Sorry it's been so long... I have no excuse, really...

Chapter 6

I was 12 weeks into my pregnancy, and I still hadn't seen a doctor. Jack had been going on and on at me about it for ages but I just kept shrugging him off. Something about doctor's freaked me out. I knew I had to go at some point, but I would keep putting it off for as long as I possibly could. Maybe I was scared that they'd do the scan, and find nothing…

"You HAVE to go for a scan. You're 12 weeks gone, right? So GO!" Jack had called Alex to come over and talk some sense into me.

"THANK YOU! I have been trying to tell her that for weeks." Jack backed Alex up. Of course.

"As much as I appreciate you both ganging up on me and ambushing me, I will go when I am ready."

"Beth you sound like your mother." I stopped dead and stared at Alex as he said that. If there was one thing I didn't want to become, it was my mother. That's most people's worst nightmare, right? But I REALLY didn't want to become my mum.

"Alex I love you, but don't say that. Ever. Even if you're just joking."

"Sorry…but seriously Beth you really need to go and see a doctor! Don't you want to make sure everything's good and healthy?"

"The reason I don't want to go is because I'm scared something's wrong. You don't know what being pregnant is like. I believe they haven't invented butt babies yet for you and Jack to create some kind of spawn." I think I sounded a lot ruder than I intended too.

"I'm gonna pass that off as 'hormones'. Come on Beth, please? You need to. For the baby." Alex knew me too well. For the baby. That's what broke me.

"Fine. I'll make an appointment." I got up off the couch and picked up Jack's house phone, dialling the number.

"Miss Law?" a nurse holding a clipboard shouted, immerging from one of the Doctor's examination rooms.

"That's me!" I raised my hand to grab her attention.

"Ah, if you'd like to follow me," she put out her hand in the direction of the exam room in a friendly and inviting gesture. I grabbed Jack's wrist and pulled him with me. Alex had gone home before the appointment. I think his parents had planned something with him.

The nurse shut the door behind me, and the doctor looked up from his notes.

"Good afternoon, I'm Doctor Campbell, and this is Nurse Jackson. If I could ask you to just step through there," he pointed to a door on the left, "and pop this on, that'd be great. We'll need to do an internal examination as well as a sonogram." He handed me white hospital gown with little blue spots on, and I made my way through the door on the left. Turns out it led to a small bathroom.

When I came back out Jack was sat in the chair next to the gurney, his foot tapping ridiculously fast out of anxiety. I didn't blame him. I was feeling really nervous too, but he was about to feel so uncomfortable when I was being examined internally… Although Jack and I had been dating for a few weeks now, he and I hadn't slept together, or even come close. We were taking things slowly, what with the delicate situation.

"Right, Miss Law, I need to ask you some questions before we go any further, okay? If you could just sit up there on the end of the gurney, that'd be fab." Doctor Campbell asked. He seemed nice enough. He had short black hair and green eyes. He looked quite tanned, but like it wasn't he natural skin tone. He'd be abroad recently. He was quite a handsome man, actually. He must have been under 30. He was wearing a light blue shirt with a black tie and black suit trousers. His shoes were black also, and a little scuffed.

Nurse Jackson was blonde. Her hair was tied up in a messy bun, like she couldn't be bothered when she got up this morning. She had bags under her hazel eyes, most likely from working long hours or a busy shift. She was wearing light blue scrubs and white converse trainers. She also looked like a fairly nice person. I assumed she was under 30 too.

I did as Doctor Campbell asked and sat up on the end of the gurney. He pulled out a pen and stood in front of me. "Okay, so you're 12 weeks pregnant, is that right?" I nodded in response. "Okay, do you know for sure the exact date of conception, or is it a little hazy?"

"It was the 14th of March." It was the only day that month, actually… I didn't think he needed to know about how Dan was screwing some chick from the gym instead of me, and it'd only make Jack's blood boil.

"Okay, so you were 12 weeks yesterday, that's great. Are you on any medication?" I shook my head. "Any illnesses or conditions? Or any that run in the family?" I shook my head again. "Okay. Have you experienced any discomfort since you fell pregnant?" I shook my head again. I had been quite lucky, really. I didn't have any morning sickness. "That's good. Is this the baby's father?" Doctor Campbell gestured towards Jack, whose expression mirrored that of a dear caught in headlights.

"Oh, no. Me and the baby's father are separated. He won't be a father to this baby. Jack and I are dating though."

"Ah, I see. I assume the biological father is just not a very nice man, from the expression on both of your faces. I'll say no more. Okay, that's all the questions I need to ask. So if you could pop your feet in these weird looking things and lie back for me, that'd be great. I know how awkward this can be, so I'll be as quick as possible." He put on blue surgical gloves and a mask and started the examination that I presume was routine to him by now.

