Bratva Mother

Appointment

After Carol and her brothers had that talk Jessica was acting weird. It hurt Carol’s head too much, so she dropped her mothers odd behavior. Everyone agreed to go out to dinner to celebrate Carol being home and the new addition to the family. She met up with the family at the restaurant, Sullivan’s Steakhouse. She was surprised to see a live band playing a variety of music. It wasn’t upscale nor was it McDonalds. Her brothers chose well in their diner place. She looked around and found her family around a table in the middle close to the bar.

She wandered over to them, gave them all a hug in greeting and sat down. It was Friday night and the band was doing well in their music choice tonight. A little R&R, country and some blues. Then she noticed they all had alcohol in front of them which made her uncomfortable.

“Did any of you drive here? Will you Uber back to the hotel?” She asked, a little concerned.

Travis replied, “Don’t worry sis, I am only having the one and will wait the appropriate time to get behind the wheel.”

Which she guessed made her feel a little better about the situation. You can have one drink and be ok behind the wheel. Also he is a big guy, if he eats and the food absorbs the alcohol; he’ll barely feel the alcohol before it is out of his system. She ordered a Dr. Pepper and looked at the menu for food. She didn’t want anything overly greasy but wanted to be full later.

She was so absorbed with the menu she didn’t pay attention to what the waitress put in front of her. She reached for the cup when a very strong odor of alcohol met her nose. Since getting pregnant, scents have been bothering her, alcohol apparently makes her sick. She held her mouth and raced to the toilet. She barely heard the conversation behind her, but she noticed her brother's tones of concern and annoyance.

After puking, washing her mouth out and drying her hands. She returned to the table to see her mother gone and her brothers concerned faces watching her. Carol asked about their mother and where she went. The boys looked at each other, as if having a silent conversation.

Junior spoke up and replied, “We kicked her out… She told the waitress to cancel your Dr. Pepper and give you whiskey on the rocks. We didn’t know she would do that Sissy. Truly!” He was sweating as she stood there stunned.

Her own mother, after learning she is around three months pregnant, wanted her to drink. For what? To do what? What did she gain by her own daughter drinking whiskey while pregnant?

Phillip slowly got up from the table and approached her as if she was a scared animal about to bolt. Honestly, she might do that. Suddenly she was feeling sick again. He touched her hand to focus her attention on him. “Indian Princess, we weren’t really there for you growing up. But you're not alone. We won’t let anyone hurt you or this little one you carry. Not even our mom.”

Carol looked at Junior, he looked like a ghost. His sister comes home after years, pregnant. The first thing their mom does during a family meal, tries to get her to drink alcohol. Knowing the hell he went through being diagnosed with FAS as a teen. He looked to his sister, the one who suffered alone. He felt so guilty and strangely the one wronged by their mom.

She went to Junior and hugged him. “Hey, it isn’t your fault she is like this. I don’t know why she doesn’t like me or the baby. But, it isn’t anything against you. Despite her faults, she loves you.”

He didn’t want to hear that. He cleared his throat and decided to start looking at the menu for dinner choices. The siblings had a nice dinner discussing how Carol would get out to the camp, who would come and check on her, and when. The guys even decided amongst themselves who would accompany her to the appointment on Monday. They, as siblings, talked about the next few months and how it would all work out.

Carol was happy with the talk, dinner and having at least her brothers in her corner during the pregnancy and after. Whether boy or girl, her child would be well loved and looked after. She felt light and unbothered by everything. She had a support network she only dreamed about a few years ago. All thanks to the baby and Grandma Jenn.

Her weekend was spent with the boys relearning her home state. A few things have changed since she left for college. There is a new and better Native hospital, a few businesses closed but new ones popped up. They helped her get in contact with a few people from the village who agreed to give her extra berries. All they wanted was a few groceries from the stores in town. Fresh fruit and such being so hard and expensive to find out there. She was happy to oblige them with their request.

