I just nod while Ella’s hand pats my leg.
“Come over tonight. Hang out with Cora. She’s obviously bigger than a newborn, but it’ll give you a feel for it.”
“I don’t know…” I hesitate, stomach already flipping.
“You’re coming,” she says again, gentle but firm. The kind of tone that makes it sound like I don’t have a choice.
“Will Jesse think that’s weird?”
“No. Not at all.”
Before I can respond, the door clicks open.
“Karissa?” the nurse calls out.
Ella stands to follow—I’d told her I wanted her to come with me.
I step onto the scale. No surprise there. I feel like a whale, so of course the number reflects it. Fifty pounds. I’ve gained fifty pounds this pregnancy. And I hate it. Weren’t you only supposed to gain, like, the baby’s weight plus some fluid, placenta, blood…like, twenty pounds? Yeah…that’s the last time I trust Google.
The nurse asks me a boatload of questions. Including a ton of mental health ones, which I answer honestly. I was hesitant at first, but Ella sat behind her, nodding like I shouldn’t be afraid to be honest. So that’s what I did.
The blood pressure cuff deflates and the nurse gives me a curious look. “Your blood pressure’s a little high, 142 over 91. Has that happened before?”
I shake my head. “Not that I know of.”
She nods. “Okay. That’s something we’ll want to keep an eye on. It’s not too alarming right now, but at this stage of pregnancy, we always take it seriously. The doctor will talk with you more, but you’ll want to watch for signs of preeclampsia. Swelling, headaches that won’t go away, blurry vision, pain under your ribs, especially on the right.”
I swallow hard, that’s a lot of information. “Okay.”
The nurse jots something down in my chart and promises the doctor will be in soon.
Sitting in the silence has me exhaling deeply, and my chest feels tight.
“I’m sure you’re just nervous. Try and relax,” Ella says, pulling all her long blonde hair to the side and out of her face.
“I know.” I inhale and try to stay steady.
I glance down at my belly. The baby quickly shifts, her knee or elbow running across the top of my stomach.
Ella leans forward a little. “If something ever feels off, you come in. Tell Cody or call me and I’ll take you myself. Seriously.”
I look at her, this woman who barely knows me but didn’t hesitate to show up. I feel the sting of tears pressing behind my eyes. I blink them back.
“Thank you,” I whisper.
She nods like it’s nothing. But to me, it’s everything.
There’s a knock before the door opens and a woman in a white coat steps in with a confident smile. “Karissa?” she asks, then her eyes shift to Ella. “Well, hey there.”
Ella smiles. “Hi, Dr. Patel.”
“Didn’t expect to see you back here so soon. How old is Cora by now?” she asks her.
Ella laughs. “Definitely not yet…she’s only four months.”
“Oh yeah, you’ve got time. Let her soak up being the only child for a little while longer,” she says as she dries her freshly washed hands on a paper towel before pulling up a stool and skimming my chart. “Back to you now. Let’s see… Looks like you’re thirty-four weeks and your blood pressure was a little high—142 over 91. Has that happened before?”
“I don’t think so.”
