6th May 2013. Third times a charm... maybe?

Chapter 36.

March.

It was time for Lauren's three month check up with her consultant. The tests had been done the week before and the appointment with her consultant was today. Unfortunately, due to a problem with Joey's work, Lauren had to go on her own. She hadn't mentioned it to her parents or Lesley. Part of her knew she needed to do this on her own. She needed to face up to everything head on. When this appointment was booked just before Christmas she had assumed she would be pregnant by now... but she wasn't and she was sure it was her fault. She walked into her consultant's office about five minutes after her appointment was due to start. "How are you feeling, Lauren?" he asked as she sat down. Unbeknown to him this was the wrong thing to ask his patient and it just led to Lauren bursting into tears in front of him. He moved from his seat immediately and sat in the chair next to the young girl. "What's wrong?" he asked her gently.

"I'm a failure..." she sobbed.

"Why would you think that?"

"I'm not pregnant yet. We've done everything right... why am I not pregnant? Is there something else wrong with me... something that means I can't get pregnant?" she asked him desperately.

"I'm not an expert in this field, Lauren but I know that stress contributes greatly as a hindrance to conceiving."

"It's hard to not be stressed when you're in the situation Joey and I are in..." she whispered.

"Well I've looked at your test results and I can see that there has been little change to your heart since your last check-up, so that should be one less thing for you to be stressed about." He told her gently. Her crying softened slightly at his words but it didn't stop, "It's only been a couple of months, Lauren. These things can take time." He reassured her.

"Yeah, but time isn't something we have a lot of, is it? The longer this takes, the longer it is before I get back on the medication and the more likely it is that something will go wrong. I know Joey is going to put a stop to this. He won't let me risk my health for too long."

"Relax, Lauren. All this pressure you're putting on yourself won't help... I promise."

"I just want this so badly and I can't even get this right... Everything I've ever done just lets everyone down." She dissolved into tears again.

"Let me make a couple of calls..." he said to her softly. He had developed a fondness for both Lauren and Joey, having heard many details of their relationship from his friend who'd treated them both just over a year ago. He stepped out of his office to make the call to another friend, one who might be able to reassure his young patient and ease some of her concerns. He was back in his office just a few minutes later, finding Lauren slightly calmer. "I've spoken to a friend of mine. She's a specialist in gynaecology and she's an obstetrician as well. She can see you this afternoon and run some tests on you... to check and make sure there are no obvious reasons for your not falling pregnant. I'm sure there isn't and she is too but if it would remove another worry; relieve some of the stress you're feeling, then I think this is something you need to do."

"Thank you." Lauren said softly. He gave her the details of the appointment and the name of his friend and she stood up.

"I'd like to see you again in three months, Lauren. Again my p.a. will organise the tests for you and send you the details. If you fall pregnant between now and then, let her know and she'll cancel the tests you can't have once you're expecting. In the meantime, good luck... and remember what I said. Try to stay relaxed and not let this get too stressful. Apart from anything else, that isn't healthy for your other conditions either." She smiled and nodded at the elderly man before leaving his office.

*JL*JL*

Lauren found herself outside the next doctor's office a couple of hours later. She was nervous about this appointment. The next few minutes could impact her future with Joey in more ways than one. The door to the office opened and a middle aged woman stood in the doorway. "Lauren Branning?" she asked. Lauren nodded. "Come in." She shut the door behind Lauren after she'd walked in. "How can I help you, Lauren?"

"I understand my consultant told you about my health issues?" Lauren asked.

"He did. He also said you've been trying, with your boyfriend, to get pregnant for a few months now and haven't had any success."

"Actually Joey's my husband now. We got married on Christmas day." Lauren said with a smile, a smile that fell as she started talking again, "I'm worried there might be something else wrong with me that's stopping me conceiving the baby we both want so much." She admitted quietly.

"I'm sure that isn't the case." She sat at her desk and pulled out a notepad. "Okay, I need to ask you some questions first; get some general background information on you. Is that okay?" Lauren nodded, "I understand you were using an oral contraceptive until recently."

"Yes." Lauren answered.

"When did you stop taking it?"

"29th December." Lauren said.

"And you've had two periods since stopping?"

"Yes."

"Would you say they were normal?"

"The first was okay but the second was late and lighter than usual, I guess."

"And you've been trying to get pregnant since stopping taking the pill?"

"Yes. My heart medication was clear of my system by Christmas, so we've been trying... a lot." She admitted, her face heating at her last words.

"I really think you have nothing to worry about, Lauren. It can take two or three months for your cycle to return to normal after stopping taking the pill."

"So I should've stopped taking it earlier?" she asked.

