I can’t believe it’s three a.m. already. That ‘I’ll just finish this chapter and then I’ll go to sleep’ idea is always a bad one. I always end up finishing the book. I should know that by now. I read so many books. My wish list is so big. I will get to them all at some point. There is always a new book coming out that I want to read, so I get that one instead.

I sit up in the bed, looking over at my phone. I notice I have a message.

Hi Megan, the party is all over. Going to bed now baby. I’ll ring you in the morning x

Hope you had a good night. Talk to you tomorrow. Night Mark

Night baby, sleep well. X

I can’t help but smile, he always makes me smile. Real genuine smiles. I cannot remember ever smiling so much before I met Mark. The way he says “baby” makes me smile and makes butterflies start to flutter in my tummy. I need my sleep as I have an appointment with the midwife tomorrow. It’s just a check-up so nothing really to worry about, but after the twinges I felt earlier, I am very happy to see the doctor. 

I hate my alarm. It cannot be seven a.m. yet. Looking over at my alarm that is still going off, I realise it is time to get up. I must have fallen asleep without realising it, as I still have my phone in my hand. I check it to see if Jenny has messaged me. 

Morning babe, let me know how your appointment goes. Luv ya xx 

Morning Jenny, will do. Have a good day at work. Luv ya too. XX 

I like the fact Jenny now works the same shifts every week. It’s not like the old days where we would never see each other or know where we were. 

I am lucky. I have been on a two-week training course for work then gone onto holiday, which leads me straight into my maternity leave. I don’t plan to go to back to work for a year. It is going to be hard financially to be off for the full year, but I want to spend as much time as I can with “Bump”.

Ha-ha, work is work. It’s no fun now I don’t work with you xx 

Oh, ha-ha have fun anyway hun. Xx 

I get up slowly from the bed. As my pregnancy has progressed, I am moving much slower. I take a quick shower and once I dry myself off, I get dressed. I choose a pair of black leggings and my emerald top, and I manage to slip on a pair of black dolly shoes. I put my hair up into my favourite butterfly clip, and I apply mascara and lip-gloss. Gazing out the window, I see that it is looking like it is going to be a very sunny day so I find my sunglasses. I am so happy that it is a gorgeous day because I love the sun, and it always lifts my spirits. 

I decide to set off early for my appointment. I’m not allowed to eat anything before my appointment, so I choose not to hang around the house where temptation lingers. I take a bottle of water from the fridge and grab my bag before leaving the house and locking up as I go. 

I get into my car. It was a treat to me for when “Bump” gets here. It is a sensible five-door family car with plenty of room for the pram for when I need it. I tried the pram in the car when I bought it, making sure there is plenty of room for it. I chose not to go for an oversized pram. I don’t like the look of them or the one where the top is a car seat. I cannot see how that can be comfortable for the baby. I chose a lightweight, compact contemporary pram and pushchair. That way I can use it longer with her, and there will be no need to buy a new one. It can also face you when it is in pushchair mode. I am so excited to try it out once I have “Bump” here with me. They had it in so many pretty colours, but I went for the sensible black version of it. I bought a pink mobile for the pram, and Jenny got a pink star for the top of the cover. Jenny is spoiling her already, and she has three months to wait. It also came with a matching car seat. I have had it in the boot of my car for weeks now.

The drive to the doctors takes about twenty-minutes. The surgery is in the next town over, and I enjoy the scenery as I drive along, the fields of greens and yellows and the cows and sheep. I love the countryside, and I think about Jenny and her horse. She loves to ride, and she is forever trying to get me to take it up. I don’t mind helping her out with her horse, Topaz. He’s a magnificent Irish Hunter, and he towers over me whenever I help Jenny groom him. I think she once told me he stands well over fifteen hands.

I hope to get “Bump” into horse riding, well, pony trekking at a young age. Then, she has the experience if she decides to do it later on in life. 

 

******

 

Morning Mark, I’m at the doctors now. I will message you when I’m out. Xx 

I still can’t believe how I have fallen into a natural routine of messaging and talking to him. It is like I have known him for years. In fact, it has only been two weeks now. I have been thinking of going down and seeing him again, but I don’t know if I want to on my own. Mark and I are just friends. I have that spark though when I talk to him, think about him, and talk about him. It is just so weird, but it feels so right. 

I walk into the doctors after finally finding a parking space. The doctors have a huge reception desk just as you walk in, in the cream area. Then you have to sit in the green area and later go to the room down a different coloured corridor. It is a great idea, and so easy to find your way around the building. They have many children’s toys in the green area to keep the kiddies entertained while waiting for the nurse to call your name.

“Good morning, Miss. Can I take your name and date of birth,” the blonde haired receptionist asks. 

“Morning, I’m Megan Madden, sixth of May, eighty-nine,” I reply. 

“That’s great. Your appointment is with Midwife Lee. Please go and have a seat over there, and I’ll call you when she’s ready for you.” 

“Thank you.” 

I walk over to the green area and have a seat near the window. They have loads of magazines on the table, so I pick one up, and it has the top thirty baby names in it. I sit there reading them, and still not one of them jumps out at me. 

“Miss Madden, room three on the green corridor,” the receptionist says over the public address system. 

I place the magazine back down and head to the room. Knocking on the door, I enter. 

“Megan, how are you doing today?” Midwife Lee asks me. 

Midwife Lee is such a bubbly natured woman; she has brown hair that is always up in a bun. She has been looking after me since I found out I was expecting “Bump”. 

“I’m very well, thanks. How are you?” I reply. 

“Great, Megan, how is this little lady doing?” 

“She’s fine. I did have a really bad, painful twinge last night.” 

“Where was the twinge?” 

“Just along here.” I indicate the area with an index finger. 

“Sounds like a Braxton-Hicks. Let’s get your observations done first, Megan.” 

The next fifteen minutes whip by as she takes my blood pressure, pulse, and draws several small vials of my blood. The most important thing is that I get to hear “Bump’s” heartbeat again. It’s so strong that it sounds like a train. It is so amazing hearing her. I just cannot wait to meet her. 

“Megan, everything is fine. She is growing well. Not long until she is here. Book an appointment for three weeks.” 

“Thank you,” I reply before walking out of the room. 

 

******

 

While getting into my car, I check my phone and Mark has messaged me. 

I’m awake baby, let me know when you are out and I will call you. xx 

I fire back a response. 

I’m out.

I place my bag and jacket onto the passenger seat and turn on the radio just as my phone starts to ring. 

“Hi, baby.” 

“Hi, how are you?” I reply. 

“I’m still sleepy, but I need to get up. I have a pile of paperwork waiting for me. How did it go?” 

“Everything is fine.” 

“I miss you, Megan. There are some pictures up on the internet of the function last night, but I haven’t had the time to look yet. I need a shower before anything else, and then I’ll get the professional shots uploaded.” 

“Sounds like you have a busy day planned. I’m going to head into town and get some shopping done and then head home.” 

“Sounds like you are going to be busy as well. I’ll let you get on. Let me know when you are home, baby.” 

“Will do. Bye.” 

“Bye, baby.” I love how he says that. He melts me. I miss the sound of his voice already, and it has only been seconds.