Maybe It's Better This Way
Chapter 6: Four months
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I have actually done my research but I found people end up having ultra-sound scans at almost any time. It really depends! And the appointments and stuff differ so much between countries etc so I'm just confused. And yeah, they probably wouldn't know the baby's sex with u/s at this point (although it can happen) but CVS or amniocentesis would say to some degree of accuracy. It's early cause of her age ok! Don't get mad!
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The day of Kirsten's first twelve-week scan Sandy was as high as a kite. Leaving the surgery, his wife's hand tight in his own, he couldn't stop talking, rambling on at ninety miles per hour. Kirsten laughed at his enthusiasm, feeling the same way herself but showing it through her bright eyes and wide smile. They reached the car with Sandy still babbling for America until Kirsten pressed a kiss over his mouth. The muffled sound continued for a moment before it was muted completely and Sandy slid his arms round her shoulders, pulling her close.
'I love you.' They grinned at each other as they said the familiar words simultaneously before heading home.
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'God dad, you'd think you were the one having the baby,' Seth declared as his father rushed into the kitchen brandishing the scan picture and thrusting it at the boys with excited exclamations. Sandy lightly clipped his son round the head, 'Just you wait,' he said. Meanwhile Ryan was studying the grainy picture.
'What do you think?' Kirsten asked, slipping an arm around his shoulders.
'Cool,' he said, hugging her awkwardly. She laughed and turned to her other son. 'Seth sweetie?'
'Yeah mom.'
'The doctor had some results from tests today that you're not going to like.' She watched smirking, as Seth's eyes became very round. 'No,' he shrieked, 'not…not that's it a…' he hesitated, swallowing disgustedly before continuing, 'girl?' Sandy nodded excitedly and Seth collapsed onto the floor groaning and pretending to have a fit. 'Noooooo! This means Summer will teach her everything she knows about hurting me. Why mom why?'
The rest of his family chuckled at this outburst and Ryan jabbed the squirming figure on the floor with his foot.
'You wanted a girl didn't you?' he asked Kirsten who nodded.
'Not that I don't love both of you but little girls wear pink, they actually like shopping and get excited about Cotillion!'
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A couple of weeks later Kirsten was at her desk looking through some plans and endless sheets of figures. Sighing, she flopped back in her chair; she was incredibly tired. The general first trimester exhaustion should have passed by now, perhaps Seth was right; perhaps they were too old. Whatever it was, this pregnancy was really taking it out of her; sleepless nights, early mornings with the sickness that continued throughout the day and more than her fair share of stress at work. Her workload was crazy with a backlog of jobs following her covert slacking over the past six weeks; her vain attempts at being careful over the first few weeks of her pregnancy, the infamous 'danger zone'. She'd delegated and retreated on as much as possible but it had been difficult; the Newport Group had had a number of incoming contracts that she was heading and the initial weeks were always hectic. But things weren't getting any easier. She wasn't coping, she knew that. If her dad found out she was the reason things were so slow at the moment she was as good as fired. And that was what had kept her working extra hard the past few weeks to make sure he didn't figure it out. Now the developments were mid-production she didn't want to let anyone down; it was only a couple of months before she'd have to ease off again. Talk about great timing.
She sat up and pulled her diary towards her and surveyed it judiciously. Actually, if they could finalise the latest deal by the end of the week, and those pesky contractors didn't back out, her part would be almost easy. 'Almost' being the operative word. Still, Sandy would be relieved; he'd been badgering her to talk to her father about her workload for days.
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'Are you sure you need to go in tomorrow,' he'd asked the previous night, 'you look like a wet-rag, the nicest possible sort, a very beautiful one, but a wet rag all the same.'
Kirsten had sighed, 'I'm fine Sandy, just tired.'
'Have you spoken to your dad yet?'
'No.'
'No?'
'He's been really busy, I've been busier, I'll do it soon.'
'I know you don't want to tell him.'
'It's not that…the Reynolds contract is really important, that's kind of a priority right now.'
'And you two are my priority; you've got to look after yourself.'
'Sandy I am, honest. I've been sensible, I don't rush about, I've avoided my dad. I just need a good sleep alright?'
Her husband didn't look convinced. 'I don't like you being this tired.'
'I power nap and I take long lunch breaks, you know that.'
That raised a smile; lunchtime usually meant Sandy kidnapping his wife for a few hours. It certainly didn't do Caleb's blood pressure any good but as long as Kirsten's stayed low Sandy didn't care.
'What did the doctor say yesterday?' he asked, referring to her latest check-up, the first he'd missed because of an irritating court date.
'That working is fine as long as I don't over do it.'
'And coming in at six or seven at night isn't just that?'
'It's earlier than usual.'
Sandy heaved a sigh. 'Anything else?'
'Um…not really.'
'Kirsten?'