"No, you shouldn't. Your consultant highlighted to you the importance of not getting pregnant when your heart medication was in your system, correct?" Lauren nodded. "It's not unheard of for women to get pregnant immediately after stopping taking the pill or even just missing a pill, so you were completely correct to take it until you did. Each woman's body reacts differently, Lauren. There is no telling how your body is going to be. What I can state is that the risks to your baby if you'd stopped taking the pill earlier and you'd got pregnant before you were given the all clear, are far greater than of you having a problem conceiving now. Even if that is the case, if there is a reason for you not getting pregnant, which I'm not saying there is, you would still have options open to you. If you'd got pregnant while the medication was in your system, I can promise you your options would have been heartbreaking." She wrote a couple of things down. "Now there are some things I can check, to hopefully reassure you." She got up from her desk and walked over to some scales at the side of the room. "If you can take off your jacket and shoes, Lauren and then step on these scales, I'd like to weigh you." Lauren did as she asked, shifting unconsciously as she stood on the scales. The doctor made a note of her weight. Lauren got down from the scales and then the doctor took her blood pressure. "Well, you could do with putting some weight on Lauren. I know you have to watch what you eat and have increased your exercise because of your heart, but you're slightly underweight and even something that small can have an impact on your ability to get pregnant."

"How much?"

"It's only a slight impact, minimal at most but it's something you can fix."

"No, I meant how much weight do I need to put on?" Lauren asked with a smile.

The doctor blushed, "Sorry... about half a stone, not too much. Your blood pressure is slightly high but that could simply be as a result of my taking the reading and you being here today. I'm sure your consultant mentioned the adverse affects of stress when trying to conceive." Lauren nodded, "What he told you is true. Even the slightest amount of stress can have an impact. I know you and your husband want this and why you want to do this now but you need try and ensure you don't get fixated on the pressure of the situation. Lauren, getting pregnant is supposed to be a fun experience... the sharing of an emotional connection between two people who love each other. I see a lot of couples who are struggling to get pregnant and most of them tell me the whole experience has become a chore; a routine of having sex at the 'right times' in order to increase their odds. Don't forget what got you to this point in the first place."

"So you think nothing is wrong and I don't need to worry?" Lauren asked hopefully.

"If you haven't conceived within the next four months, come back and see me. With your husband. I can do some tests to check but at this stage I'm confident there aren't any issues. You just need to relax and have some fun." She watched as Lauren sighed in relief but she could see she hadn't managed to reassure her completely. "I can examine you, if that would ease your mind further."

"Could you?"

"Of course, Lauren." She smiled at the brunette before her, "Why don't you remove your clothing from the waist down and lie on the bed over there. Tell me when you're ready and I'll come through." She said as she stood and pulled the curtain around the bed.

Lauren walked into the closed off area and did as the doctor said, climbing on the bed and pulling the blanket that was lying there over her lap. "I'm ready..." she said softly. She lay there for several minutes as the doctor examined her. She hated having this done but she knew it was what she needed to be sure there was nothing wrong.

"I can see nothing wrong, Lauren." The doctor said as she stood up and removed the medical gloves she'd put on. "In fact, you look perfectly healthy." She told her with a smile. "I'll let you get dressed again."

*JL*JL*

Lauren left the doctor a few minutes later and she did feel better. After a short bus ride she was walking back down the road to her house. As she walked up to the front door it swung open. Joey stood there and he looked frantic.

"I was expecting you home ages ago." He said, "Is everything okay?" he asked as he pulled her into his arms.

"I'm fine." She whispered to him.

"Where have you been? Were the test results bad?"

"No." She said quickly, "There's still been no change. I got upset while I was there... because I'm still not pregnant so he sent me to see a friend of his. She was able to see me this afternoon."

"And?"

"She said I could do with putting on a few pounds and she examined me and said she couldn't see any problems. Apparently it can take a few months after stopping taking the pill before everything gets back to how it should be. She doesn't think there are any issues but said she would see us again if I still wasn't pregnant in four months." Lauren told him softly.

He pulled her into the lounge and they sat on the couch, Lauren on his lap. He kissed her face, "I was so worried when I got home and you weren't here. You can't imagine what I thought..." he whispered to her.

"I'm fine." She said, turning her face to look at him and kissing him deeply.

"Did the doctor say anything else?" he asked her.

"They both said we shouldn't be so stressed out about it all. We should try to enjoy the experience of getting pregnant." She leant her head against his chest, "I think they're right... I'd forgotten why we were doing this. It's all become about getting a positive result and not about the fact we're creating a child together." Her thumb brushed over the wedding ring he was wearing, the words inscribed in the white gold brushing under her skin.

"We'll get there, baby girl. I know it." He told her softly.

"I thought you were going to be at work all day?"

"I wanted to be here when you got home. I felt guilty about not being able to go with you."

"It's not your fault. In a way, I'm glad you weren't there. I'm not sure I would've been able to do the examination if you'd been there."

"Let's go upstairs, babe." He stood up, lifting her into his arms and carrying her up to their room.

TBC

A/N: So there doesn't seem to be anything wrong with Lauren... and she should be able to get pregnant. Even better news... her heart is still fine. So they just need to relax and enjoy it all. Send a review...