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Dr. Balis:
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Hello Sylvia.
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Ms. Bows:
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Hello Doctor.
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Dr. Balis:
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How is the new medication?
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Ms. Bows:
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I guess it's okay. Doctor, I'm feeling like events and circumstances are just taking hold of my life and I'm losing all control.
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Dr. Balis:
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You're talking about Friday?
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Ms. Bows:
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Yes. But not just then. Look at me. I'm huge! The only way a person wouldn't guess that I'm pregnant is if they haven't seen me in the last couple of weeks.
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Dr. Balis:
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Well are you surprised? Did you think you could go through your pregnancy keeping it a secret?
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Ms. Bows:
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No of course not. But I find myself so unprepared. I was trying to get pregnant for so long that I just expected it would take a long time even with men who aren't shooting blanks. Did you ever see the documentary "The Miracle of Life?"
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Dr. Balis:
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Yes, actually I have.
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Ms. Bows:
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Remember all the events and conditions that had to be just right in order for conception to occur?
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Dr. Balis:
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I remember being surprised that the chances were so low.
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Ms. Bows:
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That's right. Most sperm are duds and never even go past the cervix. The rest face a hostile environment all the way to the end, the female body regarding them as unwelcomed intruders. Even the ones that make it as far the fallopian tubes face these great "Lady and the Tiger" dilemma--two tubes, one of which has an egg and the other nothing. And out of billions of sperm only one makes it. But all of this is futile if the timing is not just right. I watched this documentary and wondered how we ever manage to reproduce at all?
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Dr. Balis:
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Whatever the obstacles, it seems to have worked pretty well for the human race.
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Ms. Bows:
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And I'm the living proof.
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Dr. Balis:
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Yes you are.
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Ms. Bows:
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After I left Dr. Malleson office on Friday I never went home.
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Dr. Balis:
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Stayed with Rene?
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Ms. Bows:
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I didn't know what else to do. Tom shocked me. I was completely helpless. You've got to understand that I'm dressed in this little blue paper gown that's open everywhere and otherwise I'm naked. I'm lying on my back with my feet up in the air in these stirrups. The Doctor is sitting on his little stool checking my cervix and in walks Tom. The Doctor actually motioned him to come on in. It's like he had a right to be there. And Tom acts as if he's known all along. After I freaked out, Dr. Malleson took him into his office and filled him in on all the details. I felt like such an ass. I couldn't do anything. Everyone just assumed they were his children and treated him as an expectant father. Dr. Malleson thinks that I'm having a nervous breakdown. I can just imagine the conversation he had with you.
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Dr. Balis:
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Dr. Malleson was very concerned about you.
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Ms. Bows:
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I really lost it in his office. I wasn't prepared for Tom. But I guess now he knows everything.
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Dr. Balis:
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Maybe not everything.
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Ms. Bows:
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I'm sure Dr. Malleson did a thorough job of filling him in.
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Dr. Balis:
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Dr. Malleson thinks the twins are Tom's.
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Ms. Bows:
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I would assume Tom told him otherwise.
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Dr. Balis:
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I don't think so. Dr. Malleson never mentioned anything but the concern about you that Tom expressed to him. In fact, Dr. Malleson quoted Tom's description of your adverse reaction to the previous antidepressant that you took. I think Tom pretended that the twins were his.
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Ms. Bows:
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Great! Thank you Tom for defending my honor.
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Dr. Balis:
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So you haven't talked to Tom since that scene in the examination room?
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Ms. Bows:
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No.
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Dr. Balis:
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Don't you think you should?
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Ms. Bows:
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Oh god I know. But what am I suppose to say to him now? "Dear Tom, as you know that I'm pregnant and..." I should just give him the divorce papers and get it over with.
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Dr. Balis:
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Would that make you happy?
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Ms. Bows:
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Oh who cares? At least it would be over with and it would be one less thing to worry about.
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Dr. Balis:
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What are you worried about right now?
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Ms. Bows:
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I'm very worried about my pregnancy. I'm worried about not being able to carry to term. I'm worried about the divorce. I thought I knew how it would play out, but Tom surprises me every step of the way. I keep expecting him to do something horrible.
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Dr. Balis:
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Like what?
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Ms. Bows:
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I don't know. Like running a story about me in the Chronicle--"Whore Wife Sleeps with 100 men and Gets Pregnant with Twins of Different Fathers." Read all about it.
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Dr. Balis:
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You don't really think Tom would do that?
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Ms. Bows:
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No. But he'll come up with something just as awful. He'll leave me destitute. Take away my house, my job.
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Dr. Balis:
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Are you worried about losing your job?
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Ms. Bows:
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A little. I will clearly not be able to work soon. In a high pressure business like this if you're not right on top of things you lose. Technology is changing at such an overwhelming rate that it is hard to keep up even if you're working all the time. Taking almost a year off could easily cost me my position.
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Dr. Balis:
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You are not the first executive at SII to have children, are you? Other women leave on maternity leave.
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Ms. Bows:
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As an executive I'm supposed to be immune to this sort of thing. It's still a man's world. Not to mention that my recent behavior is just a bit controversial even for an advanced cutting-edge kind of company.
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Dr. Balis:
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I would say that's probably an understatement. Have any of the prospective fathers noticed your present condition?
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Ms. Bows:
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That's the other thing. I'm keeping a low profile. But the more I try to be invisible the more rumors are going around SII. I walk into the room and everyone stops talking. I have to pretend that I don't notice anything. But I feel like screaming at them--haven't they ever seen a pregnant woman before?
