He also explained that she might start to experience strange cravings for foods she didn't now eat, or had never liked before. Some of these cravings would also make her mix some of her foods with things they didn't naturally go with like: pickles dipped in mashed potatoes or onions sprinkled with sugar. Whatever the cravings she had, he explained were a natural part of the pregnancy and that she shouldn't become alarmed by them. He did caution her that any foods in excess would not be good for her or the baby, and could result in her having a lot of unwanted weight after the baby was born.
Before she had left, Dr. Leeds expressed how important it was for her to have a doctor check her over regularly as the pregnancy continued. While he talked, the doctor had gone to a cupboard in the room and began looking through several colored bottles, until he came to a dark green one, and removed it from the cupboard. As she watched, Lou saw him pick up what looked like to be some kind of odd shaped utensil and dip it into the bottle. Dr. Leeds picked up a folded sheaf of paper and proceeded to pour a pale yellow powder into the paper. When he was finished measuring the powder out, he closed part of the sheaf of paper over and handed it to Lou. He explained that the yellow powder was potassium carbonate and if would help to soothe her stomach during her bouts of morning sickness. He had instructed her on how much to take each morning when she woke up and then saw her to the door.
It wasn't until she was beginning to walk away, that she thought to question him on whether or not it would be safe for her to ride a horse in her condition.
"Dr. Leeds, will it harm the baby if I rode a horse. I do a lot of riding and I just wanted to know if it could cause any harm to the baby."
She had held her breath as she waited for the doctor, hoping that he would tell her it was okay to ride. She just had to be able to ride! She had a job to do and one she enjoyed very much! Not only did she have to return to Rock Creek tomorrow, she had a mochilla full of mail to deliver to the next rider. She knew that eventually she would have to give up her job as the pregnancy continued. There was just no way that she would be able to hide a bulging belly from the Pony Express family or anyone else in Rock Creek. She needed time to decide what she was going to do. There was just too much for her to consider before she made a definite decision. She just needed time to think.
She had been relieved when the doctor had answered her a few minutes later. "I don't see no reason why at this stage of your pregnancy that riding should do any harm to the baby, allowing that you don't take any unnecessary risks."
(I'm a Pony Express rider.) Lou thought sarcastically, before speaking. (We don't know how NOT to take risks!) "Oh, I'll be very careful." She promised.
(Yeah right, Lou. How can you be careful on a galloping horse, going across uninhabited country where every turn presents some kind of danger to you and your horse.) She added as she thanked the doctor and walked away.
(It was all so much to think about,) Lou thought as she walked. (I just don't know what I'm going to do. I know that I won't be able to stay long at the waystation, unless I tell Kid and the others about the pregnancy. It isn't like I can hide the fact that I'm pregnant, like I hid my true identity from them. That had been easy compared to this! All I had to do was cut my hair short, wear glasses and dress in boys clothing! If it wasn't for me getting shot on my first run, or the boys helping me rescue Jeremiah and Theresa, or Teaspoon jumping into the waterhole, nobody would have known. In this case, my body is going to play havoc on my appearance, until only a blind man couldn't tell what was wrong with me!)
She chuckled wryly to herself. She definitely wasn't mistaken when she thought that this baby was going to change her life forever. Even though she was still undecided on what she was going to do, she knew that she wouldn't change anything. She had always dreamed of having a baby and now she finally was. Although, she had to admit, that things hadn't worked out exactly how she had planned her life to be when she found out she was pregnant. The bottom line was that she was pregnant and she wanted the baby more than anything else she had dreamed of having, including Kid. Well, truth be told, she had a piece of Kid that she would never, ever lose.
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