“So how did yesterday go?” Connie enquired.

“She won!”

“Huh?”

“She won and boy did she do it in style, a long solo break.”

“I haven't got a clue what you are on about.” Connie mentioned.

“Aunt Jen won the race in Mexico yesterday.” Bern filled in.

“Ach! That wasn't what I meant, how did the hospital go?”

I knew what she meant; I was trying to avoid answering that.

“Okay I guess, everything is there and seems to work.” It's not a lie.

“He hasn't told me anything either.” Bern noted.

“So anyway, you wanna do the free Spa session this week?” Con enquired, “we were talking about it yesterday.”

“What's the hurry?” I had to ask.

“Well we thought it might be difficult to do in a few weeks, you'll be off racing no doubt, Pia'll be working, you know it gets busy round here from Easter.”

“Right.” I hadn't really given it a lot of thought to be fair.

“And Bern can come with us too.” Con added.

I mentally checked my diary – well apart from training I couldn't think of anything else I was due to do.

“Whatever, you fancy a free Spa session Bern?”

“I'm game.”

“I'll tell the others.” Con told us.

Why weren't the others with us I hear you ask, well my old Schauff managed to suffer a sudden loss of tyre filler and it took me a while to get it repaired. I shoulda just got the Klein out instead and fixed it later but oh no. So like the others had already left when we got to Con's and now we're going hell for leather to avoid being too late!

“So what time's your appointment?”

“Erm.”

Bern pulled out her appointment card and tried to decipher it.

“Looks like seventy five thirty, what kind of time is that?”

“Lets have a look?” I reached for the card.

“Dur! Fifteen thirty, half past three!”

“‘Snot what it looks like to me.”

I had to admit that the receptionists writing left a little to be desired in legibility, her number ones do look a bit like sevens.

“So like what am I supposed to do?”

“You'll be my birthing partner.”

“Sspluuurthhhh!”

“You okay Drew?”

“Your what?”

“Birthing partner, you get to hold my hand.” Bern grinned.

“Oh joy.” I sighed.

Just what every fifteen-year-old boy wants, appointments at the Ante Natal clinic. But I said I'd go with her so I can hardly back out now and anyway I have to act as interpreter!

And now at the back of my mind was the idea that at sometime in the future it could be me with the lump. So okay it is kind of remote and it'd have to be the virgin birth but the very idea it could happen sent a shiver down my spine.

“I'm sure I felt it move.”

“Give over, I mean your hardly showing yet.”

“I know, but if it wasn't the baby I must have indigestion.”

“Good afternoon ladies, what can we do for you?”

Grrr!

“Bernadette Rose, she has a three thirty appointment?” I offered.

The receptionist checked her list.

“Ah yes, if you take this card and have a seat, the midwife will be with you shortly.”

“Thanks.”

We went to the waiting area and sat ourselves down.

“Thanks for this Drew.”

“No sweat.”

“No seriously, I'm petrified, you will come in with me?”

“Erm.”

Before the conversation could go any further a voice interrupted my thoughts.

“Fraulein Rose?”

“Um ja?”

“Sehr gut, bring your friend.”

“Come on Drew.” Bern insisted dragging me to my feet.

We followed the woman into a room with ‘Hebamme' on the door.

“Zo, you are from England Bernadette?”

“Urm yes Miss, and its just Bernie.”

“You will have to excuse my English, I am a little rusty. Your friend I know of course, Güten abend Gaby.”

“Er hi Frau Pilsen.”

Just my luck, out of anyone it could be Bern's midwife is Anna's Mum!

“You know each other?” Bern enquired.

“Of course, everyone knows the Weinkönigin.”

“And this is Anna's mum.” I finished, turning a deep Puce.

“Well please call me Gloria Bernie and you too Gaby.”

“Um thanks er Gloria.”

“So, now we are all introduced lets get down to business, you are eighteen weeks Bernie?”

“I think so.”

“Okay, pop in the cubicle and put the gown on and we'll have a look shall we.”

I just knew this sort of thing would happen, I gave a hopeful look to Bernie but she wasn't letting me off the hook.

“You know Bernie from England?” Frau Pilsen asked.

“Er yeah, we've been friends for quite a few years.”

“Things are difficult for her in England?”

What could I say? I'm sure Anna has talked to her mum so she probably knows most of the story already.

“I guess you could say that.” I allowed.

“Ah Bernie, do you want to get up on the couch please.”

The next ten minutes were embarrassing in the extreme – for me any way. Now don't get me wrong, I'm hardly a prude and my knowledge of female anatomy is more intimate than a lot of fifteen-year-old boys. I'm also reasonably sure that I know what Bern and the other girls in my life look like, at least in their underwear. But today I was pretty much forced to look at a basically naked Bern against my will.

“So, everything seems to be progressing well, we'll do a scan next time which will be, lets see … two weeks today.”

Frau Pilsen wrote on Bern's appointment card.

“So next time we'll have a look at baby eh? Before then we will see you both at the Ante Natal class next Wednesday, there are a couple of other Junge Mutter although they are further along than you.”

“Thanks Gloria.” Bern mentioned.

“Its what I'm here for girls and remember if you need to talk or have any issues you can come to any of the drop in sessions, the days and times are on your Terminkalender.”

“Bern? Are you really okay with me being there and like seeing, you know?”

“If I wasn't Drew, mark my words you wouldn't've been there!”

“But like I'm a boy.”

“It was a boy got me like this.”

“I know but…”

“But nothing, you're my best mate and I trust you. Its not like you're gonna go shouting about it around the school not like that slime ball Sean would've.”

I hadn't heard Bern mention her former boyfriend since she told me what happened to her.

“I'm looking forward to the ultrasound next time.”

“It's a bit weird seeing inside you like that.”

“What are you on about, I think it'll be cool to see junior.”

“I guess but they like cover you in this greasy gunk and the pictures not really that clear.”

“How do you know all this clever britches? You had one then?”

I didn't reply.

“You have!” she accused, “I've never heard of a boy having a scan before.”

She's gonna wheedle it out of me so I might as well tell her.

“I had one the week you arrived, the Doctor was checking to see if things were okay like.” I started to colour up again.

“Things?”

“Yeah, you know, inside.”

“And were they?”

“Were they what?”

“Really Drew Bond! Were they okay?”

“Er sort of.”

“That's why you had to go to the hospital the other day!”

“Er yeah, they wanted to take a better look.”

“What? Like x-rays?”

“No, they put a camera thingy inside.”

“Ew!” she exclaimed, “how did…?”

“A little hole in my groin.”

“Gross!”

“Yeah, they like shaved me down there too.”

I thought she'd comment on that disclosure but she ignored that and pressed on.

“So was everything okay then?”

“Er sort of.”

“What do you mean sort of? There's something wrong isn't there and there's me putting all my woes onto you!”

“No no! Its okay honest!”

“Why don't I believe you? I know There's more to it, spill Bond!”

I need to talk to someone about this and I've told Bern too much already.

“Okay, this goes no further okay?”

“Okay, now spill.”

Maddy Bell 09.02.09 © 2009

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