The doctor smiled at Jules. She wasn’t the type of person to smile when something was going wrong. Daring to hope, Jules lowered herself into the other chair in front of the desk.

“As I was telling Vivian, everything seems to be okay,” Dr. Viswanathan said, and Jules decided that getting out of bed this morning had been worthwhile. “There isn’t much we can tell at this point, but this first screening detected no serious issues. Positioning and fetal heartbeat are normal. Now, I just want to clear up a few things with you. How’s your diet?”

“Fine,” Vivian said.

Dr. Viswanathan looked at Jules, who nodded. Then she looked back at Vivian. “You’re getting enough iron and folic acid?”

Vivian glanced at Jules. “I don’t know. Am I?”

“Yes. In your food and in the prenatal vitamins I always put next to your breakfast. You’re taking them, right?”

“Of course I am.”

“Exercise?”

“I meet with my trainer three mornings a week.” Vivian waved her hand. “She’s got me doing some prenatal routine.”

“Which is?”

Jules pulled a copy of the exercise routine out of her bag and passed it over the desk.

Dr. Viswanathan looked it over. “This seems good. You’re sleeping?”

“Better,” Vivian said, sounding evasive for the first time, earning her a very direct look. “I’m still adjusting to the time change,” she added after a moment.

“You said you got back from London two weeks ago.”

“I’m fine,” Vivian said. “Better. I said I’m better.”

“It’s important that you get enough rest,” Dr. Viswanathan said firmly.

“Well, she’s been going home earlier,” Jules said, like some kind of ob-gyn wingman. “That’s good, right?”

The doctor nodded. “That’s a start, but, Vivian, I want you to take maternity leave for the entire last month of your pregnancy. At your age—”

“That isn’t an option,” Vivian said, her tone final.

“What’s more important?” Dr. Viswanathan asked. “Your job or your health? Or the child’s health?”

Vivian narrowed her eyes.

Jules jumped in before the bomb could go off. “I bet all that can be decided later, right?”

“True.” Dr. Viswanathan looked down at her notes while Vivian relaxed.

Twenty minutes later, as they were heading back to the car, Vivian said derisively, “‘Maternity leave.’ Please.”

“Well, you’re going to have to take some after the baby’s born,” Jules said. “Aren’t you?”

“Yes.” Vivian didn’t sound remotely happy about it. She clucked her tongue. “I’m sure Mark will be ecstatic, just waiting for me to—”

She cut herself off, but Jules knew what she meant. In terms of Vivian’s career, the pregnancy couldn’t have happened at a worse time, when Mark Tavio was quite possibly looking for an excuse to get rid of her. Which meant that Vivian, who should be resting, would undoubtedly work harder than ever.