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Dr. Balis:
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I don't think that it's the fact of your pregnancy that is sparking people's interest. Do you?
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Ms. Bows:
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I know. The game of the day is "Who is the Father." Even Lloyd mentioned something until I cut him off. But I'm surprised how anyone knows. I never did anything in public and I can only assume that one of them talked.
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Dr. Balis:
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I remember you had sex in someone's cubical. That's not exactly in public but...
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Ms. Bows:
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No one saw us. I'm not into having people watch.
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Dr. Balis:
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Okay. But don't you think that once the knowledge of your pregnancy becomes public knowledge--and it clearly has--every man who's slept with you will begin to wonder? And perhaps talk? You deliberately avoided using contraceptives. I'm surprised that you haven't been confronted directly by them. Did you ever talk to Richard?
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Ms. Bows:
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Oh god. He calls me several times a day. Every day. Everywhere I turn, he is there watching me.
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Dr. Balis:
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Did you talk to him at all?
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Ms. Bows:
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I told him that I needed some time and then I'll explain everything to him. I think he just assumes that I'm getting a divorce and can't speak to him because of that.
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Dr. Balis:
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Why do you think he believes that?
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Ms. Bows:
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His messages are always full of discretion. He talks about how he understands my situation and how he's there for me. I think he thinks that I'm afraid of being followed by some detective that Tom hired and that my phones are tapped or something. He never says anything straight out. I'm having a ton of problems and he is living in a fantasy world. I know that he believes that he is the father. I dread having the little talk with him about the paternity issue. And it wouldn't be above him to try to do the noble thing either. I wish they all would just leave me alone.
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Dr. Balis:
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Has anyone else confronted you?
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Ms. Bows:
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David sent me an e-mail message saying that it's "cool" that I'm having a baby. I replied telling him that it's not his. He sent another message--"thank you." At least he is honest about his relief.
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Dr. Balis:
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What about Hal?
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Ms. Bows:
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Hal has been reaching the heights of strange paranoid behavior. If I hadn't known him for years I would fire him.
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Dr. Balis:
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Why?
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Ms. Bows:
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About two weeks after we had sex, he came into my office to tell me that he hoped that I wasn't disappointed but we just couldn't have a relationship. He insisted on telling me that our affair was just a one night stand and that he is really in love with his wife. I kept trying to tell him that I wasn't interested anyway. But he kept on pressing the sanctity of the marriage and so on. If he really felt that way why did he go with me? I don't want to feel bad for his indiscretions. His marriage is his problem and if he really loved his wife he wouldn't have done what he did.
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Dr. Balis:
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Hmm.
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Ms. Bows:
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But the last week or so he's been simply impossible. Every time I need to talk to him he jumps, turns pale as if he is about to pass out. If I pass him in the office or in the hallway, he bolts away from me with a maniacal look in his eyes as if I have rabies and I'm about to attack him.
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Dr. Balis:
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I see.
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Ms. Bows:
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I can't work with him. If this continues I'll have to do something.
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Dr. Balis:
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He is probably concerned that he might be the father. Getting his boss pregnant would probably not be the best thing for his marriage.
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Ms. Bows:
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If he'd just give me half a chance I'd put his mind at ease. Hopefully neither of the babies are his. I would hate to introduce insanity into my genetic lineage.
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Dr. Balis:
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That's a bit cold.
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Ms. Bows:
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I know it is. But I have little sympathy for a man who cheats on his wife.
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Dr. Balis:
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Well you knew he was married.
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Ms. Bows:
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I'm married too.
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Dr. Balis:
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Let's move on. Did anybody else express interest in the paternity of your children?
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Ms. Bows:
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No one else has openly confronted me yet. But I assume it's just a matter of time.
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Dr. Balis:
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So when are you planning on talking to Tom?
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Ms. Bows:
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Oh we're back to that. I'll do it this week. Perhaps when I come home tomorrow.
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Dr. Balis:
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Good. And your family? Jeorge clearly already knows.
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Ms. Bows:
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He wouldn't have told my parents. I'll tell them after I speak with Tom. I'll inform them about the divorce and the twins. It's going to be an interesting week.
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Dr. Balis:
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Call me if you want to. I'm here for you.
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Ms. Bows:
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Thank you Doctor. I know. And I'm sorry about getting angry at you last week. It's been really hard keeping it together.
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Dr. Balis:
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That's okay. That's what I'm here for. I'll see you next week, Tuesday October 15th at 4 pm. Okay?
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Ms. Bows:
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That's fine Doctor. I'll tell you all about my wonderful family.
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Dr. Balis:
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I'm sure your parents will ultimately support you.
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Ms. Bows:
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I know. Thank you Doctor. Oh, I almost forgot. Here are copies of my ultrasounds. I thought you might like them.
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Dr. Balis:
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I would very much. Thank you Sylvia. I think you've got very good looking...boy?
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Ms. Bows:
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Yes, one of them is a boy. The other kept its legs crossed the entire time--so we don't know. He or she wasn't giving anything up.
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Dr. Balis:
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The baby just wanted to keep up the mystery.
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Ms. Bows:
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Great. I'll see you next week Doctor.
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Dr. Balis:
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Goodbye Sylvia. Thanks again for the family pictures.
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Ms. Bows:
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It's never too early to start a baby album. I'll be the kind of mother that makes everyone suffer through hundreds of pictures and cute little stories. Can't wait to get invited to my first slideshow, right Doctor? Bye.
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