peter asked.

"What?"

"Carla?"

"Oh, Carla, she's–"

"Got it!" Carla called out as she caught up with Nick, her phone grasped triumphantly in her hand. "Left it in the office. Oh, hey," she said as she spotted Peter and Leanne. "What are you two… Ohhhhh, you're not? You are!"

"Yeah," Peter confirmed. "We're having a baby. Hey, Lea, show em the scan piccie."

Leanne reluctantly handed the scan photograph to Carla, exchanging the briefest of guilty looks with Nick as she did so.

"Aww, look at that," Carla cooed over the picture before admitting, "You know, I never could tell one end from the other in these scans, not at this stage anyway. Here, Nick, do you wanna see?"

"Thanks," Nick accepted the photograph from Carla and stared at it intently.

"Congratulations by the way," Carla said to Peter and Leanne. "It's, umm, it's brilliant news. Actually, we've got some news of our own, don't we Nick?"

"Oh?" Peter raised an eyebrow, his curiosity piqued. "Do tell."

"Carla," Nick tried to warn her. "I don't think–"

"We've set a date," Carla announced.

"What?" Leanne piped up for the first time. "Not a wedding date?"

"What else?" Carla shrugged. "It's the twentieth of August, so keep the day free. We'll be sending out invites…" Carla looked at Nick. "Oh my god, we need to sort out invites."

"We've got plenty of time," Nick assured her.

"We've got less than four weeks!"

"Four weeks," Leanne repeated solemnly, her eyes locked on Nick's. "You two are gonna be married in four weeks' time?"

"What's the deal with them getting married so soon?" Leanne asked as she stepped into the bookies shop from the office, a cup of tea cradled in her hands.

"Good luck, mate," Peter handed over a franked ticket to a customer before turning to face Leanne. "What are you talking about?"

"Nick," Leanne said tersely. "And Carla. Why are they rushing to get married? I mean, four weeks?"

"Why shouldn't they?"

"I dunno, it's just… too soon."

"I suppose they wanna do it before the baby arrives. What's it got to do with you anyway?"

"Nothing, I just think he's making a mistake is all. Imagine being stuck with her as your wife?"

"If I didn't know any better," Peter said, staring at her with suspicious eyes. "I'd say you were jealous."

"Jealous?" Leanne laughed. "What have I got to be jealous of? We're having our own baby, remember?"

"How can I forget?"

"You are happy about it, aren't you?"

"Why would you ask me that?"

"I dunno, you seem not as excited as I thought you would be."

"It's hard, innit? To be excited for something you can't see or hold yet."

"I'm excited."

"Well, it's different for you. It's, I dunno, it's… inside you."

"Peter, do you want this baby?"

"Yes!" Peter exclaimed with a little too much enthusiasm. "Of course I do. Hey," he kissed her softly and repeated, his tone low and gentle now, "Of course I want this baby. Hmm? Alright?"

"Hmmpf!" Leanne harrumphed. "I guess so."

"Listen, I need to pop out for a bit."

"What? Where are you going?"

"I need to go to a meeting."

"Now?"

"I promised Howard…" Peter shrugged. "I can't go back on my word."

"I guess not, but Peter–"

"Are you okay to look after the shop?"

"Yes, but–"

"Thanks," Peter said, giving her a quick peck before grabbing his jacket and making a beeline for the front door. "I won't be long."

Leanne stared at the front door of the bookies long after Peter had disappeared from view. And then she made her move. Working quickly before she could change her mind, she grabbed her phone and sent a text message.

Meet me at the flat. We need to talk.

"What do you want?" Nick asked, his arms crossed over his chest defensively as he squared up to Leanne in the middle of her and Peter's living room floor.

"You need to call off the wedding," she demanded.

"You what?" Nick laughed. "You're off your head."

"You're rushing into it," she insisted. "What's the harm in waiting?"

"I don't want to wait."

"Look, Nick, at the scan today, well… the dates match."

"The dates…?"

"When we, you know. They match."

"So… what are you saying?" Nick asked. "It's definitely mine?"

"No," Leanne clarified. "I'm saying it definitely could be yours."

"You're unbelievable, you know that?"

"What do you–?"

"How long did you wait?"

"Wait? For what?"

"Did you jump straight from my bed into his? Did you even have a bath in-between? Brush your teeth?"

"Nick!" Leanne cried, aghast at his suggestion. "Don't be so… disgusting!"

"Whatever, Lea, this hasn't changed a thing."

"I saw the way you were at the hospital. The way you were looking at the scan."

"I never said I wasn't curious."

"Just admit that you care."

"What do you want me to do, Lea?" Nick asked, throwing his hands in the air. "Put my life on hold just in case this baby turns out to be mine? You keep forgetting that I already have a son. He is real. And he is going to be here in a few months."

"That doesn't mean you have to marry her."

"Why not? You married Peter."

"So… what? This is some kind of payback?"

"Who's your mate?" Carla asked Peter, nodding at the teddy bear he was carrying in his arms.

