by Lisa Stone
‘That’s not the reason,’ Beth said. ‘You remember Ian Jennings? We interviewed him and his wife after their neighbour reported their baby was missing?’
‘Yes.’
‘He phoned months ago with concerns about the Moller Clinic. I took his call. He’d found out that his and his wife’s parents had used the clinic and they’d both been given the same donor sperm. I didn’t do anything. I told him it wasn’t a police matter and to contact the adjudication service responsible for the private sector.’
‘Oh, I see,’ Matt said. ‘That was a missed opportunity. Has he filed a complaint?’
‘No. But I feel bad I did nothing. In my defence, Ian didn’t say that Carstan Moller was their biological father, only that he’d had his and Emma’s DNA tested and they shared the same donor.’
‘He probably didn’t know it was Moller then.’
‘Well, he certainly does now!’ Beth said. ‘It’s all over the news. It must have come as a huge shock.’
‘Or possibly he was contacted as part of the investigation?’ Matt suggested.
‘Maybe,’ Beth sighed. ‘Even so, I feel bad. I should have done more to help him. He thought it could be the reason he and Emma weren’t able to have healthy children. He wanted the clinic investigated. I was thinking maybe I should phone him and apologize.’
‘I wouldn’t,’ Matt warned. ‘If he does file a complaint, it could be seen as an admission of your guilt.’
‘You’re probably right,’ Beth agreed. ‘I’ll tell the sergeant, though, just in case there are repercussions. Hopefully Moller’s arrest will give Ian and Emma some closure, although I can’t see their marriage surviving. That MP was right when she said private clinics need to be better monitored, otherwise it could happen again.’
SIXTY-FIVE
A year later Jan was in the village store in Merryless, buying groceries.
‘How are you feeling?’ Lillian asked as she scanned the items into the till.
‘Good now the morning sickness has stopped. Only it wasn’t just in the morning but all day.’
‘I know, Chris said. You poor dear. But at least it’s passed, and it will have been worth it in the end.’
‘Yes,’ Jan agreed. ‘I’ve got to have another scan this afternoon. They think I might have my dates wrong, as the baby isn’t as big as it should be. They can also determine the sex of the baby from this scan.’
‘Do you want to know its sex?’ Lillian asked.
‘I guess it makes sense,’ Jan said, putting the items into her shopping bag. ‘It means we can plan ahead and think about names.’
Lillian smiled. ‘I’m so pleased you two got together in the end. I always thought you were well suited.’
‘I know, you said,’ Jan laughed. ‘I’m pleased too.’
‘You’re good for him. Any plans to marry?’
‘You sound just like my mother,’ Jan said. ‘Maybe after the baby is born. There’s no rush. We’ve shown our commitment by living together.’
‘Good. Chris is a fine man. He won’t let you down.’
‘I know,’ Jan said, paying. ‘You must all come to supper one evening.’
‘Thanks. We’d like that, and to see the changes you’ve made to his house. Even Chris says it’s more comfortable now, although I think he needed some persuading at first.’
‘Tell me about it!’ Jan laughed.
Another customer approached the counter, so, saying goodbye, Jan left the shop and began the walk to what was now her home. Who would have guessed she’d end up living in a village, she mused (not for the first time), surrounded by fields, with a single shop and pub, and where everyone knew each other? She’d always thought of herself as a townie, but then she’d fallen in love with Chris.
A week after she’d returned home, he’d texted as promised. Jan had replied and it had gone from there. They’d started dating and their relationship had flourished. Chris had first suggested she move in with him after they’d been going out for four months, as the travelling was taking its toll. She’d said no to begin with and had then agreed to a trial period. Now, here she was, settled into village life, not missing the town at all, and eighteen weeks pregnant! It had been a heady year – the stuff of romance novels, she thought as she walked. Perhaps she should write one? Her relationship with Chris had all the ingredients of a good romance: attraction at first sight, drama, intrigue, conflict and then the resolution with the couple living happily ever after.
Or so she hoped.