'She was a little concerned, just a little, about our weight gain, or rather the lack of it. The baby's pretty small still and…'
'And you're in your fourth month and barely showing,' Sandy finished for her. 'I don't think you've put on an ounce for weeks.'
'Exaggerate much? Look, it's nothing to worry about really. Dr Marks is pretty confident we'll make it up later on.' Her husband didn't look convinced. Ok he was having to dredge memories from seventeen years ago but he was sure he remembered Kirsten filling out earlier on. She'd been curvy by this time and glowing with health. Now she still looked sick, tired and rather thin. Only her most tailored business suits no longer fit. You certainly couldn't tell at a glance that she was pregnant.
He hadn't said anything else; just let her curl up in his arms. He knew she was being careful, he was simply overprotective, but it didn't mean he wasn't worried.
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Thankfully for Sandy's peace of mind Kirsten began to feel better over the next week or so; she was pretty much finished with the Reynolds project as it was handed over to interiors, and the nausea that had dragged on into her second trimester had finally subsided. Even the elusive weight gain had begun; she was going to have to tell her father. But not quite yet, right now they were engaged in one of the worst rows they'd had for a long time. A row that had quickly spiralled from its original concept into something bitterly personal.
The pair stood ranged against each other, same angry pose and flashing blue eyes; the similarities were obvious. Father, daughter. Stand off.
Caleb broke the silence, 'Dammit Kiki!'
'Don't call me Kiki,' Kirsten's voice was like ice and her father was momentarily knocked off course.
'What?'
'I said don't call me Kiki
His forehead creased into a frown, 'But…I always call you Kiki…'
'And I hate it.'
'Well this is immaterial right now.'
Kirsten glared at him, ignoring the sudden twinge of pain in her belly, 'No it's not, just because it's about what I want, just because I don't like something you do, don't accept your choices…'
'That works two ways; I don't like some of the choices you've made.'
'Don't bring Sandy into this dad,' she warned, 'it's nothing to do with him.'
'It's everything to do with Sanford.'
'Fine, make this about him, blame it on him again; everything has to be Sandy's fault doesn't it? All his fault when the only thing he has ever done to you is love me,' she could feel herself getting worked up and the pain was intensifying but she couldn't help it; the mocking gaze of her father was enough to rile a brick wall.
'His biggest mistake.'
Her blood pressure was rocketing, she realised, registering how
light-headed she felt.
'Mistake to love me? I can't believe
you said that. You who knows a real mistake, a real error in
judgement. So what's my mistake?'
'Oh I don't know,' Caleb's voice was vindictive, 'Falling in love with him yourself perhaps, getting pregnant, marrying the rogue…'
Kirsten had heard enough, she lunged at her father. Without even realising it he flung an arm up to protect himself and it struck Kirsten as she approached. She reeled backwards, tears forming in her bewildered eyes. Caleb was frozen as she crumpled towards the floor.
A moment later he was knelt beside her, his face pale. She accepted his help and shakily stood upright. Drawing away she leant heavily against the desk, her hair falling over her face and he could hear her breath coming in short, ragged bursts. Suddenly the random spasms became an unbearable wrenching cramp and she gasped and doubled over. Please don't let that be a contraction.
Please.
False contractions weren't meant to hurt. This hurt. It hurt a lot.
'Ki-Kirsten?' Her father asked, his voice gravelly with emotion.
She shook her head but he approached her anyway, feeling his cold heart splinter as she flinched away from his touch.
'Kirsten, it was an accident, I didn't think you were so close…I never meant to…'
'Whatever dad,' she wheezed, managing to manoeuvre herself into the chair behind her desk. She cringed and Caleb reached for the phone, shocked by the sudden pain flashing across his daughter's face, 'What's wrong? Oh God Ki- I've hurt you.'
'It's not that…it wasn't you, well it probably was…but…that's not what it…actually…is,' she panted.
'Hospital. Now.' Caleb's panicked voice turned professional.
'No, please…Dad, could you call Sandy?' Kirsten pleaded curling herself up in the chair, 'please?'
'Yes I'll do it in the car, we're leaving.'
'I can't,' she moaned, struggling as Caleb forced her up, 'need…Sandy…'
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'Ah Caleb, what a nice surprise,' Sandy answered the phone, his voice laced with sarcasm.
'Shut it Sanford,' was his father-in-law's greeting, 'there's something wrong with Kik-irsten, she won't explain…'
'Shit, where are ya'?' he asked, his New York accent resurfacing with the fear pounding in his chest.
'On the way to the HOAG.'
Sandy didn't bother to answer; he was already hurrying towards the door, frantically rummaging in his pockets for the car keys.
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So, this was a bit way-out there but just go with it…please? It's an accident not an attack ok. Cool. Thanks!
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Come on…yell at me!
The review button is just down there.
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