揚robably more than Frannie was when she found out she was expecting me,?Haley admitted. 揝he was fifteen, and I抦 thirty-eight, and yet, I imagine that I抦 experiencing some of the same feelings that she did. When I first read Mama抯 letter telling me that Frannie was my biological mother, I was really mad at her梐t them. I抦 understanding and appreciating their decisions a lot better now.?
Mary Nell stood up from the chair where she抎 been sitting and paced around the room. 揑 can抰 imagine how nervous you must be, because I抦 so jittery that I can抰 even be still. I can抰 imagine raising a baby all alone, but then I抦 not as strong as you are. If I had been, I would have left Kevin years ago.?
Haley drew the sheet up to her chin. 揑抣l just be glad when this visit is over, and I抦 not alone. I抳e got all of you. Please tell me you aren抰 leaving and going back to Kevin.?
揟here抯 not enough dirt in Texas to make me do that,?Mary Nell answered, 揵ut I抳e got to admit that I might give him another chance if I was still living in Nashville. I抳e got a weak spot where he抯 concerned. I think it抯 the female version of knight-in-shining-armor syndrome. I rode in on my white horse and saved Kevin and his dreams. Down deep, I liked having him need me, but that抯 not what a relationship should be, is it??
揂bsolutely not,?Haley answered. 揥hat can I do to help you get over that syndrome??
揝hoot the horse if I get on it and say giddyup,?Mary Nell answered.
揑抳e never killed anything, but I will have my gun ready if I see you saddling up,?Haley said with a nod.
A tall lady with gray hair pulled back into a ponytail at the nape of her neck knocked on the door and then came into the room with Gloria right behind her. 揑抦 Dr. Jeannie, and I抣l be taking care of you.?Her voice was calming and soft, and immediately the tension that Haley was feeling eased up. 揑 understand this is your friend Mary Nell and you抳e got a support team with the rest of your friends.?
揘ice to meet you,?Mary Nell said.
揂lways good to meet friends of my patients who are willing to help them.?Dr. Jeannie smiled. 揋loria tells me that you will be a single mother.?
揟hat抯 right,?Haley said.
揑 am a single mom to a daughter who抯 now a senior in college,?Dr. Jeannie said. 揂s women, we抮e tougher than folks think we are, and with a good support system, you抣l do just fine.?
揟hank you for that,?Haley said. 揑抳e been pretty nervous about all this since I took the test and it turned out positive. Motherhood at thirty-eight is scary.?
揗otherhood at any age is scary, but you抳e got the advantage of maturity on your side, Haley,?Dr. Jeannie said. 揟hese teenage girls I see think that motherhood is finding a cute name and playing dress-up with babies like they抮e dolls.?
Haley wondered if that抯 what Frannie had thought about when she was pregnant, and if she was the one who came up with the name Vanessa Haley. Did she ever play dress-up with her, or after she抎 given birth to her, did she even help with the baby chores?
揑 don抰 feel so mature,?Haley admitted. 揃eing a single mother wasn抰 the way I planned to start a family.?
Dr. Jeannie chuckled. 揗e either, but I wouldn抰 trade the experience of having my daughter in my life for anything in this world.?She extended her hand. 揑f you抣l lay back, we抣l get started and see how far along you are.?
Haley put her hand in the doctor抯 and eased back on the narrow bed. Everything was going to be all right. If a medical doctor could raise a child and have a practice of her own, that gave Haley the courage she needed to do the same.
揥e do things a little different here,?Dr. Jeannie said as she pulled a machine over closer to the bed. 揑 will be your doctor, and Gloria will be your nurse at every visit, and I do my own ultrasounds rather than outsourcing them. So, let抯 get started. To me, hearing the heartbeat and seeing the tiny little being is one of the most exciting moments of the pregnancy, and I love being here to share it with you.?
She folded back the sheet and gown until only Haley抯 belly was showing. 揟his will be cold at first,?she said as she applied the gel. 揧ou and Mary Nell can watch the screen and see your baby. Don抰 expect much more than a peanut right now.?She turned a knob and began to run the wand over Haley抯 stomach. 揟he sound you hear is the heartbeat. Looks like you抳e got a healthy baby. Heartbeat is 140, and everything is looking good. You抣l begin to feel fluttery movements before long, since you are already about to finish up the first trimester. According to this, you are ten weeks and three days along, with a due date of January fifteenth.?
Haley did the math in her head. She had gotten pregnant that last time she had sex with Mark, as she had thought. That was the night he抎 finally told her that he was engaged and getting married in another month. He抎 been amazed that she was throwing a fit, because they had agreed that this was just a casual fling from the beginning.