—
7 p.m. My flat. Just returned from heaven/narrowly averted amnio nightmare.
“So, the baby’s okay?” I said, as Dr. Rawlings slithered the ultrasound over my stomach.
“Sound as a bell. Don’t worry, you’re not the first woman not to realize she’s pregnant and spend the first few months still having little drinkies. Here, you take a look at that.”
She turned the screen towards me and that was it. It was love. She was all blurry—with a little round head, like, like…a baby. A miniature person inside me! A nose, a mouth, little fists up near her mouth!—the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen.
“Right!” said Dr. Rawlings. She turned round holding a giant needle. It was insane. It was about a foot long. “Now, I do have to tell you, there are certain risks of miscarriage with amniocentesis, particularly at your age, but these have to be weighed against…”
“Get away from me!” I yelled, jumping up from the table. “What are you DOING? Are you out of your mind? You’ll MURDER my baby! You’ll skewer her like Hamlet from behind the arras.”
Found myself, to my alarm, holding my stomach tenderly like one of the Smug Mothers at the christening.
“Do you want to feel my bump?” I said.
“I just did, Bridget. That’s how we just saw the nice picture of the lovely baby, remember? Now, are we going to get on with this?”
“No, no, it’s fine,” I gabbled, gathering my stuff. “No risks, no DNA. Just don’t come near my baby with that needle.”
SATURDAY 7 OCTOBER
Calories 4,824. (But am pregnant, right? So world of food is my oyster. Though not oysters, obviously, as toxic to baby.) Toasted bagels: 3. (Potassium, or fiber?) Cheese 8 oz. (Protein.) (But not goats cheese—soft cheese toxic to baby.) Broccoli: 3 florets. (Excellent Crossover Food, but doesn’t count, as threw up after—baby hates broccoli.) Cheesy potatoes: 3. (Baby loves cheesy potatoes, and unborn babies have an instinctive knowledge of what they need.)
—
4 p.m. Just back from baby shopping. Have bought completely adorable peach playsuit with a floral bandana from ILoveGorgeous and laid it out on the bed, for all the world like it is a little baby girl. Almost wonder if could purchase doll baby to dress it up in to practice, but would that be creepy? Am so excited but at the same time find self feeling strangely lazy, sleepy and distracted, almost as if am a bit stoned. Must make sure no one finds out about this at work just yet. Also probably not tell Mum just yet. Also am definitely going to really mentally address the issue of the father. Definitely.
But will just take a minute to relish how lovely it is. I’m going to have a baby!
SIX
TELLING THE TRUTH
SUNDAY 8 OCTOBER
Noon. The Electric Bar, Portobello Road. “You do have to tell them, Bridge,” said Miranda.
I nodded, sucking diet tonic through a straw. Even though we were sitting in the Electric, my urge to drink alcohol had suddenly disappeared. The very thought of it made me feel strangely acidic and queasy almost as if I had a hangover, which is odd when you think about it.
“Bridget!”
“What?” I said, jumping.
“You have to tell them: the fathers.”
“Oh yes, no, I do,” I said. “I will. Shall we get some more chips? Do you want to feel my bump?”
They all somewhat wearily and perfunctorily patted my bump.
“Start with Daniel,” said Tom. “To practice.”
“Text him now,” said Miranda.
“She can’t just text him out of the blue.”
“Yes, I can. I can do what I like. I’ve got a baby to look after.”