"It's cute, innit?" Peter asked, poking the bear in its belly and grinning. "I know it's a bit early in the pregnancy to be buying stuff, but I couldn't resist. You see, I was having a bit of a wobble about becoming a dad again."

"That's natural, it's a big thing innit, having a kid."

"I went to a meeting in town and this little fella was calling out to me from the window of the toy store next door."

"I remember that little outfit you bought laddo here," Carla said, rubbing her belly. "It was the first thing anyone had bought for him."

"Oh, yeah," Peter reflected with a smile. "I remember that."

"And now look at you, having a baby of your own."

"And you getting married."

"A lot's changed."

"Yeah," Peter said, his eyes locked with Carla's as they both ruminated on the huge changes in each of their lives, changes that were tearing them ever further apart. "So, how did your meeting with the midwife go?"

"Oh, don't get me started," Carla rolled her eyes at the memory.

"Why? Is there something wrong?"

"No no, nothing like that," Carla waved off his concern. "Nick has only gone and got it into his head that a natural, drug-free labour is the way to go."

"I take it you don't agree?"

"You're kidding me, right?" Carla laughed. "I cannot deal with that level of pain. There is no way."

"Lea?" Peter called out as he entered the bookies that he had found, locked up and empty on his return, the 'Closed' sign hanging across the door. "Is anyone here?"

But there was no answer; the shop was empty.

Placing the teddy bear on the counter, he pulled his phone out of his pocket and placed a call.

"It's Peter," Leanne said, staring at the phone in her hands.

"Are you gonna answer?" Nick asked.

"No," Leanne shook her head and rejected the call. "Peter can wait. We need to sort this out once and for all."

"There's nothing to sort out. I'm marrying Carla and there's nothing you can do to stop me."

"I'm not saying don't marry her, just wait a while."

"Why? Will you leave Peter if I call off the wedding? Or are you hedging your bets?"

"What I want is for this baby to grow up with its father," Leanne said. "Whoever that is. All I'm asking is for you to wait six… seven months tops and then we can do a DNA test, find out one way or the other if this baby is yours."

"What did you say?" Peter asked from where he was standing inside the front door to the flat, unseen by the pair inside, engrossed completely in their own conversation.

"Nothing," Leanne gasped, shaking her head in denial, but not quite quick enough to hide the panic that flashed across her eyes.

"I'm not hard of hearing, Lea," Peter said. "I heard what you said. You said Nick might be our baby's… your baby's father."

"Peter, listen to me, I–"

"How did I not see this? How was I so oblivious… seven weeks ago… what was happening seven weeks ago?"

"Nothing was happening, Peter," Nick insisted.

"You keep your mouth shut!" Peter shouted. "Seven weeks… come on, Lea, you know what you were doing seven weeks ago. I remembered as well, don't forget. At the scan, I told you I knew when this baby was conceived. Because it was the only time we'd been intimate for weeks. You remember that, don't you, Lea? Hmm?"

"I remember."

"Go on, tell me. When was it?"

"It was after you'd been away."

"Yeah, that's right," Peter nodded. "I leave you alone for one night and you jump into bed with him!"

"You were with Carla!"

"The difference is, Lea, I never slept with Carla."

"I didn't know that. What was I supposed to think?"

"You were supposed to trust me."

"It's her I don't trust."

"Not this again," Peter shook his head in frustration. "She's having a baby with someone else! With him!"

"I should go," Nick said as he started to move towards the door.

"No!" Peter blocked his path. "You're staying until I get some answers."

"What do you want me to say?" Nick shrugged. "It was a mistake? Fine, it was a mistake."

"A mistake?" Leanne asked, shocked by Nick's words.

"The only mistake around here," Peter declared. "Is this."

"No!" Leanne screamed, lunging at Peter as he snatched the scan photo from the kitchen counter and ripped it in two, tossing the pieces onto the ground. "No," she sobbed, dropping to her knees and picking up the torn picture, bringing the pieces back together, lovingly smoothing out the surface with her fingers. "How could you?"

"How could I?" he asked, his lip curled into a sneer. "How could you? After I forgave you and you promised me never again. Well, you're right, it will be never again, because I will never again believe another word that comes out of your mouth."

"Peter!" she cried out as he turned his back on her and stormed from the room, the sound of his feet running down the stairs closely followed by the slam of the street door reverberating back up the stairs. Stumbling to her feet, she ran after him, but Nick caught up with her at the top of the stairs and, grabbing onto her arm, held her back.

"Leave him, Lea," he urged her. "Let him calm down, yeah?"

"Let go!" Leanne struggled against Nick's hold on her.

"No, just…" Nick grappled with her.

"I need to talk to Peter!" she said, wresting herself free from Nick and shoving him backwards, "I–"

But in the struggle with Nick, Leanne lost her footing. As if a switch had been flicked and the world was now being played out in slow motion, Leanne flailed her arms helplessly, reaching out for something, anything, to hold onto. Something that would stop her from falling. But there was nothing and she fell, with one sickening crunch after the other, from step to step, bouncing, crashing, until she lay unconscious in a heap at the bottom of the stairs.