Jan stopped and changed the shopping bag from one hand to the other. Being pregnant was slowing her down. She could have brought the car, but she felt she should walk to keep fit and it gave her the chance to get to know others. Even Bill Smith recognized her on a good day and had once allowed her to take him home when she’d found him wandering in the wrong direction.
‘If you go down there you’ll end up in the woods,’ she’d told him.
‘Oh, mustn’t do that,’ he said, pulling a face. ‘I might get eaten by the dogs there.’
Jan hadn’t disagreed. It was now common knowledge in Merryless that Anne Long, the midwife, lived in Ivy Cottage and allowed her dogs to run in the woods when there was no one around. The villagers didn’t object, even though they knew she wasn’t supposed to let them off their leads and she’d already received a warning from the police. But no one would tell, as their presence helped keep the vandals out of the woods.
Ten minutes later, Jan paused again to swap over the bag and then continued home.
Chris was already in, having taken time off work so he could be with her for the hospital appointment.
‘You should have phoned me,’ he said, concerned, taking the heavy shopping bag from her. ‘I could have collected you.’
‘I’m fine. There’s no need to fuss.’
‘But I want to fuss and look after you,’ he said, kissing her.
‘I know, and if I’m honest I like it,’ Jan laughed.
‘Good. Today’s the day we find out if it’s a boy or a girl,’ Chris said, unable to hide his excitement.
‘Yes, it is,’ Jan replied. She’d played down the other reason for the scan – that the baby wasn’t developing properly. Chris was anxious anyway after what had happened to him and Camile. But there was no chance of that happening again, as Chris and she didn’t share the same DNA. She’d told him, as she’d told Lillian, that she must have got her dates wrong. This scan would hopefully confirm that, so there was no point in worrying Chris.
SIXTY-SIX
The waiting area in the diagnostic imaging department at Coleshaw Hospital was busy and running late. Jan and Chris had been making conversation, but now he was answering messages on his phone while Jan sipped from the water bottle she’d brought with her, watching the comings and goings of the department. The instruction sheet for the scan had stated to drink two to three glasses of water before the scan. Jan was following these instructions as she’d followed all the antenatal advice. She’d been sipping the water at home, during the car journey here, and was now finishing the second bottle. She hoped she didn’t have to wait long as her bladder felt uncomfortably full.
She glanced at Chris and then at the woman sitting opposite, whose partner was also concentrating on his phone. The woman met her gaze and threw her a knowing smile, which Jan returned. She’d found a camaraderie among pregnant women that was reassuring, like joining a support group.
Jan had been very worried when she’d been told she would need another scan, although the nurse had assured her there was nothing to worry about and the baby was fine. The fact that it was very active showed how healthy it was. She had been able to feel it kicking and moving at fourteen weeks, with little bulges appearing in her stomach wall.
A nurse appeared. ‘Jan Hamlin, you’re next.’
Jan immediately stood, so did Chris. ‘This is my partner,’ Jan said to the nurse. It was important he felt included.
‘This way, please,’ the nurse said, with a warm,
professional smile. ‘How are you both?’
‘Fine, thank you,’ Jan said.
‘And how’s the father to be?’ she asked, looking at Chris.
‘A bit nervous,’ he admitted.
‘Like all dads are.’
She showed them into one of the scan rooms, closed the door and asked Jan to lie on the couch. Jan knew the routine from the previous scans. Chris helped her onto the couch and then drew up a chair to sit beside her. Jan pulled down the top of her trousers and pants to expose her stomach, now showing a reasonable-sized baby bulge, of which she was proud.
‘The gel can feel a bit cold,’ the nurse said as she squirted some onto Jan’s stomach.
Jan turned her head so she could see the monitor as the nurse began moving the transducer over her stomach. Up and down, and around, pressing on her full bladder. Chris was concentrating on the screen too. He had a better view – sitting, rather than lying as she was. While they had been delighted by the first scan – proof she was pregnant – it hadn’t really shown much. A pulsing, indistinct image of a developing foetus with an oversized head, lying on its back in a dark uterus. This scan was far more detailed.
