Page 28 of Pieces into Place
“Really?”
“Really.” As Blake sat up, Vera tenderly caressed her cheek as she wiped a few tears away with her thumb. “For some women, it’s not until they hold their baby that they connect with them. For others, it may be later in pregnancy before they connect. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to pregnancy and everyone is so different. I’m so sorry you are feeling this way, but I’m glad you told me. Thank you for trusting me with that.”
“Thank you for not judging me.”
“I wouldneverjudge you, Blake. You’re my daughter. I’m here to help you however I can. And this,” Vera softly placed her hand on Blake’s belly, “I can definitely help you with.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah. Because the same thing happened to Mom when she was pregnant with Evie.”
“Really?”
Blake felt like her eyes were bugging out of her skull. Isla—the most amazing mom on the planet—struggled to connect with her baby during pregnancy? She had seen Isla and Everleigh together and knew that, clearly, that wasn’t the case now and that gave Blake hope.
“Really,” Vera nodded. “Mom doesn’t like to openly talk about it. Honestly, other than myself, I don’t thinkanyone else knows until now. But I know she’d be okay with you knowing.”
“What changed for her? I see her with Everleigh now and there’s no doubt those two are insanely connected.”
“It took some time. It wasn’t until she felt Evie move that she really connected with her. That and a detailed ultrasound reassuring her that everything was okay seemed to calm her nerves a lot and help her with the connection.”
“Why was she nervous?”
“Well,” Vera swallowed hard, “the last time she was pregnant, you were in her life.”
Vera paused for a moment, letting her words sink in with Blake.
“We both wanted another baby, and I had offered to carry again, but Mom really wanted to have another. She was forty-three when she had Evie, which is a far cry from nineteen when she had you.”
“I still can’t believe she had me atnineteen.I didn’t know who I was at that age. Hell, I barely know who I am now.”
“You’re a beautiful woman, inside and out. That I know for sure.” Vera patted Blake’s leg. “You know, if you wanted to, I can sneak us into the office and do an ultrasound. I can show you the baby and maybe that will help? I know with uncomplicated pregnancies we don’t do many ultrasounds, but I will gladly do one for you if you think it would help you.”
“Can you do that? Since…” Blake couldn’t bring herself to finish the thought and point out that Vera wasn’t her doctor.
“If it’s okay with you, it’s okay with me. We can have Alexis come too, if you want.”
Blake thought about it for a moment as she rubbed her belly. She had been feeling the slightest movement ofsomethingunder her hand, but she hadn’t dared let herselfthink it was the baby until now. Picking up Vera’s hand, Blake placed it on her belly where she felt the baby move.
“Do you think that’s the baby moving?”
“You’re feeling her move?” Vera excitedly gasped as she pressed her hand slightly into Blake’s stomach. “For how long?”
“A few days. A week, maybe. I didn’t want to let myself believe it was the baby.”
“It very well could be. She just might not be big enough yet for us on the outside to feel her.”
Blake smiled at how Vera also usedsheandherpronouns for the baby. Although they didn’t know the gender yet, Blake just felt she was pregnant with a girl. That feeling along with the fact she lookedexactlylike Isla did when she was pregnant with Mason in the picture in their hallway confirmed that for her.
“I want it. The ultrasound.”
“Well, let’s go.”
After gathering their things, Blake got into Vera’s SUV as they drove to her office. Vera led her in through a back door and into an exam room. While Vera got everything ready, Blake sat on the edge of the table, kicking her feet back and forth. She noticed Vera smiling to herself, which made Blake laugh.
“What’s that look for?”
“Nothing,” Vera laughed. She put her hand on her hip as she stood by the ultrasound machine. “It’s just you look so much like Mom right now. Down to the nervous feet kicking. It’s cute.”
