Part 38

"You work harder than the nursing staff on the west wing."

Charlotte looked up from her typing to see Dr. Houseman resting on the door jam. "Not so, I've had the pleasure of watching them busting their... humps for over two weeks now."

"You've been hunch over that computer for two days now." Dr. Houseman was pointing to her record that hung on the end of her bed. "It's all in there, workaholic, not a candidate for continuing bed rest at home."

Charlotte's shoulders slumped. "What's that mean? That I'm here for the duration?"

"You'll have another ultrasound today and if the placenta shows signs of moving up the wall, you might be able to go home in a few days."

Charlotte's cell phone rang. While she talked in a heated conversation over whether the figures on a dietary requirements table were accurate, Dr. Houseman , busied himself with her chart. At the end of the conversation, she slammed the phone down on the bedside table.

"That's not going to help little Joey?"

"Really, a boy?" There was hope and excitement in her eyes and voice.

"Boy, girl at this stage it's all the same."

"Not really... a boy would be a nice addition."

"No, a healthy baby would be a nice addition, don't you think?"

The doctor was right. She needed to relax. After all that was why she was here. Breathe in, breathe out... breathe in.... again. But Charlotte wasn't used to being idle and just sitting. Finally she asked, "What's the harm in doing a little writing? I'm not up and around. I'm in this bed."

"That's my point, it's not a little, and from that phone call am I correct in concluding that it was John."

"You were listening in," Charlotte was on the verge of indignant.

"Charlotte, the whole wing heard. Besides it's 10:30. All good mothers to be are in bed, sleeping at this time."

"And all good doctors, where are they?"

"On there way home from delivering babies." Dr. Houseman smiled. "Can you go to sleep now and lay off the work at least until afternoon tomorrow.?"

A pained expression came over her face. "I think I'm going to have to."

Silence blanketed the room as a tear coursed down her cheek. "Dr. Houseman I think I'm bleeding."

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