The room was silent except for an irregular click as the nurse took photos of what she was seeing on screen. Jan glanced from the screen to the nurse. Her expression was one of concentration. Jan could see the image of her baby clearly, but had no idea what the nurse was making of it.
‘How far gone are you?’ she asked.
‘Eighteen weeks, I think,’ Jan replied.
The nurse moved the transducer to a different position on Jan’s stomach. Chris gave her hand a squeeze. He was holding it quite tightly as he too concentrated on the screen.
‘Is everything all right?’ he asked after a moment.
‘It’s a boy,’ the nurse replied.
‘That’s great,’ Jan said, and could see from Chris’s expression how pleased he was.
‘I’d just like the doctor to check something,’ the nurse said, and put down the transducer. ‘It’s nothing to worry about.’
‘What is it?’ Chris asked, immediately anxious.
‘Just a precaution. Stay here, please, while I fetch a more senior colleague.’ She hurried out of the room.
Jan looked at Chris and saw his fear. ‘It can’t be much,’ she said. ‘I can feel him moving and the images looked fine to me.’
‘But this didn’t happen with your last scan,’ Chris said anxiously.
‘I know, but it does happen. I joined an online forum for mums-to-be and a lot of the women were worried when second opinions were sought. The nurses do it to cover themselves. I had to have my urine double-checked at the doctor’s when I was first pregnant.’
‘You didn’t tell me that,’ Chris said, no less worried.
‘There was nothing to tell. I gave another sample and everything was OK. It happens. I’m sure your son is fine.’
Chris’s face gave way to a small smile at the mention of his son. ‘You’re probably right. Sorry. I’m not very good at this, am I?’
‘You’re doing OK,’ Jan said.
But as the minutes ticked by, she began to share Chris’s concern. What was taking the nurse so long? Was she discussing what she’d found before coming back into the room? Could it be so bad that it had to be discussed away from them?
The door abruptly opened and the nurse returned with a colleague.
‘Hello, I’m Doctor Carter, a consultant radiologist here,’ he said. ‘Sorry to have kept you waiting, we’re very busy today.’ He threw them a reassuring smile and then began looking at the recorded images on the screen.
Jan and Chris watched him carefully as he clicked the mouse to move from one image to the next. The nurse pointed to some areas on the photos and Jan assumed that was in relation to what was causing the problem and that it had already been discussed outside of the room. Chris gave her hand another reassuring squeeze and the consultant turned to them.
‘You have a son, congratulations,’ he said. ‘Your baby’s heart and lungs are fine. He’s a little on the small side but will probably make it up. You’re eating well and taking plenty of fluids?’
‘Yes,’ Jan said.
‘He appears to have a slight irregularity in the formation of his feet. But it’s nothing to worry about and can be fixed with an operation once he’s born.’
‘An irregularity? Is it serious?’ Chris asked.
‘It doesn’t appear to be. You’ve heard of a club foot? It’s similar to that.’
‘What caused it?’ Jan asked.
‘We don’t really know, but it is correctable. We’ll keep an eye on it and scan again in four weeks.’
‘Should we be worried?’ Jan asked.
‘No. It’s minor.’ He smiled and touched her arm reassuringly. ‘I’ll leave you with the nurse now.’
With another smile, he left the room.
‘Better to be safe than sorry,’ the nurse said brightly. ‘How many photos would you like?’
‘Three, please,’ Jan said, while Chris said nothing and looked deep in thought.
SIXTY-SEVEN
The following morning, Chris stopped by Lillian’s store on his way to work. He didn’t want to buy anything, but he needed to talk to her. He waited as she finished serving a customer and then stepped forward.
‘Lovely to see you,’ she said. ‘Everything OK? Jan was in here yesterday. How did the scan go?’
‘It’s a boy,’ Chris said proudly. ‘I’ve brought a scan photo to show you.’ He took the photo from his pocket and handed it to her.
