“Bette I’m fine with having the ultrasound. This will be your first opportunity to see your baby. If you want to know the gender I’m fine with it.”

“Francesca are you sure?”

“I’m sure.”

Dr. Wilson returned to the examining room. “OK have you decided?”

“Yes. We’d like to do the ultrasound. I want to see my baby.” Bette responded eagerly.

“OK. Francesca I’m going to place a gel on your abdomen which will work as a conductor for the sound waves. Then I will move this transducer around to produce sound waves into the uterus. Bette the sound waves bounce off bones and tissue to generate black and white images of the fetus. If you look at that monitor over to your right you will see the images.

Francesca are you ready?”

“Yes. I’m ready.”

“OK here we go.”

Dr. Wilson spread the gel and uses the transducer to move it around Francesca protruding stomach. Soon the images appear on the screen and they can make out the form of the fetus.

”Is that my baby?” Bette looked on with amazement as the image formed on the screen.

”That’s your baby. Those are his fingers. They are very well formed.”

”Did you say his?”

”Yes Bette. That is most definitely a boy.” Bette looked at Francesca who is looking back at her smiling.

”Isn’t he amazing Fran?”

”Oh look Bette. Looks like he is waving at us.”

”He’s showing you his profile.” Dr. Wilson chimed in.

Bette is mesmerized by the image of her son on the screen. She takes hold of Francesca’s hand and squeezes it. Francesca squeezes back with a smile glad she’d made the decision to put Bette’s happiness first.

***

One benefit of having Francesca living with her and having to provide nutritious meals was that Bette was spending more time in the kitchen. She was getting pretty good at preparing simple recipes that turned out quite well for a novice. After the doctor’s visit Bette suggested they stop and pick up groceries on the way home. Later that afternoon they stood in the kitchen putting the food away when Bette paused and turned to Francesca.

“Thank you Francesca.”

“For what?”

“For today. For agreeing to do the ultrasound. I can’t tell you how much that meant to me. I really loved being able to see him. I loved it more than you could imagine.” Bette says as tears stream down her cheeks.