Chapter 8

…

Sam got up and mad her way over to the examination table and lay down. Dr Marlowe got the equipment set up and looked over to see Dominic still sitting in his chair.

"Are you joining Sam over here or what?" She asked, in a happy tone.

Dominic stood up and came to stand beside Sam, not really sure what he was supposed to do. He watched as Hannah lifted Sam's jumper and blouse and applied some cold gel to her abdomen, causing her to let out a small gasp.

"Sorry Sam." She smiled

Sam watched anxiously as Hannah began to move the scanner over her abdomen. They waited for a few moments, Sam's eyes wandering anywhere but at the screen until she heart the faint sound of a heartbeat. She was adamant that this baby wouldn't change her but as soon as her eyes locked with the image on the screen, every negative thing went right out the window.

"Oh my god Sam look…..it's the baby." Dominic said, softly.

She looked at Dominic and saw the smile on his face and realised that he'd taken firm hold of her hand, in that moment she didn't have the heart to pull it away.

"Hey, you two okay." Hannah asked.

"Sorry Hannah, go on." Sam smiled.

"Well, I can tell you that you're about 8 weeks along…your blood pressure is a little high but judging by the ultrasound everything else seems fine…a healthy baby."

"Thank you Hannah." Sam smiled.

Hannah handed Sam some paper towels to remove the gel before leaving the room for a few minutes to print of a picture of the ultrasound. Sam sat up , pulling her jumper back down before getting off the examination table.

"So…8 weeks, sounds about right…doesn't it." Dominic said.

"Yes it does."

"Are you okay."

"I'm fine Dominic…I'm fine."

"The baby's healthy…that's good news." He smiled.

Sam was about to reply when Hannah came back in and handed one ultrasound to Sam and one to Dominic before they left the building. Sam had gone ahead of Dominic to get some fresh air when he came up behind her.

"Your Doctor gave me this for you, your next appointment. She said she'll call you during the week for a chat."

"Oh right, thank you."

She leaned against the car and stared at the ultrasound in her hand and smiled, Dominic came to stand beside her and watched as her features softened.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

"It's real now, before it felt like a dream but now…this is proof. There's really someone in here." She smiled, as she placed a hand on her abdomen.

"Let's get out of here."

"Good idea…thank you for coming with me today. I know I haven't exactly been kind to you lately but I…"

"Sam, I wanted to be here and I meant what I said. You and I may not have a future together but I will always be a part of our child's life."

He leaned in and kissed her cheek before they both got back into the car.

…

Davey was cleaning out his shotguns when Sheila appeared in his doorway, he could see there was something playing heavily on her mind.

"You don't come down here very often, am I trouble." He asked.

"No, no just on a break and thought I'd go for a little walk."

"So your first instinct was to come here?"

"Actually, I wanted to talk to you about something."

"Oh yeah, well go on then."

"Sam."

Davey avoided eye contact for a few minutes, but was forced to look back when she came to stand beside him.

"I'm not stupid Davey, something's going on with her and I know that you know?"

"Listen Sheila, whatever's going on with Sam, is Sam's business. I get paid as Game Keeper not an agony aunt, if she wanted to talk then she would have."

"Fine, well I tried but whatever it is…I will find out."

He watched as she walked out of the room and he let out a breath he hadn't even realised he's been holding in.

…...

Dominic pulled the car up outside Sheila's house before turning off the ignition and turning to Sam.

"Do you want to come in for a coffee or something?"

"No thank you Dominic, I really need to get back to work….I've missed so much already this morning."

"Are you okay to drive?"

"It's alright, the morning sickness is long gone now…I'll be fine. Thank you again for coming today."

"Thanks for letting me."

Sam got out of the car and came around to the driver's side as Dominic got out, she kissed his cheek before she got in the car and drove off. Isobel was just coming up by the lake when she saw the pair, not quite believing what she'd just witnessed.

…

Sam arrived back at the Big House just after 3pm, she parked the car and was about to make her way inside when someone grabbed her arm, stopping her in her tracks. She turned around to see her Game Keeper staring back at her.

"For god sake David, are you trying to give me a heart attack."

"Alright Woman, I'm sorry…listen, Sheila was asking questions earlier."

"Questions, about what?"

"You, what else. She's not stupid Sam, she knows something's going on with you."

"When the time is right, Dominic and I will tell her but it's just too soon."

"Sam, there's never gonna be a right time to tell her that you're having her Grandchild."

"Oh my god, that doesn't even sound right."

"That's because it's not, this should never have happened and…."

"But it has happened David, this baby is real and it's not going away."

"You're definitely having it then?"

"Up until this morning I wasn't sure, but now….."

"Now what?"

"Are you free tonight?"

"Sure, why?"

"Come for dinner tonight, I'll let Effie know you'll be joining me. I have something to show you, 7 o'clock."

"Alright, I'll see you then."

…

To Be Continued…