Slade caught up with Duncan. “Any more pains, Pam?”
“No,” Pam replied, her head on Duncan’s chest. “Why are we going to the hospital? What’s wrong?”
Slade’s eyes met Duncan’s. “Just a precaution,” he told Pam, but he mouthed, hurry, to Duncan.
Chapter 14
Duncan followed Slade through the hospital emergency room. As soon as he showed his identification, they were escorted to a room. There was a nurse waiting. Slade said a few words to her before turning his attention back to Pam. “Have you ever had a sonogram?”
“No,” Pam replied looking away from the nurse who was staring at her.
“Lay her on the table.” Slade pulled the machine close.
Reluctantly, Duncan laid her down, but grasped her cold shaking hand. Looking at Slade, he silently dared him to tell him to leave.
Getting the message loud and clear, Slade smiled. Pulling up her shirt under her breasts, and her pants down exposing her whole belly, he watched her closely. “Any more pain?”
“No.” Pam watched him work the machine. “Not feeling the baby move is bad, isn’t it?”
“Not always. This is going to be cold, so I apologize.” Slade applied gel to her stomach. “Sometimes the little one just takes a long nap giving the momma some down time.”
“But you didn’t hear anything either did you?” Pam’s chin trembled, bringing up what she was afraid to bring up at the compound.
“Using a stethoscope isn’t the best way to hear a baby’s heartbeat. They can be lying in a different position making it impossible to hear. That’s why we use sonogram. It’s the best way.” Slade took the probe placing it in the gel running it along her stomach. “You’re going to feel some pressure, but no pain. If you feel any pain, let me know right away.”
Duncan watched Pam who watched the screen of the machine holding her breath. “Breathe,” he whispered, placing his lips to her temple, his eyes going to the screen. The whooshing sound of the sonogram filled the room. All eyes were on the screen. As Slade ran the probe around her stomach, a different sound filled their ears. The sound of the baby’s heartbeat, faint at first, slowly got louder until it filled the room.
Pam lost it. Tears filled her eyes at the sound. Turning her head, she buried her face in Duncan’s neck. “Thank God.”
Slade hit buttons on the machine before moving the probe more. “You said you estimate you’re three months pregnant?”
“Three months and a week to be exact.” Pam still had her face buried in Duncan’s neck trying to compose herself.
“That’s impossible.” Slade hit more buttons, the machine making different noises. Even the nurse had a look of disbelief on her face. “You are in the third trimester. Are you sure about the three months?”
“Yes, I’m sure,” Pam replied. It was a day she would never forget. “I was given a shot.”
Slade looked up at Duncan who nodded toward the nurse shaking his head. “Okay, we’ll talk about that in a few minutes.” He turned the machine so she could see it better. “Would you like to meet your baby?”
“Yes.” Pam sniffed wiping her eyes smearing blood on her cheek. Duncan wiped it away with a small smile. Turning, she looked at the screen, and there was her baby, nestled in her womb. “Is it okay?”
“Yes, ten fingers and toes with a cute little nose.” Slade laughed when the baby yawned.
“Oh, did you see that?” Pam’s eyes shot to Duncan.
“Yeah, I did.” Duncan watched amazed. Never had he seen anything like it. Looking down at Pam’s excited face, he felt such a sense of home, it blew him away. Never did he think he would have a family of his own, but looking from Pam to the baby, he knew without a doubt, his secret hope was finally being fulfilled.
“Do you want to know the sex?” Slade moved the probe around more.
“I don’t know.” Pam looked at Duncan. “Do we?”
“It’s up to you, babe.” Duncan felt honored she asked him. Even though he wasn’t the father by blood, she made him feel that he was.
Biting her lip, she looked back at the screen nodding, excitement blooming across her face. “Yes. We want to know.”
A wide grin spread across Slade’s face. “Congratulations. Looks like you are going to have a strapping young man.”
“A boy?” Pam put her hand across her mouth. “I knew it. I knew it was going to be a boy.”
When Pam smiled up at him, Duncan couldn’t resist kissing her.
Slade put the probe up, clicked a few more buttons before cleaning off Pam’s stomach, and pulled her shirt down. He turned to the nurse. “Thank you for your help. I need a few minutes with my patient.”
“Yes, sir.” The nurse replied heading out the door.
Duncan helped her sit up. “Thanks.”
Slade picked up a few pictures handing them to Pam. “Here’s the little guy’s first photos.”