TWO
"Would you care to explain that?" demanded Piper.
"That was a bad choice of words," said Justin. "More precisely,
I'm here ABOUT the baby."
"I'm still waiting for an explanation," said Piper.
"Piper, it's nothing like you think," said Leo.
"Leo," said Justin, "why don't you let me handle this? I do
have some experience at it."
He turned to Piper.
"I'm not here to harm your child," said Justin. "Quite the
contrary. I'm here to make sure everything is normal with your
pregnancy. I'm sort of a metaphysical physician."
"A what?" asked Paige.
"A doctor," said Leo. "Justin is a doctor who treats magical
pregnancies. Normally, it's the pregnancies of witches and the like."
"So I guess that makes you a witch doctor," giggled Phoebe.
"Phoebe," snapped Piper.
"I suppose in a way she's right," said Justin. "My specialty is
obstetrics for witches. Especially witches who have a magical child."
"I have a doctor," protested Piper.
"Yes, a mortal doctor," said Justin. "I don't deal with the
mortal aspects of a pregnancy. I leave that to the mortal doctors. I
deal with the magical aspects of a pregnancy."
"I don't need a metaphysical physician," said Piper.
"That's what a lot of witches think," said Justin. "Tell me
something, Piper. What's wrong with your baby?"
"What?" asked Piper.
"What's wrong with your baby?" repeated Justin.
"Nothing," insisted Piper. "She's perfectly healthy."
"But you're seeing a mortal doctor on a regular basis," said
Justin. "If there's nothing wrong and she's perfectly healthy, why go
through the bother?"
"I want to make sure she stays healthy," explained Piper.
"Exactly," said Justin. "Now, I'm sure that your baby is
perfectly healthy. But especially in your case, thee are magical
prenatal concerns that a mortal doctor is just not equipped to deal
with. I am. This is just a routine checkup to make sure the magical
aspects of your baby are fine."
"I don't know," said Piper.
"Well, I can't force you," said Justin. "Any more than anyone
can force you to see a mortal doctor. And as I said, I'm sure there's
nothing wrong with the child at all. She's probably very healthy.
But how do you know for sure?"
Piper looked at Justin. He had a good point. This was no
ordinary baby. She had already exhibited greater magic than even some
adults Piper had met. And magic could be notoriously unpredictable.
"I'm not a politician," said Justin. "I have only two concerns.
The health and welfare of your unborn child and your health and
welfare."
"Just a routine exam?" questioned Piper.
"Nothing more," said Justin. "I'm a doctor. I couldn't in good
conscience do anything that was detrimental to either you or you
child. If you say now, I'll leave. But I hope you'll say yes. If
nothing else for the peace of mind you'll have when you know for sure
she's healthy."
Piper looked at the others. She had been so concerned with
making sure the baby was okay she hadn't even considered a magical
aspect. And Justin was right. A mortal doctor might not be qualified
to handle the magical aspects of the pregnancy.
"Okay," she said finally, "but just a checkup. You're not
checking me into any other world hospital or anything like that."
"There is no such thing," said Justin smiling. "And I rarely
find any serious problems. So, just relax. This shouldn't take more
than a few minutes."
"Would you care to explain that?" demanded Piper.
"That was a bad choice of words," said Justin. "More precisely,
I'm here ABOUT the baby."
"I'm still waiting for an explanation," said Piper.
"Piper, it's nothing like you think," said Leo.
"Leo," said Justin, "why don't you let me handle this? I do
have some experience at it."
He turned to Piper.
"I'm not here to harm your child," said Justin. "Quite the
contrary. I'm here to make sure everything is normal with your
pregnancy. I'm sort of a metaphysical physician."
"A what?" asked Paige.
"A doctor," said Leo. "Justin is a doctor who treats magical
pregnancies. Normally, it's the pregnancies of witches and the like."
"So I guess that makes you a witch doctor," giggled Phoebe.
"Phoebe," snapped Piper.
"I suppose in a way she's right," said Justin. "My specialty is
obstetrics for witches. Especially witches who have a magical child."
"I have a doctor," protested Piper.
"Yes, a mortal doctor," said Justin. "I don't deal with the
mortal aspects of a pregnancy. I leave that to the mortal doctors. I
deal with the magical aspects of a pregnancy."
"I don't need a metaphysical physician," said Piper.
"That's what a lot of witches think," said Justin. "Tell me
something, Piper. What's wrong with your baby?"
"What?" asked Piper.
"What's wrong with your baby?" repeated Justin.
"Nothing," insisted Piper. "She's perfectly healthy."
"But you're seeing a mortal doctor on a regular basis," said
Justin. "If there's nothing wrong and she's perfectly healthy, why go
through the bother?"
"I want to make sure she stays healthy," explained Piper.
"Exactly," said Justin. "Now, I'm sure that your baby is
perfectly healthy. But especially in your case, thee are magical
prenatal concerns that a mortal doctor is just not equipped to deal
with. I am. This is just a routine checkup to make sure the magical
aspects of your baby are fine."
"I don't know," said Piper.
"Well, I can't force you," said Justin. "Any more than anyone
can force you to see a mortal doctor. And as I said, I'm sure there's
nothing wrong with the child at all. She's probably very healthy.
But how do you know for sure?"
Piper looked at Justin. He had a good point. This was no
ordinary baby. She had already exhibited greater magic than even some
adults Piper had met. And magic could be notoriously unpredictable.
"I'm not a politician," said Justin. "I have only two concerns.
The health and welfare of your unborn child and your health and
welfare."
"Just a routine exam?" questioned Piper.
"Nothing more," said Justin. "I'm a doctor. I couldn't in good
conscience do anything that was detrimental to either you or you
child. If you say now, I'll leave. But I hope you'll say yes. If
nothing else for the peace of mind you'll have when you know for sure
she's healthy."
Piper looked at the others. She had been so concerned with
making sure the baby was okay she hadn't even considered a magical
aspect. And Justin was right. A mortal doctor might not be qualified
to handle the magical aspects of the pregnancy.
"Okay," she said finally, "but just a checkup. You're not
checking me into any other world hospital or anything like that."
"There is no such thing," said Justin smiling. "And I rarely
find any serious problems. So, just relax. This shouldn't take more
than a few minutes."