Daphne shakes her head, "I don't know if I'll ever be ready."
"When did is happen?"
"About six weeks ago."
"Wilke?" Kathryn guesses.
"Yeah," Daphne confirms.
"What do you want to do?" Kathryn questions in a calm even tone.
Daphne looks at her as if she doesn't understand, "Why are you being so calm? Why aren't you angry?"
"Me getting angry isn't going to change the situation any. Do you know what you're going to do?"
"I don't know yet."
"Ok."
"Ok? You aren't going to lecture me, or..."
Kathryn cuts her off, "Lecture you? Daphne you are almost eighteen years old. You are nearly an adult, and I don't think that you need me to lecture you about a lesson that you have probably already learned."
"Please don't tell John. I..."
"I won't tell him. It's not my news."
"You tell him everything."
"He has a temper, and he has a tendency to steam roll people. It isn't his decision."
"He will want me to keep it," Daphne assumes.
Kathryn shakes her head, "No."
"What about his ultra-conservative views?"
"I have known him long enough to be pretty confident in saying that is not what he would want."
"How do you know?"
"He expects you to go to an Ivy league college. He wouldn't want any part of something that stood in the way of that."
"So his values only apply to the public, not to his family?"
"He is a politician," she reminds her.
"I have a doctor's appointment early in the morning, I should get to bed."
"Ok."
Daphne climbs off the bed, and heads towards the door. She stops before she opens the door. She turns and looks at Kathryn. She swallows hard.
"Will you take me?"
"I assumed that Regina would take you."
"I didn't ask her," she admits, "Will you take me?"
"Of course," Kathryn agrees.
She glances at the chair before she moves it forward from the corner of the room. The chair has a thin metal frame, and a blue plastic seat, and backrest. She takes a seat next to Daphne. Daphne looks at her, but says nothing. Kathryn tries to ignore her thoughts. She ignores the desire to tell her daughter that she is making a mistake. Instead she reaches for her hand.
As the image appears on the screen Daphne doesn't shift her glance. She continues to stare up at the ceiling. Kathryn takes a deep breath, and looks over at the screen. A rhythmic noise feels the room. She feels a wave of relief realizing that Daphne can't hear the sound of the heart beating. Daphne turns to Kathryn. Kathryn tries to keep a neutral facial expression.
"What is that?" Daphne signs.
"Can you hear it?" Kathryn questions in surprise aware that Daphne can hear some ambient noise.
"I can feel it," she admits.
"It's the sound of the heartbeat," Kathryn reveals.
"Oh," Daphne swallows hard.
Kathryn looks at the screen. She feels conflicted as she hears the baby's heart beating. Finally Daphne looks at the monitor. The technician freezes the image, and hands Daphne a tissue to wipe off the gel.
"Do you want pictures?" she questions.
Daphne doesn't answer, because she isn't making eye contact. Kathryn squeezes her hand. Daphne looks over at her.
"Do you want a copy?"
"No," she answers.
Daphne climbs into the car, and closes the door. Kathryn looks at the time.
"Are you ready to go to school?"
"Yeah," Daphne confirms.
After dinner that night Daphne heads straight to her room. Before going to bed Kathryn stops in her room, to check on her. She opens the door, and steps in. She finds Daphne sitting on the side of the bed. She looks up as Kathryn approaches.
"How was school?"
"Fine."
"What are you looking at?"
Daphne holds up the picture. Kathryn nods, "I thought you didn't want them."
"I didn't. I stopped by after school, and picked them up."
"Talk to me," Kathryn begs.
"You know I never considered it until today."
"Having the baby?"
Daphne shakes her head, "Getting a cochlear."
Kathryn furrows her brow, "I don't understand."
"I couldn't hear the heartbeat. I guess I never really thought about it."
"Daphne..."
"Even if I don't have this baby I want to have one some day. I never really thought about what it meant to never be able to hear something as simple as a heartbeat, or the sound of someone's voice. I won't be able to hear them cry."
"Daphne you would adapt."
"What if something happened because I couldn't hear what was going on?"
"You can't think like that."
"At some point I have to," she argues.
"Daphne if getting a cochlear is something that you want to pursue that is up to you. I will support you with whatever you want to do."
"Why are you being so understanding about all of this? You should be freaking out."
"Someone has to stay calm."
"Tell me what to do."
"About what?"
"Any of it."
"Daphne I can't make these decisions for you. This is something that you have to decide on your own."