Jack's face was a picture. He looked so uncomfortable. To be fair though, he wasn't the one having a random stranger poking around in his cervix. But Doctor Campbell was right; it was over quickly and wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it'd be. I put both my feet down, but stayed laid down. I knew I'd have to be laid down for the sonogram, so there was no point in moving.

"Okay, this next part is less uncomfortable for you, and you'll get to see what I'm looking at too." He turned on ultrasound scanner and put the weird gel on my pelvis. It was cold and made goose bumps appear on my skin. He put the wand of the scanner in the middle of my pelvis and spread out the gel, before focusing on what I presume was my uterus. It was weird being able to see it.

To the untrained eye, there was nothing to see. I started to panic, thinking I had miscarried or something.

"And that, right there - the little tiny peanut – is your baby. See that little flutter? That's the tiny little heartbeat, and it's perfectly healthy. You and your baby are doing fine. Everything is perfectly normal." I let out a long breath I didn't know I'd been holding and really looked at what he was point out. He was right; there was a peanut shaped little embryo on the screen with a small flutter in the middle. That was my baby.

Jack sat forward in his chair to get a closer look and took my hand in his.

"Whoa… I've never seen one of these before… Well I've seen pictures and stuff, but I've never seen the actual sonogram. I can't believe it. Beth, that's your baby!" he sounded so delighted. I didn't say anything. I couldn't. I was just staring and grinning like a Cheshire cat. I felt a tear roll down my cheek, but I still didn't move. I didn't want to stop watching the screen.

"Okay, Nurse Jackson if you could print off a few pictures for these guys while I write up some notes," Doctor Campbell got up and began writing down his notes. Nurse Jackson did as she was asked and printed off a string of four pictures of the sonogram" Okay, so that's all for now. You can get changed again in peace, we'll leave you guys to take in everything that you've seen and heard today. Of course, I ask for you to keep healthy and to come back if you feel any discomfort or anxiety about your pregnancy. Don't suffer in silence, we're always here and happy to help. This pamphlet has all the dietary and exercise tips you'll need to know. It shouldn't take more than 10 minutes to read. So, good luck with your pregnancy, and I shall see you for your next scan in a few weeks. "

"Thank you, Doctor." He nodded and left the room, Nurse Jackson following close behind.

I picked up the scan photo and sat up. It suddenly all became real, and I was delighted that I was having this baby. But one thing still bugged me.

My son or daughter wasn't going to have a dad.

The tears streaming down my face went from tears of elation to tears of woe and self-pity. They weren't silent tears anymore, I started to sob uncontrollably. Jack was on his feet and standing in front of me almost instantly. His face was filled with concern.

"Beth? What's wrong? He said everything's fine. You and the baby are healthy!" He cupped my face in his hands and made me look him in the eye. I shook my head. "What is it?"

"There's no dad. My baby won't have a dad." I choked out. The colour drained from his face and sadness overwhelmed his expression. I looked down and continued to sob while Jack went quiet. The silence continued for a few seconds. Or minutes, I'm not sure.

"This baby will have a dad." Jack's voice had become soft but still strong. I looked back at his face and although I couldn't see my own expression I knew I had a confused look on my face. "I'll be this baby's dad. I've always wanted kids. Always. I will be there for this kid and treat them like my own, if you'll let me. I know that me and you aren't in a serious relationship or anything, but that doesn't matter. We don't have to be a couple to be parents these days… Most parents are split up and it works… I know this sounds so mad but I want to be daddy to this little boy or girl. I don't want them to be deprived…" His speech was passionate. He really wanted this. What he said made sense. It was completely mad, but I don't know if you're noticed, dear reader, but it's usually the mad ideas that work the best.

"Okay…"

"Wait…really?"

"Yeah, Jack. If you want to be a dad, you be a dad." There was a moment of silence as what I had said sank in.

"Oh my God. I'm going to be a dad. Whoa…Thank you so much, I won't let either of you down I promise. I'll be the best daddy to this baby and I'll be there for their entire life and no girl or guy is ever going to be good enough for them. Thank you Beth. I won't let you down. Jesus Christ… I love you. This is… it's insane, but that's why it makes sense…"

"JACK!"

"Yeah?"

"Please stop talking." I said with a grin, grabbing his shirt, pulling him closer to me and kissing him.

Jack would be my baby's dad. Even if we didn't last as a couple… Parents divorce all the time and things turn out just fine... I trust him. I want him to be the dad. Better than that scumbag, Dan.

Yeah, Jack would be my baby's dad.

And he'd do a fantastic job.