Six Geese a-Laying

you.’
    ‘
What
?’
    We all crane forward and peer at the woman’s face.
    ‘Oh my God,’ breathes Gina.
    ‘It is!’
    ‘How can it be Gina?’
    ‘I think I’ve heard about this,’ says Geraldine uncertainly. ‘Video-empathy. It’s to help you visualize your birth. They must have superimposed your head on the screen. It’s a bit of a cheap trick.’
    ‘But how have they got Ralph too?’ says Gina, sounding freaked out. ‘Look!’
    Sure enough, on the screen, Ralph is approaching the bed that Gina’s lying on. ‘Love?’ he says. ‘I’ve brought the oils.’
    ‘Ralph.’ On-screen Gina lifts her head, her face is contorted with pain. ‘I want pain relief. Proper pain relief.’
    ‘But love, you told me, no pain relief. I’ll rub your back with lavender and jasmine…’
    The sound of Gina’s moaning dies away and the screen goes momentarily blank. A moment later she reappears on screen, looking even worse than before.
    ‘Ralph, I need something,’ she’s panting. ‘Please. I’ve changed my mind.’
    ‘She doesn’t,’ Ralph is saying to a midwife. ‘Look. It’s in her birth plan. “Even if I beg, do not give me pain relief. My body will adjust.”’
    ‘Please!’
    ‘Gina. Love.’ Ralph hurries to her side, and strokes her hand soothingly. ‘Remember, it’s all in the mind. Work
with
your body. That’s what you said…’
    ‘But I didn’t knooow!’ Gina’s voice rises to a howl. The screen flickers and dies to nothing.
    There’s a staggered silence. As I glance around, everyone looks stunned.
    ‘Who
are
you, anyway?’ Gina’s voice bursts out, trembling. ‘What right have you got to come in here, making things up?’
    The woman says nothing, just inclines her head slightly.
    My skin starts to prickle all over. My heart is thudding.
    ‘Maybe she wasn’t making it up.’ I take a deep breath. ‘Are you…showing us our futures?’
    ‘Oh, for God’s sake,’ says Geraldine. ‘Get real…’
    ‘I don’t believe in mediums,’ says Georgia firmly. ‘It must be a trick—’
    ‘But how did she do it?’ Gina’s voice rises in agitation. ‘That was me and Ralph! Right there on the screen!’
    ‘I know who it is,’ says Grace suddenly. ‘It’s the Ghost of Babies Future.’ She looks at the figure, her face white with fear. ‘Is that right?’
    There’s a taut silence. Then the figure bows her head.
    ‘Oh my God,’ says Gina, sounding almost hysterical. ‘That was
true
?’
    ‘That’s it.’ Geraldine’s voice snaps. ‘I’m not sitting around to hear a lot of ridiculous gobbledegook! I tell you, I’m complaining to Petal Harmon—’
    The woman silences her by lifting her hand, and another flickering image appears on the screen. It’s Geraldine. She’s sitting on a hospital bed, wincing with pain.
    ‘Just a few details first,’ a midwife is saying kindly, pen in hand. ‘Then we’ll get you sorted out.’ She gives Geraldine a sympathetic smile. ‘Your name?’
    ‘Geraldine Foster,’ puffs Geraldine.
    ‘Ge-ral-dine…’ the midwife begins writing. Then she stops and her sympathetic smile disappears. ‘Geraldine Foster?’ she says in a different tone. ‘You’re the one who complained about me.’
    As she moves, the badge on her uniform comes into view. It reads ‘Davies’.
    ‘This woman complained to all the big guns!’ she’s exclaiming indignantly to a second midwife. ‘I was given a formal warning. For one lousy text message!’
    ‘She complained about me too,’ says the second midwife, and shoots Geraldine a scathing look. ‘Said I hadn’t followed protocol.’
    ‘Er…could I have some pain relief?’ Geraldine’s voice is strained.
    The two midwives look at each other.
    ‘The protocol says we have to examine her thoroughly first,’ replies the second. ‘I’ll fetch some gloves.’ She saunters towards the door.
    ‘Will it take long?’ Geraldine sounds desperate. Both midwives raise their eyebrows.
    ‘You wouldn’t want us to rush things, would you?’ says one innocently. ‘We’ll take as long as we have to.’
    The images fade away and we all glance awkwardly at Geraldine. She’s gone rather pale.
    ‘Listen,’ she says at last. ‘Ghost. Or whatever you are. Are you showing us things which
will
happen? Or…which
might
happen?’
    The spirit doesn’t reply.
    Suddenly I become aware that Gabby is murmuring into her mobile phone. I don’t think she’s even noticed what’s been going on.
    ‘Look, I’m