‘Wonderful. Congratulations,’ Lillian said, genuinely pleased.
‘Thank you.’
‘What’s the matter? You seem worried?’
‘Does he look all right to you?’ Chris asked. ‘I mean, I know the image isn’t wonderful, but does he look like a baby should at eighteen weeks? I didn’t go with Camile for her scan, so I’ve got no idea.’
‘Yes, of course. Why shouldn’t he?’
‘The doctor said he isn’t as big as he should be so they’re going to scan again in four weeks.’
‘It happens,’ Lillian said stoically. ‘When I was expecting my youngest I was told the same. He was eight pounds when he was born. They catch up.’
‘That’s what the doctor said, but they also think he may need an operation on his feet. It seems there’s an irregularity in the formation of his feet.’
Lillian peered more closely at the photo. ‘Well, I suppose they know what they’re talking about, but I can’t see much wrong.’ She looked up.
‘Like a club foot,’ Chris added.
‘Well, that’s not serious, is it?’
‘I don’t think so.’
She held his gaze. ‘Chris, the baby looks fine to me. Stop worrying. I know you struggled after what happened to you and Camile, but that won’t happen again. Very few pregnancies are completely straightforward. There’s always something. I know, I’ve had four. Blood pressure too high, too much fluid, baby too small, not in the right position, and so on. If there is something wrong, it’s correctable, so buck up. Jan needs you.’ She handed back the photo.
‘Yes, you’re probably right, although Jan seems to be taking it better than me.’
‘That’s understandable. She’s a woman.’ Lillian smiled.
‘Which reminds me,’ Chris said. ‘Jan has asked if you can come to supper this Saturday.’
‘Yes, I’ll check with Jim, but I’m sure that’s fine.’
The door opened as another customer came in.
‘I’ll be off then, see you Saturday, around seven?’ Chris said.
‘Look forward to it. Give my love to Jan.’
SIXTY-EIGHT
Chris returned to his van. He really must get a move on now. He was halfway through rewiring a house in the next village and had finished early yesterday to take Jan for the scan. Now he was late. He texted the couple to say he would be with them soon with apologies. After a restless ni
ght, he’d needed the sound voice of reason from Lillian and she’d done her best.
He started the van but didn’t drive off. He stared through the windscreen, deep in thought. If Jan was worried, she wasn’t showing it, probably for his sake, he decided. Engine still running, he took the scan photo from his pocket. Pity he didn’t have a digital copy that he could have enlarged, but that hadn’t been offered at the hospital. He supposed he could ask for another, but Jan would want to know the reason, especially as there was already another scan scheduled in four weeks’ time.
Returning the photo to his pocket, he drove away.
It wasn’t so much his son’s low weight that was worrying him. The doctor, nurse, Jan’s online friends and now Lillian all agreed that babies usually made up any shortfall in their weight before birth. No. What was really worrying Chris was the malformation of his baby’s feet. He told himself he was anxious because their child could be left with a limp or possibly never walk at all. That’s what he kept telling himself, but it wasn’t true.
A layby appeared and Chris pulled over. Cutting the engine, he took the scan photo and his phone from his pocket. He propped the photo on the steering wheel and then accessed the Internet on his phone. He put club foot into a search engine and soon learnt that the term covered a number of conditions. Photos and X-rays appeared alongside articles. He glanced between the images on his phone and the scan photo of his baby, comparing them. There were some similarities, but there were also many differences. The lower leg bones seemed longer in the scan photo of his baby than those of a human child, even allowing for the malformation. Although he couldn’t be sure.
He searched again, this time using the more general leg and foot deformities in an unborn baby. Pages of links to websites appeared – medical, research and forums. He read the information and compared the images. One research paper said that this type of deformity crossed ethnic groups and could be found in some animals, especially primates, which didn’t reassure Chris at all. There were pictures of developing foetuses in the uterus, and in the early stages most species looked very similar. This is because fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and humans carry very similar ancient genes, he read with another stab of fear.