Then the morning of her appointment happened. Travis was the one who got to accompany her to the appointment. So he drove her to the hospital and helped her look for the correct area to be at. He was honestly fascinated but weary about the appointment now that it was happening. She was amused with him and his constant questions. “What will they do in the appointment? Would they have to do any testing? Will you get a picture of the baby? Will you learn the gender today? Why do they go by weeks and not months for appointments?”

She was doing her best to be patient with him but also try to answer all his questions. “I’ll have to go to their wash room and pee in a cup. They will ask family history and diseases for both mom and dad; if known. I might get a picture of them. I do not know if they have to do more testing or if I could learn gender now or later. This is my first pregnancy, bro. Why doctors go by weeks and not months is because each week the baby is doing something different. Each week has new challenges and possible risks.”

This mostly calmed her brother down. She continued with her family history and known diseases. She handed the papers back to reception and waited to be called. Carol and Travis sat and talked while they waited to go back. When they did, the nurse weighed her, checked her blood pressure, heart rate and temperature. She then handed Carol a plastic cup like container with a lid and told her where the wash room was. Carol told her brother to stay there and she’ll be right back.

After filling the specimen jar and cleaning up, she came back to the room to see her brother looking at a diagram of a pregnant woman. She sat down on the table and waited. They didn’t wait long when the doctor came in with an Ipad and an ultrasound machine.

The doctor introduced herself while cleaning up at the little sink in the room. “Hello Miss… Sesi….. Cultsa?” She looked to Carol for confirmation.

Carol smiled but corrected the doctor, “It is Káltsa, pronounced Kale.T.sa or you could use the English word Fox. Less work on your voice box.”

The doctor nodded, noted it and continued, “My name is Eliza Salom. Yes as in the witch hunt Salom. I see you are here to see if you're pregnant. You have missed three cycles. It is a high possibility you are pregnant. Who are you sir? Are you soon-to-be dad?”

Travis blanched at that but firmly shook his head at the doctor. “No, I’m mom to be’s brother. Sperm donor is not in the picture.”

This made the doctor pause but not for long. You could see she was a little pink, angry or embarrassed? She continued to address Carol however. “I have your urine results here, yes ma'am you are indeed pregnant. Let's get a look at the baby and see how they are doing. Lay down on the bed and lift your shirt to expose your belly, I’ll do the rest.”

Carol listened to the doctor and Travis was practically at the edge of his seat excited to get a look at the baby. He asked the doctor, “Doc, when can we learn the gender of the baby?"

The doctor replied absentmindedly while she got the ultra machine ready to go, “Anywhere from 18 weeks to 22 weeks. Depends on how cooperative the baby is while being in there. Why?”

Travis replied, “Our brothers and I are crossing our fingers for a baby girl to spoil. Sesi here is the only girl. We want another girl to spoil. I mean, we will be happy with a boy, but we are crossing fingers and toes hoping for a girl.”

This made the doctor chuckle, while rubbing the jell all over Carol’s belly she looked up and said, “mama it looks like you got your hands full with expectations. What do you want?”

Carol replied without hesitation, “Honestly, I will be happy with either one. But I too hope for a girl. Different reasons than my brothers of course haha”

The doctor wiggled the wand around until a whooshing noise washed over them. A form appeared on the screen, it was no bigger than a passion fruit. But it was forming features already. To Carol, her baby was beautiful. The doctor started measuring and other things with the image and after a few minutes declared that the baby was around three months old and her due date was February 20th. She told Carol she can clean up and sit up, once comfortable they could talk about options and plans.

Travis helped Carol clean up and sat next to her, but gave the doctor his full attention. Carol was happy to have his support and presents at the appointment. It is special to hear a precious thing as a new lifes heartbeat.

Carol told the doctor her hope of giving birth on her grandma’s land, how she has a friend who has training agree to spend time with her out there to do this. If her health and the health of her baby will allow it of course. She told the doctor everything. How her best friend sent out equipment to help learn the health and wellbeing of both mom-to-be, and new baby.

The doctor listened and was impressed with this woman's ideas, friends, and the equipment she described. “I don’t see why you can’t do remote visits, especially if you send data through these machines you describe. Keep me posted and we will see as you progress. You haven’t finished your first trimester after all."