and I'm not happy at all. I'm a GP registrar. I haven't had a lot of experience with even normal deliveries, but I do know some of the complications that would be impossible to deal with outside a hospital setting.'
Sophie proceeded to list the complications. Even graphic scenarios of severe haemorrhage, hypovolemic shock and death didn't appear to register with her patient. Pagan waited until she had finished and then smiled.
'I took that prescription you gave me for the multivitamin tablets when I went to see Iris. She's my clairvoyant, you know.'
'Very appropriate name,' Sophie murmured.
'Anyway, she knew just by holding it that you were the right person. I have every faith in you, Sophie.' She leaned forward eagerly. 'I want you to share this experience with me. I think you'll find it life-changing.'
'That's what bothers me.' Sophie was feeling worn down by Pagan's unshakeable convictions. She decided she would have to back off for the moment. 'Did you think about the blood tests and ultrasound scan I suggested?'
'No.' Pagan shook her head and a few more tendrils of hair floated loose. 'I mean, yes, I did think about it and, no, I don't want them.'
Sophie saw a glimmer of hope. 'These tests are really the only way of getting any sort of reassurance that the birth will be uncomplicated. I would feel a lot happier about this if I had some evidence that the pregnancy is normal.'
'Would you?' Pagan looked surprised.
'Ultrasound is the way dolphins communicate, you know, Pagan.' Sophie felt suddenly inspired. 'Bouncing sound waves off things to get a picture. It's the same idea with a scan of the baby. Quite an Aquarius thing, I would have thought.'
Pagan's eyes shone. 'You're quite right, Sophie. Book me in, then.' She jumped to her feet.
Sophie held the door open with some relief and took her down to see Toni.
'Pagan wants a scan booked at Women's, please, Toni. In a fortnight. She'll be about fifteen weeks by then.'
Pagan leaned over the counter and nodded wisely at Toni. 'I knew Sophie was the right person. I'm never wrong about auras.'
* * *
'So! You've persuaded Pagan Ellis to have a scan.' Oliver's head appeared around Sophie's door later that afternoon. 'That was well done.'
'It wasn't all that difficult,' Sophie said modestly. 'I still need to talk her into having the routine blood tests and maybe even amniocentesis, but I am rather pleased, I must say. It's a bit of a relief, really.'
'I'm sure it is.' Oliver stepped inside the room and closed the door behind him. 'You've had quite a productive afternoon. You've sorted out a difficult patient and your relationship.'
'Sorry?' Sophie's eyes widened.
'I wasn't eavesdropping intentionally.' Oliver's smile was a little forced. 'But it sounded like you patched things up with Greg quite nicely.'
Sophie shrugged. 'There wasn't anything to patch up,' she said levelly. 'Not any more.'
Oliver frowned. 'Didn't I hear you tell the man you loved him?'
'As a friend, yes,' Sophie agreed. 'That's all.'
'Did Greg know that?' Oliver's question was surprisingly sharp. 'How did he feel about that?'
Sophie stared at Oliver accusingly. 'I don't remember you being very concerned about Greg's feelings when you offered yourself as a comparison.'
'Perhaps you're wrong.' Oliver folded his arms and leaned back against the door. 'Every man deserves to be sure that his future wife is being honest with him. Did you tell him about the wedding date you had planned?'
Sophie said nothing.
'Have you told him that you're not wearing your engagement ring any more? That even the dateless wedding is off?'
Sophie still remained silent.
'Who are you really lying to, Sophie?' Oliver inquired softly. 'Greg—or me? Or are you just trying to keep your options open?'
'Why would I do that?' Sophie felt genuinely bemused by the accusation. What on earth had she done to provoke this attack from Oliver?
'To check out whether there's something better on offer. Like most women do.'
'It
Sophie proceeded to list the complications. Even graphic scenarios of severe haemorrhage, hypovolemic shock and death didn't appear to register with her patient. Pagan waited until she had finished and then smiled.
'I took that prescription you gave me for the multivitamin tablets when I went to see Iris. She's my clairvoyant, you know.'
'Very appropriate name,' Sophie murmured.
'Anyway, she knew just by holding it that you were the right person. I have every faith in you, Sophie.' She leaned forward eagerly. 'I want you to share this experience with me. I think you'll find it life-changing.'
'That's what bothers me.' Sophie was feeling worn down by Pagan's unshakeable convictions. She decided she would have to back off for the moment. 'Did you think about the blood tests and ultrasound scan I suggested?'
'No.' Pagan shook her head and a few more tendrils of hair floated loose. 'I mean, yes, I did think about it and, no, I don't want them.'
Sophie saw a glimmer of hope. 'These tests are really the only way of getting any sort of reassurance that the birth will be uncomplicated. I would feel a lot happier about this if I had some evidence that the pregnancy is normal.'
'Would you?' Pagan looked surprised.
'Ultrasound is the way dolphins communicate, you know, Pagan.' Sophie felt suddenly inspired. 'Bouncing sound waves off things to get a picture. It's the same idea with a scan of the baby. Quite an Aquarius thing, I would have thought.'
Pagan's eyes shone. 'You're quite right, Sophie. Book me in, then.' She jumped to her feet.
Sophie held the door open with some relief and took her down to see Toni.
'Pagan wants a scan booked at Women's, please, Toni. In a fortnight. She'll be about fifteen weeks by then.'
Pagan leaned over the counter and nodded wisely at Toni. 'I knew Sophie was the right person. I'm never wrong about auras.'
* * *
'So! You've persuaded Pagan Ellis to have a scan.' Oliver's head appeared around Sophie's door later that afternoon. 'That was well done.'
'It wasn't all that difficult,' Sophie said modestly. 'I still need to talk her into having the routine blood tests and maybe even amniocentesis, but I am rather pleased, I must say. It's a bit of a relief, really.'
'I'm sure it is.' Oliver stepped inside the room and closed the door behind him. 'You've had quite a productive afternoon. You've sorted out a difficult patient and your relationship.'
'Sorry?' Sophie's eyes widened.
'I wasn't eavesdropping intentionally.' Oliver's smile was a little forced. 'But it sounded like you patched things up with Greg quite nicely.'
Sophie shrugged. 'There wasn't anything to patch up,' she said levelly. 'Not any more.'
Oliver frowned. 'Didn't I hear you tell the man you loved him?'
'As a friend, yes,' Sophie agreed. 'That's all.'
'Did Greg know that?' Oliver's question was surprisingly sharp. 'How did he feel about that?'
Sophie stared at Oliver accusingly. 'I don't remember you being very concerned about Greg's feelings when you offered yourself as a comparison.'
'Perhaps you're wrong.' Oliver folded his arms and leaned back against the door. 'Every man deserves to be sure that his future wife is being honest with him. Did you tell him about the wedding date you had planned?'
Sophie said nothing.
'Have you told him that you're not wearing your engagement ring any more? That even the dateless wedding is off?'
Sophie still remained silent.
'Who are you really lying to, Sophie?' Oliver inquired softly. 'Greg—or me? Or are you just trying to keep your options open?'
'Why would I do that?' Sophie felt genuinely bemused by the accusation. What on earth had she done to provoke this attack from Oliver?
'To check out whether there's something better on offer. Like most women do.'
'It
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